Tacking problems

Hi everyone,

This is my second season sailing a 1981 H16. Every time I tack I seem to stall and end up going backwards a bit (have to flick the rudders over to steer the boat around, backwards). Is this just how H16's tack or am i crap!! (There are no other 16's on the lake where i sail to compare). When i was taught to sail cats i was told to only apply the minimum of angle on the rudder, otherwise the boat will stall. As the boat seems to stall anyway i was thinking about just throwing the tiller over, then getting out of the stall by going backwards as im doing at the moment. The method im using at the moment takes ages to tack and i have the turning circle of a supertanker! any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

Also, how close to the wind can u guys affectively sail, because im not that close!

Hello James,

See the 5th forum below this one named "tacking the 16 in high winds" and I hope you'll find your answer.

Have a good day,

David

James,

Do a search on this forum for tacking. It has been discussed many times. We all had that problem in the beginning. Once you get good you will be able to tack on a dime. Every once in a while I still blow a tack and get chided by my crew. Especially since the H18 is easier to tack than the H16.

_________________
Nick

Current Boat
In the market
Previous boats owned
'74 Pearson 30
'84 H16
'82 H18 Magnum
St. Louis, MO

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

James:

One thing I always did was had crew uncleat the jib and hand hold it, so as soon as we here backwind enough to get on new tack it could be let go easy. Most of the time with going over backwards it was because we could not get the jib uncleated. You must also keep you weight forward. Have him by the mast all the time. If alone you must move REAL fast forward when you move the stick over.

Good Luck. Hope this helps.

Doug Snell
Hobie 17
Sunfish
Soon to be Mystere 4.3
www.tcdyc.com

Learning to tack was so frustrating, I would always Jibe until i got initiated to the world of sailing = boom swing fast + contact + forehead = iniation. Keep at it, you get the feel for 'er and look back and wonder why it was so hard.

at least thats what I did, but be careful on the jibes for that boom!

Luke