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| Turtled Hobie 16 in Mobile Bay, Alabama http://www.hobie.com/au/en/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=54585 |
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| Author: | Leigh [ Tue Apr 28, 2015 6:24 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Turtled Hobie 16 in Mobile Bay, Alabama |
Some of you may have seen this ominous image that appeared today of a turtled Hobie 16 in Mobile Bay after the tragic storm this past weekend during their Dauphin Island regatta. I have never been to Mobile Bay but can imagine how terrible it would be to get caught in 70 MPH winds in the middle of such big body of open water. I sure hope the sailors on board were able to make it to safety. 
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| Author: | ConnorG [ Tue Apr 28, 2015 11:10 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Turtled Hobie 16 in Mobile Bay, Alabama |
Yes, they made it safely. All us cat sailors out there that day eventually made it back to shore. I think me and my dad were the only hobie sailors that made it back to shore on our own boat. The boat in the picture belongs to Polecat16. It may be his brother's boat. They also had a yellow boat out there that day that made it back to shore and taken home on the trailer that evening. I wanna say they were about to get someone to go out and pickup the boat in the picture the next day. |
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| Author: | Leigh [ Wed Apr 29, 2015 12:41 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Turtled Hobie 16 in Mobile Bay, Alabama |
Boy, that is great to hear everyone made it back safely. It is also impressive that you were able to sail back to shore. When the keelboats start flipping over, you know the conditions are rough. Just curious, can you share any more details about what it was like? Did you do anything special to survive out there? Did you attempt to reef or lower either sail? Or did you just point it into the wind and try to ride it out? Or did you turtle your boat and ride it out in that position? I think we have all gotten caught in sudden storms where the wind kicks up way above the normal range. I am always looking for good tips on the best way to handle situations like that. Thanks and glad everyone is safe. |
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| Author: | mmiller [ Wed Apr 29, 2015 11:20 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Turtled Hobie 16 in Mobile Bay, Alabama |
Here are several stories about cat sailors survival of this storm. Sounds horrible and not something I would want to experience. I was in the Midwinters West "Chubasco" storm that hit during Sundays racing in the early 80s. That one had winds in the 50s that lasted pretty much all day. Decimated the fleet of about 200 or so Hobie Cats in San Felipe Mexico. We got in after dark after being pulled aboard a fishing trawler. It changed me. Not fun. http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2015/04/helena_sailor_recalls_dauphin.html http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2015/04/teen_and_boatmate_lucky_thankf.html |
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| Author: | Leigh [ Wed Apr 29, 2015 2:25 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Turtled Hobie 16 in Mobile Bay, Alabama |
They are scary stories indeed but I suppose good for learning. Looking at those maps, it is amazing how close the boats were to shore and still unable to make to cover. I would be interested in learning more about the recommended best tactic for dealing with situations like this. I am still trying to repair the damage from a big storm last fall that ripped my sails and rammed my boat into rip rap. I have always thought that allowing the boat to go turtle is probably the best way to ride out a big storm, particularly if there is lightening. But my fear with a turtle is that the mast will eventually fill with water and then there is no way to right the boat. Of course, having the boat sail or blow away is the worst possible scenario and the one I personally worry about the most. It makes me wonder how people survived storms on the high seas in the old days. |
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| Author: | ConnorG [ Wed Apr 29, 2015 9:14 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Turtled Hobie 16 in Mobile Bay, Alabama |
We got hit with wind so fast that there was no time to lower sails. Pointing the boat into the wind wouldn't have done anything either because it was so windy. Also the boat turtled as much as it could but the water was not deep enough were we were for it to fully turtle. If the mast had not been hitting the bottom then we probably wouldn't have damaged anything. |
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| Author: | mmiller [ Thu Apr 30, 2015 9:29 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Turtled Hobie 16 in Mobile Bay, Alabama |
I had the same issue in San Felipe. Shallow and bumping the bottom. We were not able to right after the first capsize due to water in the mast and decided to drop the rig after awhile. Scariest moment was dragging behind the boat from the top of the mast trying to unlock the halyard. The waves were surging the boat along on it's side. I was VERY close to being separated from the boat and only holding the 3/16" halyard line and wire. We lashed the rig to the bottom of the trampoline and waited for rescue... being blown off shore. The local fleet of shrimp trawlers was picking up boats all day long starting from further out in the gulf. You couldn't see shore due to sand and dust, they couldn't see us from the beach. We watched boats zipping by bare pole... torn sails... flogging hard and hiking out headed out to sea with nothing they could do. It was relatively warm, no lightning, no ship traffic. Just had to wait. The hulls were getting beat by the waves and ended up really loose in the corner castings. The trawler that came for us had a crane and a rope net over the side. They dropped us a line that was about 3-4 inches thick and I tied it around one hull then scrambled up onto the trawler. We were kissing the deck of that thing. They hoisted my boat up onto their deck and took us to the harbor. Some guys say they capsized 20-30 times trying to get back in. Turtle if you can to slow the boat down, but with sails up, the boat will tend to roll back upright and could self right in higher winds. If you can fully release the sails that would be better. You can not easily right with water in the mast. You CAN NOT right from turtle without sails. Cats are VERY stable upside down. We had a smaller "Panga" try to help us right without the rig on. No way. Hard enough to flip a boat over while on shore right? Try that on the water. Doesn't work. As you lift from a boat the two drift apart. Very difficult. |
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| Author: | polecat16 [ Tue May 19, 2015 9:07 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Turtled Hobie 16 in Mobile Bay, Alabama |
ConnorG, you are correct. The boat is now on a trailer in the mobile area. we will pick it up when we return to the gulf for our family vacation in early June. My mother-in-law saw that picture on the news on Sunday morning before I could get word to her that we were safe. |
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