Advice for newbie PLEASE!

Hi all, great forum
Hey, I have never sailed a cat, but recently saw one sailed locally (pretty rare event here!) and have now become obsessed.

My questions: Can someone like myself (33 years old, fit and reasonably strong) with good boating experience but zero sailing experience (other than dinghy yacht 20 years ago) learn to sail a Hobie 14 turbo (I have one lined up to buy already!). Wind conditions range from 0 knots to 15plus knots, in relatively safe and sheltered Sound.

Is righting a capsized Hobie 14 likely to be a problem when out by myself?

I'm thinking the first couple of times I'm on the water my dad will be handy in his small powerboat in case of trouble.

I'm really keen - any help / feedback would be much appreciated!
Cheers.

YES!!!
Anyone can learn to sail a 14, they are a very simple little boat and with this forum to back you up, you will be racing in a few days.

I bought my 14T about 6 months ago. All I had experience with was a sunfish that I had sailed for ages. Within a week of getting the 14 I was flying a hull and out running most small mono's on the water. Let warn you, you will get addicted to it fast.
The only issue is how much you weight, the 14 is a solo boat and to much weight makes her a little sluggish. I take my friend out on it all the time and from time to time manage to find a female companion and the boat handles okay but it won't win any races. On my own it flys, and can outrun most other cats at the lake I sail at. Another advantage of the 14 is the simplicity, I can pull up to the beach and be sailing in 15-20 minutes on my own. It doesn't get much better than that!!
As for righting the boat, just make sure you have a mast float and if that is to expensive get an old milk jug and run it up with the main, it will serve the same function as a float. I weigh 165 and can right my 14T, so if you are my size or bigger your should be able to handle it.

Last of all you will have a blast on a 14, is it a turbo model or just the regular.

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

Buy "Catamaran Racing for the 90's" it wil teach you what you ned to know.

Doug

Thank for that info! Now I'm certain I'm heading in the right direction with a hobie cat! And thanx for the warning re: addiction, but hell I think I'm already addicted and have not even sailed one yet. javascript:emoticon(':lol:')
Laughing

Re: the mast bob: Does this device ensure the boat cannot turn completely upside down (this is "turtle" yeah?), ie only on its side. This is really the only aspect which worries me now, as righting it from a turtle sounds like a bit of a mission solo, and where I'll be sailing I will be the only boat around most of the time!

Man this forum is fantastic!
Thanx

I bought a hobie 16 after spending 2 weeks on a monohull... I had a buddy go with me the first 2 times, he grew up with a cat, after 2 times, I was eager to go out by myself... I've been out a couple times now alone and had a blast each time!

I hadn't been on a sailboat since I was a little kid.. I'm 29 now and having a blast with my 16!

As for books.. I bought and recommend the book: "Catamaran sailing: from start to finish" You can get it on amazon.com!

Almost, the mast bob or float does not promise to prevent a turtle. The 14 likes to be upside down alot, sometime I think my boat prefers it to being right side up. But if you hurry and get to the bottom hull the bob should do the trick. I have been using a gallon jug and have only managed to turtle one time with it and in that situation a passenger tried to climb onto the mast to get out of the water because the sail had brushed her leg and she thought she was going to be eaten by something.

Another word of warning, if you start spending alot of time on your boat, you will get tan and get burned from time to time. I seem to forget sunscreen while setting up my boat, the excitement keeps me from putting it on so I would suggest that you try and remember that.

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