Closed Haul Sailing on an H16

Someone help me out here.
Im still very new to hobie-ing so im trying to learn all the right techniques

It seems like the 16 can not sail up wind at all. Or barely atleast.
Is this true or am i just doing something wrong. I was having a blast out in the ocean the other day in about 12mph winds. Reached back and forth all around cresent bay until it was time to go in. Well i had gone south of the harbor and the winds were blowing north to south. I could not get home. It took me another hour and 1/2 sailing closed reaches and zig zagging all the way home.

Is there anything i can do to get the boat to sail into the wind better. I mean she seemed like she could sail upwind but it probably would have taken just as long as the big zig zags did. Atleast then i was going fast, when i pointed into the wind i barely moved i had to go back to reaching or i was just going to sit there.

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1971 H16 (sail #1768)

To all of you on the Hobie Forum... I love you guys!!!
thanks for all the help!

Hi, and welcome to Hobie sailing and sailign in general!)

While a hobie 16 does not go to windward as well as an Americas Cup Yacht, or even a well sailed dinghy, I would not say a 16 cannot go to windward.

As a sailing coach for a number of years in my teens, I can say that most new sailors think they are going to windward when they are really close reaching. The trick is to sail as close to the wind as you can without DRAMATICALLY losing speed. It is an art form, more than a science, but it is easily learned. It is best learned by going sailing, (ideally on a 16, but any sailboat will give you the idea) with an accomplished sailor to show what things should look and feel like.

If you cannot get an accomplished Hobie sailoer to go out with you, or let you ride on their boat, I recommend taking sailing lessons- if thats not an option, try sailing instructional videos. Point is, you really need some visuals to be able to figure out how to do this. Words don't help that much in the very beginning.

Having said that, as a starting point, to go to windward in mderate air- main and job travellers all the way to the center line. Main sheet pulled in until boom is almost over the centerline. The leach (back edge) of the sail is your "rough tuning " guide. When you get most of the twist out of it, your'e getting close.
Jib, pulled in tight. Then, learn to read the tell tales on your sail to keep air flowing over both sides of the mainsail, and continuously keep trying to head up a LITTLE bit more, see what the tell tales do, to keep going to windward as best you can. Racers will cringe at some of the above- these are rough settings that will get you going, not finetuning advice.

It may take years to be able to go to windward like a national champ, but you should be able to get 90-95% of the way there after a few days on the water with an experienced teacher.

Hope that helps a little.

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Raced extensively as a kid (against Matt Bounds!!), just bought a 20 year old 16 and am refurbishing it.

Sail # 21888

You mentioned that you were sailing in the ocean...one other thing to consider is which way the tide or current is running. If you are not sailing upwind efficiently and are running against the current as well it can be fairly frustrating to say the least. Try to sail upcurrent to begin with and it will greatly aid you in returning to your starting point (unless the tide changes).

Just keep sailing
The Hobie 16 will perform it will go upwind
Try to practice in flat water sometimes the ocean waves and current are difficult- pull the sails in -6:1 blocks help -Tell tells help on the sails-
Get good boat balance head into the wind as much as possible the ease up a little judge boat speed against forward movement
My thought I always prefered to go fast and just make a bunch of tacks
I spent two hours at Edisto Island sailing forward and realized that i had gone about 100 feet up the beach due to the current
There are many times I miss my Hobie 16 What a great timeless boat
Gary Hobie Cat 21 SE Stars and Stripes USA 415
PS Check your rudder fittings and rudder tow in Read up about rudder problems in these forums