Lines Under Tramp

Hi . . . I just bought a '92 H14 Turbo, and I can't wait to try it out. I'm new to cat sailing, and while the rigging is all pretty straightforward, I am stumped by the lines under the trampoline. A line is tied to an aft pylon, led forward to a small block at the forward pylon, is drawn aft again to a block on a bungee cord n the center, over to a forward pylon/block, then aft to the 4th pylon. It forms a "W" shape.

What the heck is this arrangement for? I've searched through the Phil Berman book, and my parts diagram, and can't seem to find any info.

Thanks for the help.

My guess would be that it is your righting line/system. From what you have described it sounds like the Hawaii righting line system. You can see it in the hobie catalouge. I have one on my 16 and I absolutely love it. After you right your boat it all retracts back under the tramp. It's likely an upgrade from the previous owner, and probably not in the assembly manual.

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James
86' Redline Hobie 16
Sail # 76909

Yep. Them's the righting lines. You'll get to know and love them soon enough.

Thanks . . . I had a feeling those were righting lines. I'll have to knock the boat over in the water and see how they work. Right now, it doesn't make much sense to me.

Yeah, especially since the water temp around here has barely broken 40 degrees.

Where do you keep your boat?

The Detroit Hobie Fleet gets together a couple of times a summer to do fun sails out of Metro Beach or Whitmore Lake. You're welcome to join us. Send me an email - mbounds(at)comcast.net - and we'll put you on the annoucement list.

We're all headed to Syracuse, NY next week for the MadCatter Regatta - 3 days of sailing / partying with the folks from Fleets 204 and 133 (Puerto Rico)

Well, I meant the configuration of lines under the tramp, and how one is supposed to use it to right the boat, didn't make sense to me. But you're right, M, trying it out now in Michigan doesn't make much sense, either!

Thanks for the fleet info. I'll send my email address for the list.

Pat Dengate

It probably will make more sense once your in the water. You will be standing on the hull that is in the water, with the other hull above your head facing underneath the tramp. Make sure you uncleat all of your sheets. Then you just grab the length of line in between the pylons that is above you/on top. Pull it until everything becomes tight, get a good grip, and lean back as far as you possibly can. Make sure most of the tension is at the foward pylon. Try to get your weight below the centerline of the tramp if possible and out as far as you can. And when she comes over make sure to grab on to either your dolphin striker, if you have one, or the hull in the water. Then the righting line should retract back under the tramp. After you play with it you may decide to adjust the bungee tension. My first few attempts at righting resulted in a succesful righting followed abruptly by the boat flipping over in the other direction. I'm in no way an expert on righting, or sailing for that matter, but that's pretty much how I do it on my 16. Does that sound about right to the old salt's? Does that make sense prd60?

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James
86' Redline Hobie 16
Sail # 76909

Thanks, James, for the description. I guess it's the "give" of the arrangement (with the bungee and all those blocks) that makes me wonder how pulling on it will right the boat. But there's no substitution for actual experience . . . I'm sure once I use it it'll become clear.

Patrick
'92 Hobie 14T
Sail #52629