Maiden Voyage - questions

Ok, I finally got my boat wet this weekend. It's an '82.

It took a lot of elbow grease, painted the tramp frame, replaced all shackles and pins, new standing rigging, new running rigging, low profile jib cars and new righting line.

My first attempt weekend before last at launching found me with trouble stepping the mast. I ran into the mast not dropping into place and it pulled the rivets out of the base. I replaced the mast base, 4 new rivets and took her to the water again Sunday.

The mast stepping went pretty well, as I have installed a home made solo mast stepping rig. It mostly worked.

Out on the water, the boat sailed beautifully (main only), expect the expected slug like performance tacking and close hauled (I'm coming from mono hulls).

My question is this, how in the heck does the skipper change sides and get the tiller around? I've got a collapsible tiller, and I've watched countless video, but I just can't get smoothly across. I was in pretty heavy current and the boat was very sensitive. I'd get half way through a turn, flick the tiller around and before I could get across, the current had me going back again.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

BTW, I told my wife the sail was moments of sheer terror (storm beating down on us while we had no wind, mast raising, current pushing to a bridge) punctuated by moments of AWESOMENESS (storm winds finally came, minus the storm)!

Russell

When I was learning I would throw the tiller into the water and just grab the rudder crossbar as I went under the boom to cross. Never let the rudders straighten out when comming across. Once on the new tack, I would pull the tiller from the water. Not very elegant, but it worked for a newbe.

Once I got used to tacking, I worked on passing the tiller behind while moving across. It take a little practice, but it is doable.

_________________
1980 18 foot class A Unicorn catamaran
1977 Super Sunfish (sold)
1979 Hobie (sold)
1983 Hobie 16 Hawiian Sunset (sold)
1981 Hobie 16 Tequilla Sunrise (sold)
2008 Hobie 16 (sold)
2023 Hobie 16
Founding member of the "San Dimas Yacht Club"
John

If you throw your tiller into the water, you can also use your foot to hold the rudder crossbar in position until you are ready to retrieve the tiller.

_________________
Tim
84 H16
82 H16
87 H14T
Tortola Sails: 115222
Blue Prism Sails: 88863
Clearwater, FL

Ok, good to know, that's what I was kinda doing at the end of the day. I just thought I was doing something wrong

This video shows how to cross-over the hiking stick. I studied this one when learning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80jOFQ1kVfs

_________________
1980 18 foot class A Unicorn catamaran
1977 Super Sunfish (sold)
1979 Hobie (sold)
1983 Hobie 16 Hawiian Sunset (sold)
1981 Hobie 16 Tequilla Sunrise (sold)
2008 Hobie 16 (sold)
2023 Hobie 16
Founding member of the "San Dimas Yacht Club"
John

Wow. I feel much more graceful now!

I found this video, I think it was very helpful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMka3IeyNQo

I personally don't like the Hiking Rod, so I just let it go and use the tiller bar for steering.

If someone tells me a reason why not to do it that way maybe I'll stop doing it, but it seems so much easier this way, I don't have to pick it up.

It's much easier to steer with the tiller extension. The boat sails much better when your weight is forward, and you can't do that and steer with the tiller crossbar.

You obviously can't trapeze, either. Driving the boat from the trapeze is much easier than driving from sitting on the trampoline.

Yes, I only do that when not on trapeze.

About the better sailing when weight in front. I thought the skipper should always be on the back (bow, am i right?) and the crew on the front, except when on heavy winds where the crew is trapezing near the back...

Sorry about hijacking the post...

"Stern" is the back of the boat. "Aft" means "towards the stern."
"Bow" is the front. "Forward" means "towards the bow."
"Leeward" (pronounced "loo-ard") is the side away from the wind (low side).
"Windward" is the side towards the wind (high side).

Back to weight placement - the Hobie 16 (in fact, most Hobies) likes to be sailed with your weight as far forward as possible - without putting the leeward bow underwater which can result in a pitchpole in higher wind.

In light air, this means that the crew will be on the forward leeward trampoline corner and the skipper is on the windward corner.
http://ordering.michaelbagleyphoto.com/p991273920/e3399160b
As the wind increases, the crew moves up along the front crossbar until they are in the front corner and the skipper starts to move aft. Even while trapezing, keep your weight forward and only move back as the waves and wind increase.
http://ordering.michaelbagleyphoto.com/p991273920/e20ce0f2d

Ok, I guess I'll change my sailing ways.
Thanks a lot for the lesson...