Hobie 16 v 14 for single handed use

After a 20 year absence from sailing (blame wife) I'm getting back into it again. I used to sail a Dart18 so I've loads of cat experience. Can the 16 be sailed single handed in comps (like the Dart can without the jib)? Also, how easy is it to raise the mast etc.
I'm torn between the 14 and 16 as I'd like to get my daughter into the sport but if she doesn't like it then I'll be on my own. Can the 14 Turbo be raced legally two up?
thanks for your help guys!

I am fairly new to Cats but I have a 14T. I solo it all the time but also I have a close friend who goes out with me. The boat, is a great solo boat and will literally fly with just me on it. With two people it will get going pretty well in big winds but you have to be careful about where the weight is. We can still outrun most mono's on the water with two of us, but most cats can smoke us. Together it is about 300 pounds so that tells you how much weight the boat can handle. I have only been on a 16 once with two people. I do not think it could be sailed solo easily unless you are very talented.

I hope that helps!

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Nacra 5.2 "Elsies"
Hobie 14T, "Blazin" I guess I am keeping her!

I have only owned my H16 for about 8 months and been out on the water probably 12 to 14 times. I would say without a doubt that you can solo a h16 and if you read and maybe watch a video or two you will figure it out real quick. My biggest problem was telling where the wind is, but that would be the same learning curve on any sailboat.

Also, I have a 16 year old daughter that is very close to going solo on the H16.

Sam

Read your telltales and bridle fly. If you don't have them get them as soon as possible. They take a lot out of the guesswork when sailing and will make you a better sailor once you've figured out how to read them.

Take a look at http://www.west.net/~lpm/hobie/archives ... ature1.htm for placement and use.

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Actual, I did have a bridle fly and a few telltails. I found that sailing in very light wind really helped. I was getting confused mostly when sailing down wind. With every outting things started making more and more sence. Most of the sailors in the fleet also tie a piece of cassett tape on each bridle wire for the really light winds.

As we have all read, time on the water is the best way to learn.

Happy sailing.
Sam

I bought my 16 at the beginning of this summer and absolutly love it. 90% of my sailing experience with her has been solo. I can set her up, launch, sail, land, and derig by myself without any hangups. The most wind i've been out in is about 15mph and never had the hobie feel like i needed a swim. I am 6'3, 220# , so I do have a weight advantage but I think with a little common sense in play the hobie 16 is just fine for single handed sailing.
Cory

Not to steer the thread off topic, but.....

I also want to someday solo my H16. What is the procedure for managing the jib during a tack when soloing? Thanks.

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2005 Hobie 16 - Ventura Nationals Boat #21
http://www.JackieandAlan.com

I just got my h16 late this summer and had to do some repairs.. but I've still managed to take it out 7 times.. 5 of which were solo and this is my first year sailing. I spent a couple weeks this summer on a 37' monohaul out on the East coast with my Uncle, learning the basics of sailing in the Nantucket/Martha's Vineyard area. Besides that experience, I read the book "catamaran sailing: from start to finish"...

The first 2 times I took my cat out, I had my boss with me who is an experienced catsailor... after that, I have been on my own. The only trouble I had was coming about in heavy winds is a challenge... the best day I had so far was in 12-15mph winds where I flew a hull for the first time and really got going pretty fast... The 20mph winds gusting to 25 were a bit much for me... see the thread "holy schnike" if you want to hear that story but even that day, as long as I stayed in the bay away from the rough waters, I could get going really fast, come about or jibe without too much trouble but it was exhausting.

The day of steady 15's made my summer!

Anyways, I would say that I'm still very much a novice... having really only sailed solo 5 times ever and all took place over the last month and a half... and I can handle the 16 on my own.

As for procedure on coming about while solo.... I read that you can just leave the jib cleated and deal with the main until you are free to mess with it... but I usually uncleat the jib as I begin my turn... I let it go free... move to the other side and get the main set before I start messing with the jib. If I'm patient enough, it will clear itself from the halyards and I won't even have to move, I'll just grab the line and cleat it. In heavy winds I found out that if you uncleat the jib and let it go, it is likely to wrap around the forestay and get tangled. I never had that problem in sub 20 winds though... It could have been a gust that tangled my jib, not really sure it all happened very fast and I was just happy that I didn't damage anything other than my pride.

When I was out with my boss the first 2 times, I found that when I was up front working with the jib, I would get too eager when coming about and I would cause issues with both getting it stuck on the halyards because I didn't let it out enough or I would be messing with it and would back sail it causing us to return to our initial tack instead of coming about. Basically, the jib isn't a big deal when solo'ing. Just let it out as you are coming about and bring it back in on the other side once you have the main setup.

Heavy winds... you really probably should have a crew person to help with everything, it's just too touchy and too weight placement sensitive to be able to handle it all... at least with my very limited experience. I'm sure there are experienced people out there that can handle their hobies solo in 30mph winds...

Get the jib in first. It'll pull the bows away from the wind and keep you from going into irons.

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The problem with that is that the battens get caught on the stupid halyards all the time and it's a pain to try to get it off.. .usually I just get the main set and moving and within a couple seconds the jib is free and blowing in the wind on the correct side where I can just sheet it in and I'm golden..

What is the best way to get the jib over without it getting caught? I have my battens pretty tight.. just a bit of the black cap sticks out but enough to snag on the halyards.

I'm surprised you're able to tack w/o tending to the jib first.

I brought my new (to me) H16 out last weekend by myself (first time out) and tried using just the main... I got caught in irons everytime I tried to tack.

The H16 I bought came with both the factory jib and a roller fuller jib as well. The roller is SOOOOOOO much nicer for single handing. Not only is it easier to tend to, but there are no battens to hang-up as well. The only down side to my roller is the jib is plain white so it doesn't match the main, but I got over that pretty quick!

Add a small cheek block to the mast just above where the top batten hits the mast. Put it as far back as possible without drilling into the sail track.

When rigging put the jib halyard around the cheek block so the battens won't hang. The battens may hang on the mast in light air.

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