Finally.. a first sail! Thanks for your help!

I have a 1981 H16 that I refurbished and rebuilt in early 2009 with new paint, running and standing rigging, sheaves, etc., and I rebuilt the trailer as well. I rigged it in my driveway the first time and the dolphin striker rod snapped. I ordered another and really struggled with a way to get the new one in. It was finally suggested to me that I drill out the mast base rivets, unscrew the base and raise the rod to ease getting the rod through.This worked well, but the boat sat for many more months.
Finally on Saturday, over a year and a half after starting the project, I took it out with a friend...who had never been sailing. We loaded everything and set out. I had a paddle in case of no wind, a righting line rigged in case of too much, and a tool kit with spares just in case. It was a very light breeze as we rigged and launched. Took about an hour, but for my first time I wanted to be careful and thorough and all went smoothly. I went through all the parts as we rigged and explained them to my friend, including the righting line.."but there's no way we'll need that today", I added. Well, it was light, then built to about 7-8, then started filling in with short puffs of 10-12 for a few minutes and as the day went on we had some great runs in some pretty strong winds. The boat handled great! Sail shape was good, fully sheeted my upper and lower blocks were about 2" apart, the steering was tight and she tacked better than I thought she could.
This was my second time on a Hobie 16 and my first to skipper one as my own, and so of course the main sheet was cleated as the biggest gust of the day hit. I saw it coming on the water and was reaching to uncleat when suddenly we went from screaming along with the starboard hull just touching, maybe lifting, to burying the port bow and tumbling right on over. Within 30-45 seconds we had made sure all sheets were loose and were up on the hull retrieving the righting line. It took a few tries to figure out where to stand on the floating hull to balance as we pulled but within 5 minutes of crashing we were up and sailing again. We had some more amazing runs, including one where I was able to sheet out to keep from being knocked over again, then tacked back to the ramp. Loading and de-rigging went smoothly and surprisingly quickly.
Sorry for the long ramble, but it was the most amazing day sailing I've had in many years! I was particularly happy that all worked well, nothing broke, that we were able to quickly and efficiently deal with the capsize (though I don't know about doing it alone!), and we were lucky enough to have some great wind.
When we were really moving, I found it hard to really know where the wind was coming from, and tended to sail the boat by the tale-tails. The jib sheet cleats need upgrading, but what a great boat, and a great day!
All the input from this forum helped tremendously. Thank you all.
David

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David

Right on David! It's great to read the excitement of the day. Almost felt like I was there. Good for you and keep at it.

For grins, and not to turn the focus on me, I thought you might enjoy reading this about my first capsize....

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=29617

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'81 H16

If it ain't a blowin', I ain't a goin'

Thanks Jman,
Your tale makes me glad my first capsize was so tame! According to the reports, winds were 10-14 with gusts as high as 23. How do you read the wind direction when you're out?

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David

I use a Telco Cat Wind Vane on the forestay chainplate. Hobie P/N 377 on p. 16 in the current catalog. I have telltales in all but the top and bottom sail sections of the main and jib. I also just started using cassette tape strands on the shrouds.

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'81 H16

If it ain't a blowin', I ain't a goin'

Sounds like a great time! On reading the wind, I found keep the wind to your back or your front shoulder feeling the wind, as you pick up speed and the hull starts to lift, sheet in hard, when it gets up high to your liking, start letting out sheet and keep the rudder strong, when you get it balanced up on one, sheet in or out and push or pull the tiller to keep it up, you'll either keep it going or come to a stop and drop, either way, the more you practice the more you'll get used to the balance point and keep the speed up, I've read often, the more you do it, the better you'll get, fly high or not at all! Have a Hobie Day!

Great feeling huh - congrats

Last time we flipped - we rotated the boat in the water to climb up to right it and the wind caught the sail and the boat RIGHTED ITSELF! I'm still in shock n awe. Was really neat - we laughed our butts off as we climbed back on 50% of the time we can't right it with us both on it. So to have it right itself with out touching the boat or pulling was what... a miracle? (or stupid) was 18-20 with 30mph gusts - GREAT DAY.

Hey Rojoyinc, HOW did you rotate it in the water. At what point did it right itself? Which direction was the wind coming from? Did you rotate it bows down or stern down?

I keep hearing things like this and don't have any details. Can you give DETAILS.

Thanks in advance!

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'81 H16

If it ain't a blowin', I ain't a goin'

Boat was on side of course... wind was from W - SW. We rotated the boat around so that the bow(s) are at the wind. What this means is that the wind is "AT" the mast... and sail, the sail then lays in the water behind the mast. The wind get under the mast, hits the sail that's laying in the water and lifts the boat like the lift of a airplane wing.

When I say rotated the boat, not referring to bows down or stern down (been there done that) but on it's side on one hull. When I say rotate - I'm referring to as in 360 degree rotation. (mast tip rotating like the second hand on a clock) sort of rotation. (from a birds eye view). The mast then being like the front edge of a airplane wing. (into the wind) the sail then trailing the mast and hanging down into the water. The wind get caught under the sail and up she comes. To rotate it - we often try and swim around and rotate the boat. Then we jump on and try to right it. This time a gust came and we didn't need to jump on to right it. It lifted and sat itself upright. My son in law and I looked at each other and bust our laughing.

Great Rojoyinc, thanks for that. Thanks for the clarity.

An additional question? When you swim your boat around do you do so at the mast head? The bow and stern? Both?

I've heard some say that swimming it around from the mast head is futile, and that pushing one way on the bow as the crew pushes the opposite way on the stern is more reliable and less fatiguing. ???

Also, at what angle into the wind (bird's eye view) do you try to get the mast pointed into? All the way to the magical 45 degrees? Anything past 90?

I've also heard of guys out hauling their jib all the way on the down side and sheeting it in some, which provides some helpful initial lift. Ever try that?

Thanks in advance buddy!

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'81 H16

If it ain't a blowin', I ain't a goin'

I forgot to say "THANKS!" to Matt Miller for explaining a way to replace the dolphin striker rod to me. Thanks Matt!!

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David