Hobie Getaway Mainsheet Cleat question

Hello, new to the forum. on my main sheet jam cleat there is a small toggle switch which is near the hex head to change the angle of the jam cleat. anyone know what it does?

Thanks a ton

Also, which hole do you use for the main sheet for what conditions, i have gone aft for strong wind and forward for light

The toggle is likely to engage the ratcheting clutch. With the clutch engaged it takes less effort to hold tension on an uncleated sheet. Very useful.

As far as the angle of the clam cleat, I found a happy spot for mine and haven't changed it since.

Disclaimer:
I have only sailed a Getaway once, and don't remember too much about it. I have sailed a H16, H18 and H21SC extensively, and the above information applies equally to all 3.

I hook my mainsheet on the FORWARD hole for strong winds, to flatten the sail. Hooking it aft gives you a larger draft for low wind conditions.

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Yet another Bob!
"Firefly" - 2012 Hobie Getaway with wings and spinnaker
"Sparky" - 1978 Sunfish (OK, it's not a Hobie, but it's a fun little craft)
Too many canoes and kayaks

I thought that also. But when I look at the mainsail using each setting, I notice that a LOT of twist exists in the sail towards the head when the hook is in the forward position and not nearly as much when placed in the aft position. I too always heard that a flatter sail reduced the "power" of the sail. But, I believed it to mean that you wanted less "bag" between the luff and leach, accomplished by tuning the outhaul, downhaul, and boom vang. Changing the clew hook position doesn't change that much if any... at least on my boat it doesn't. Mine is an 04 with an original main so wear could be a factor. I had the opportunity to experiment last week with this very issue and I concluded that when beating upwind and sheeted in nearly block to block, having the hook in the aft position definitely applied more side load for heeling even if I didn't have a way to gauge speed increase/decrease. It sure seemed faster though but that was probably due to the hull rising out of the water. With that said, I still haven't heard a definite answer as to what those positions were designed to address.

Simple... further forward (more outhaul) to pull the sail flatter... further aft (less outhaul) to be fuller, but I think most would just leave it forward. The Getway sail is really full even when the forward hole is used.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

It is, but in really light winds, I can feel that I get more power when I hook it in the aft position.

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Yet another Bob!
"Firefly" - 2012 Hobie Getaway with wings and spinnaker
"Sparky" - 1978 Sunfish (OK, it's not a Hobie, but it's a fun little craft)
Too many canoes and kayaks

Makes sense!

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

It is about twist and mast curve and draft. You put the hook forward in heavy air to allow the leach to twist at the top which depowers some. Typically you would grunt down on the mainsheet and downhaul in heavy air which also bends the mast and flattens the mainsail (the mainsail luff curve causes camber when the mast pushes in, bending the mast reduces the amount of "push in" that the mast does to the mainsail which flattens it). You put the hook at the end to reduce twist and for a tight leach in light air. In lighter air you use less mainsheet so the mast is regular curve and mainsail has more power because it is pushed in more.

Luff curve and camber (draft) and mast interactions might be difficult to imagine, but here's a simple experiment. Hold a piece of paper at one end (leach). Push the opposite side in (mast/luff), the paper pops up causing camber (draft).

Boats with spreaders will adjust the spreader tension to change mast curvature for the day's conditions...boats with backstays use those to change the mast curvature during the course of a sail. The Getaway only has the mainsheet and cunningham (downhaul).

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R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II