Tips for not chickening out when flying a hull

Due to the lower wind or probably higher weight of my old H16 (its a 72) I usually only fly hulls when I hit "the sweet spot" in a close reach setting but once it leans a bit too much I usually chicken out and loosen the main a bit to drop the hull.

So here's the question, in a close reach setting, already flying a hull in non gusty wind you should be able to correct the hull height with a minor heading adjustment so do you turn into the wind or away?

Logic tells me than turning into wind will decrease sail efficiency but also centrifugal force might cause the boat to lean more also weather helm will want to make the boat turn into the wind anyways.

Well thoughts are appreciated.

On an upwind, close reach, or beam reach heading, turn the boat upwind to depower. Yes, in a steady breeze, you can make hull trim adjustments through steering (it takes some practice and you have to "keep your head out of the boat"). It's also helpful to have a quality Harken mainsheet system. With the ratchet turned on, you should be able to flick the mainsheet out of the cleat as the hull flys and easily hand hold it. You can maintain the hull flying through subtle steering and mainsheet adjustments.

sm

That sounds expensive, I have an old 4:1 mainsheet system but I do hold the mainsheet out of the cleat in case I need a quick release but it being a 4:1 quick releases are not that subtle.

I guess a 6:1 might be easier to hold and control but thanks, I'll try the steering adjustments.

I'll pray for whitecaps this weekend.

Tips for not chickening out...


Flip the boat.. and right it.. then flip it again all while trying to fly a hull... This will get you comfortable with how the boat reacts on the edge of going over..

Gusty winds will mess with you.. so practice in those.. then you will be a hero in steady air..

Just get comfortable having the boat on its side in the drink, and the righting process, then you won't chicken out flying a hull...

therefore flipping the boat far less often at the end of the day..





IMPORTANT EDIT...

Make sure your mast is sealed and you have enough weight to bring her back up.. best to try in a safe area with flat water and no wind.. then you will know exactly what is required to bring the boat up.. it will be easier in more air and choppy water...

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www.thehobiewayoflife.com

Maybe, but IMO its necessary equipment for getting the most performance and enjoyment out of the boat. Yes, you can make trim adjustments through steering, but without the ability to easily controll the mainsail, you're going to end up swimming at some point - no question. If I were you, I'd save my pennies for a good set of blocks and mainsheet.

sm

Wouldn't a 4:1 block give you better control? It would take more strength, but small adjustments would have a bigger impact on the sail, correct?

Or do I have it backwards?

Sorry for the basic questions, just trying to learn.

I guess if BIG adjustments are not what you want, the 6:1 would give you finer control.

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Steve
2017 Hobie 16 "Cayman" sails 114795
1985 & 1973? Hobie 14 "Sea & Ski"

A 4:1 system would provide very fast sail trim adjustments, but unless you're built like Hulk Hogan, it won't provide enough mechanical advantage for you to fully sheet in the main sail. It will also be extremely difficult to uncleat the mainsheet and hand hold it in one position. You need to be able to do both of these things (sheet in fully and hand-hold the line comfortably for short periods of time) in order to confidently fly a hull or to simply get the most out of the boat.

Having a good set of main blocks and mainsheet is really critical and probably the first thing I'd upgrade on a used boat (second only to worn out standing rigging). The quality of your mainsheet system is like the difference between having a properly functioning throttle or a sticking throttle on your car.

sm

2002touringmoe - srm explained very well what you need to do [using the tiller and main sail with 6-1 main blocks]. I just want to add two things:
(1) I adjust the angle on my main block slightly upward so that it's easier to uncleat/unsheet in a panic situation. It makes it slightly more difficult to cleat when sheeting in, but I feel it's more important to be able to uncleat/unsheet the main quickly than to be able to sheet in and cleat the main more easily.
(2) Practice and visualize!!! You now know what to do, so all you really need to do now is practice. Practice when you're on the water and visualize when you're not able to get out sailing. Visualizing every detail is exactly what top athletes in most sports do. High jumpers, long jumpers, & pole vaulters in track & field; golfers and others....
Visualization works and is worth giving a try.

I am running a 6:1 Harken block setup and mostly sail alone in 10-15 knot winds.
I prefer ratchet unlocked and sheet uncleated when flying a hull. If I am starting to loose it and go over (if a puff of wind hits me) I push the tiller and let completely go of the main sheet. Some times this will save me from capsizing.

If I have the ratchet on, I end up wet as the sheet does not feed out fast enough when I let go of it.

_________________
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

What everyone else already wrote, plus, lean out. That little bit of leverage goes a long way in holding down the hull. So you have three ways of chickening out and use all three in various combinations: 1. loosen the sail 2. head up 3. lean out.

In the conditions you describe I would lean out first, and if that doesn't work then loosen the main, and if those don't work then head up.

If youre more off the wind, say beam reaching you can bear off as the hull comes up and the force on the rig goes forward so the hull comes back down. Gotta make sure you're at the back of your tramp and it feels a bit hairy (I sail on a pretty gusty lake so its a bit sketchy sometimes) but can be a lot of fun. Works much better with a prindle 18 than the old hobie 16 with its U boat diving tendancies

Then your mainsheet line is probably too fat. 3/8" diameter line is what's recommended, 7/16" would be the max. (Or you might have a siezed block, but that's pretty unlikely if its a Harken system.)

With the proper size line, the mainsheet should easily unspool, even with the ratchet turned on. On my boat, the only time I ever turn the ratchet off is in super light wind when I want a little better feel of the sheet. Otherwise, the ratchet is always on since handling the main is a bear without it. Older boats were supplied with fatter mainsheets, so if you're running something larger than what's recommended, you might consider upgrading. Also, if the mainsheet is old and stiff, it won't flow through the blocks easily and should be replaced.

sm