first pitchpole today...

...i guess i'm really in the club now. my leg hurts.

Yep, that makes it official!! So how did it happen and what did you hit your leg on.

How strong were the winds and all that good stuff? We want details!!!!! If it becomes a problem just rake the mast back further and hang on. That will also help you tack.

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

congrats!

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Brad Stephens
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Yep . . . . now it's really official. Congrats!!!

the winds were about 12 to 15 knots with gusts up to 20. not the craziest conditions, but the gusts seemed really long, and it happened during one of these. the real trouble, though, was that i let my friend drive. usually, if i'm starting to bury the leeward bow, i let the main go. i think he tried heading up into the wind, which, it seems to me, would put more force on that bow.

when we went from what seemed like forty miles per hour to zero in about half a second, i slid up the rail from which i was hiked out and hit my leg on the port shroud. then i was skittering across the water. then i was underwater and my friend landed on me somehow.

it was ridiculously fun; i just hope i didn't hurt the boat (everything looked okay).

I doubt it hurt the boat, they are built like rocks.
Sounds like the stereotypical pp. Many times it doesn't take letting the main all the way out, just let a foot or two and it will bring the bow up, many times just letting the jib out some will be enough. It is the biggest problem when it come to pp's.

Can't wait to hear some more stories!!

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

"usually, if i'm starting to bury the leeward bow, i let the main go. "

I am surprised no one else mentioned this, they must just have been caught up in your story.

If the bow goes under, the first thing you want to do is get your weight as FAR back as possible, or let out the JIB, not the main. It's the jibs on these things that really pushes the bow under. (You can also move the Jib travelers further out, to open up the slot some more, and it will help reduce this tendancey), but the 2 key elements on a 16 are WEIGHT, and Jib trim.

Letting the main out could actually make it worse, IE, having the Jib pull your down further into a reach if you are almost close hauled.

If you are on a beam reach, or more towards a run, Letting the out and actually heading DOWN will help, as it detaches the lift from the sails, but the key is, GET THE JIB OUT!!!

I cartwheeled going upwind, during a race, but that was because my crew gout out on the wire forward of the stay, and didn't move back.. We got the boat back up in under 2 minutes though, and still finnished fourth.

Welcome to the club!!!

I mentioned the Jib, I learned quickly on my 14 that the jib was the bigger problem involved in pp's.

Like the last guy said, GET WEIGHT BACK, there were many times on the 14 that I was trapped off the hull behing the tramp. I don't know how far you will have to get back on the 16 but I would say try stepping a foot off onto the hull.

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

Sorry Gree,

Must not have seen you mention the Jib.

As for weight distribution. If you are single handed, you want to be as far back as you can, even sometimes out trapping (sitting more then hiking) off the lower hull, with your weight as far back as you need it. Your hiking here more for pitch control then roll control. Most of the time you can't get to the jib sheet in this case, so if it's really blowing at the maximum limits of my single handed ability (18 knots), leave the jib a bit loose, this will prevent the jib from powering up too much and will tend to luff out on it's own in the apparent wind, and come back to being trimmed when the puff passes you (Something you just have to feel), this will also head off in a puff and the jib wont power up and suck the bow under.

When crewed, GO FOR IT!! Get him out on the trap as much as he needs to (If it's just for pitch control, you can hook into the top of the J&H handle and sit out there, or just stand in a sitting position on the lower hull, get as far back on the tramp as you can, and have him come behind you. Be carefull not to impail him on the tiller extension if you have to bare away in a hurry. (Some of the Tiger and Tornado sailors will actually let the tiller extension go behind them and steer off the cross bar only).

Just keep an eye on the lee bow, and if it starts to burry, either pop the jib, or bear away and lef out the sails. If your on a full reach, head up, but becarfull here or you might end up powering up the sails, and capsizing as you can't jump through your crew to get on the wire.

If you are high enough into the wind where you have to be double trapped, you can get back and use the windward tiller for back leg support, or as I have done, have one foot on the lower hull and one up on the rear stancheon. At this point you might want to pull the jib car down slightly.

Oh I also forgot to mention.

As the wind increases, you might also want to ease the jib halyard slightly.

This will cause the mast to be raked further back, putting more weight towards the back of the boat, and also depower you, and open the top of the jib more.

I think the point was made in racing, start with less mast rake, and as you feel you need it (Wind increases) let off tension, as it is easier to let off on the halyard then pull it tighter on the water.

speaking of the jib travellers, where do you guys normally keep them, and under what circumstances to you move them? i've had mine in the center of their tracks since i got the boat.

On a beat keep them as close to the mast as possible. Reaching move them all the way to the castings.

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thank you.

Hobie1616,

Is there no in-between for you? I mean, do you sail with the jib traveler all the way out on "all" reaches" be it beam or broad?

Happy Sailing,

David

Absoutely. Once the car is set adjust the jib with the sheets by looking at telltales on both sides of the sail. In light air or a broad reach the crew may have to hold the clew out to get them streaming properly.

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