Seeking help on Trailering / Launching a Hobie 16

I live in Raleigh NC and I'm thinking about purchasing a Hobie 16... The issue is that I've never really had to trailer one before...

1) Where's the best launch place?
2) Whats the recommend method for launching?

Should I purchase a Cat-Trax Dolly and bring to the ramp area (Vista Point) on my Trailer? Then dolly it over to a beach area? Launching on a ramp seems like a huge hassle especially with all the motor boat activity.

I would appreciate anyone's suggestions!

Thanks in Advance!
John

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John A. Ward
'82 H16, 67153, Hot Flash

I'm sure you'll receive lots of good info but here is my two cents. I agree, launching with motor boats is a pain. We step our mast in the parking lot, pull the sails from the tube and lay them on the tramp, stack on the life jackets etc., and tie a line from the bridle to the trailer. Back in till the boat floats off the trailer where someone will untie the line and tug the boat away from the ramp. We then paddle across a 20 yrd inlet toward the nearest beach, take her aground and point into the wind for sail raising. From there, off we go. On returning we beach, drop the sails and frequently "sail" bare poles back to the ramp, hold her secure while getting the truck and then pull her out for additional de-rigging.
We've tried keeping her next to our keel boat at the dock on weekends and except for rigging the jib from the slip's edge and sailing out of the slip, it seems to be a bit better. Than using the ramp but only a bit.

FlyNavy,

Thanks! That clears things up for me. "Sailing bare poles"... I'm assuming that means that you paddle back to the ramp after you beach her and drop the sails.

BTW... I have several VMI Brother Rats in the Navy who are/were aviators. I'm and CFII and fly for fun in the civilian world...

Thanks again!
John

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John A. Ward
'82 H16, 67153, Hot Flash

Everybody's ramp is a little different, but beach wheels are well worth it to me. I fully rig in the parking lot and back or nose down te ramp in the wheels. The trailer really complicates things and is much more prone to an accident IMO.

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2010 AHPC C2 #218

Makes sense to me as well... At vista point at Jordan Lake the beach area seems accessible via the parking lot. IE... seems like you could rig it and catrax it to the beach. When finished you could do the reverse....all while never worrying about the ramp. I'v heard bad comments about the Ramp itself.. that plus the motor boat issues seems to make the catrax an viable option.

You mentioned using the catrax too...using them on the ramp? That seems like it would be tough to handle. Especially when taking her back out when finished... I'm new to the trailering stuff so please forgive me if I sound like a novice...

Thanks

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John A. Ward
'82 H16, 67153, Hot Flash

I have a H18 but the trailering is the same. I have always trailer launched from a boat ramp. I currently have it dry stored at a marina with the mast up so I don't have to deal with raising and lowering the mast and the ramp is not crowded. I have a roller furler jib which makes that easier but I raise the mainsail on the water. I tie the boat up to the dock in a way that it pointed into the wind (move the boat around to the downwind side of the dock and tie it up bows to the dock). I then walk on the hulls to get from the dock to the tramp. Sailing from a dock is not hard and the dock I use has tires with a cloth cover to cushion the dock to boat hits.

I used to raise the mast at the public boat ramp and it is a PIA. Some of the motor boaters are not too friendly but some are. At that ramp I did not have a decent dock so I just walked it over to a rocky beach area next to the ramp and had my crew hold it in position while I put the truck away. If I was single handing I used an anchor with a float on the top to hold the boat from hitting the shoreline and just waded back to shore. Reverse the whole proceedure for the return.

I have the beach wheels but have never used them. I think they would be a (censored) on a boat ramp.

I launch from a trailer at boat ramps every time I sail.
Its no biggie. Find a spot that you can raise the mast and drive the trailer to the ramp with no over head obstructions.
Toss everything you need on the boat prior to driving over to the ramp.
Drop the boat in the water...wade it/paddle it over to a beach area.
Raise sails, and get stuff ready, go sail.
When done, beach it drop sails, go get trailer, put boat on trailer and go park some place to drop the mast. My rig/trailer is parked on the ramp just a couple minutes while I get the boat on/off. Most power boaters are just amazed with the operation and pretty cool. There are always crabby boat ramp people...I usually just laugh at them!

Be carefull of overhead lines and trees while driving the boat around with the mast up!!!!!!!!

This would be a good place for people to put some other tips on trailer sailing. Anything that makes it quicker/simpler/easier to rig/de rig the boat and get it all secured on the trailer!

One I just figured out....weave the standing rigging/trap lines down the tramp lacing...dont have to go crazy. No more trying to coil them up!
Thanks to MMillers hobie rigging video!

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1980 H16

Thanks Chet3 and Hobiesrock,

I'm not going to worry about it any more... boat ramp seems like its not a problem... and if power boaters give me any grief I'll laugh at them as well.

I saw that MMillers video as well. Good stuff.

John

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John A. Ward
'82 H16, 67153, Hot Flash

I launch from Vista all the time and have launched with success from the ramp, the beach and with beach wheels from the beach. Let me know when you are going and we can meet up

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1985 Prindle 16

Same here. If the lake level is up I just back the trailer all the way down to water on the sail beach and give it a shove. That seems like the easy plan to me. The Vista Point sail beach is currently such a mess cat tracks are a pain. You don't have much choice when the water level is low.

Put a post up in the "Jordan Lake, NC" thread and let us know when you go. Several folks on the board sail there and would be glad to help. There's usually a couple of Hobies out there on the weekends.

GD_NC, drummer63,

Thanks! I will definitely let you know when I head out there. I should be picking her up this weekend and should be out there very soon after that. I'll post something on the Forum when I go.

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John A. Ward
'82 H16, 67153, Hot Flash

Garrett, Jeremy,
It looks like Saturday may be worth sailing. Are either of you headed there? Sunday does not look that good.

John,
If you are not headed up to get your boat on Saturday, you might consider coming out to the lake. It would give you a chance to see first hand what the situation is there.

Howard

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Howard

Howard,

I'm picking it up on Sunday. But I'll come out Saturday to watch you guys. Let me know / send me a e-mail and I'll be there!

John

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John A. Ward
'82 H16, 67153, Hot Flash

I will be out saturday - what time are you heading there guys? NOt sure if i will bring the H14 or the Prindle 16 but will bring one for sure

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1985 Prindle 16

Sailing Bare Poles is just that. With a decent wind..over 10 kts you can in fact sail your Hobie from a broad reach to a run with no sails up at all. Since our ramp is downwind of the prevailing breeze, we always swim/paddle her out to raise the sails and maneuver our way back with full rudder authority under "bare poles".