When to move fore and aft

Hi all,

In general I move fore and aft based on looking at the bows and stern. But I'm wondering if someone could describe in general terms when you usually want to move fore versus aft. In other words, for each point of sail, and in light versus strong winds, where do you generally want the weight to be on the boat.

Also - related question - I find I have to put a LOT of muscle into controlling the tiller extension on the H16. Is there some way to get less of a workout?

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Broward County, FL
1984 Hobie 16, Olympic Edition (kept in NY)

On the 16, you want the weight as far foward as you dare - without putting the bow under or pitchpoling. All the time.

Are your rudders locked down? Are they on the correct side (tiller arms angle in toward the centerline)?

So when do you move your weight aft?

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Broward County, FL
1984 Hobie 16, Olympic Edition (kept in NY)

right before you pitchpole

Seriously . . . are there points of sail and levels of wind at which you generally move aft?

And regarding the tiller, I feel like I have to pull pretty hard on it to keep from heading up - am I doing something wrong?

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Broward County, FL
1984 Hobie 16, Olympic Edition (kept in NY)

I find myself moving aft on a beam reach just to keep the bows out of the water. But most of the time I am close hulled or running so its usually weight forward for me!

No. Only to the extent that you're trying to keep from pitchpoling or keeping the bow from punching through waves.


No - your boat is set up wrong. Are your rudders locked down? Not angled back at all?

Thanks MBounds. Can you point out a reference where I can see how my rudder should be set up? They are definitely locked down, but I'm not sure about the angles you describe.

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Broward County, FL
1984 Hobie 16, Olympic Edition (kept in NY)

As I understand, older tillers (without adjustment bolts on top) have an slight bend twards the center of the boat. The adjustable tillers do not have this bend. Make sure the bend is pointing to the center and not outwards.

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Sail Like you Have a Pair
Bluish gray 73 - 83 H16
Super Nice Yellow 84 H18

I usually sit as far aft as I can... hmm... am I doing it wrong? I'm huge though! 265!... usually solo... should I really move fore a bit?

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1982 H16 (C:\Worthy)
Yellow/White Prism type sails

Yes. A lot.

I have adjustable rudder arms with the inboard kick.

Barren,
I used to do the same thing, sitting as far aft as possible, and I'm about your size at 250. Now that I've been doing it a little longer and have learned to drive the bows, the boat actually sails a lot better. There is way less rocking and she will actually point a bit higher. In relatively flat water, with enough breeze to just occasionally lift a hull, I am litterally siting on the front corner casting upwind. Even trapped out, I am more or less straddling the shroud. Give it a try.

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James
86' Redline Hobie 16
Sail # 76909

Wow - I'll have to try that... I'm only 170lb - and I find I'm always on the aft corner. Interesting. Also - I assumed - that a lot of mast rake would shift the center of gravity back, helping raise the bow and (thought that was the reason that more mast rake increases speed?) the less forward hull in the water, less drag?

Wondering about WET or DRY suit and I can't bring myself to store them for the winter yet. Though turned from warm to cold here over night last week.
I don't want to dump it without a suit on!

Dry suits are difficult to swim in (to right the boat) so I suspect wet would be more popular than dry suits? (I scuba dive and had owned both for that purpose)