How long do you sail.

Hey guys I'm doing a project for school. I'm a senior in industrial design (product designer) also an avid Hobie sailor.

For my senior project I wanted to design some form of on board storage system for cats.

Ideally I'd like to suite this product towards more of the recreational take your family out type of sailor but it can be used by anyone.

I'd really like to know how long you spend on your boats at a time?

In our family we spend all day and do a lot of island hopping so we carry all the things you need for a full day on the water...so storage is an issue for us.

Like I said I'd like to know how long you guys spend on the water, what you carry and what you'd like to carry but just can't.

If you'd like to say how you use your boats that'd be great as well a typical day sailing if you will.

Thanks for your time

Marc Fournier
[email protected]

I mostly daysail, but love coastal camping with my kayak. I'm going to be going on the Texas 200 and have precicely this issue with my H 18. I'd love to see some of the more buoyant boats come with some larger kayak style hatches that are sealed off in the hulls with a large enough diameter to get regular drybags through. The H 21SC and the Getaway have the right idea, but it could be pushed further than the integrated cooler thing. If a kayak can be packed for long trips, so could a cat.

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Dan St. Gean
'82 H 18
'96 H Wave

Thanks Dan!

Hey Marc,

With only about a half a season under my belt sailing a Hobie, I can't be very detailed. One thing I learned quickly was that storage was an issue. The few times we had the 16 out was only for around 2 hours. We are not blessed with a large amount of water locally.......just a few area freshwater lakes that are not overly large.

So, at this point, it has only been 2 - 4 people for 2 - 3 hours at most. I have the small bag that attaches to the tramp lines which is filled with a few tools, shackles, mast chips, registration card and a myriad of other small parts. I have the bracket that attaches to the front crossbar for a small cooler. It just clamps on and I always worry about it breaking off. Just does not seem real sturdy. I almost always carry a small drybag with a camera, GPSr, cell phone, sunscreen etc. I also carry a throwable PFD which always seems to be in the way or on the verge of sliding off. Some sort of quick release attachment for it would be cool. If someone came up with an ingenious way for additional storage, I would be first in line. Hope this helps.

Thanks a lot again...I knew I wasn't the only one out there who thought storage was a big deal....We've had the problem with our getaway since day one...and it has the on board coolers..which just aren't large enough. This is why I chose this for my senior project

Thanks for asking Marc.

I head out on the Pacific when the wind comes up (around noon) and often stay out untill the sun is a just sliver on the water.

I bring a drybag loaded with goodies because the ocean is cold and I get chilled. I typically start out with a tank top and trunks but soon, after I am under way, start yanking clothing out of the bag: rain/windbreaker, nylon pants, sometimes a sweatshirt under the windbreaker, and rubber booties.

Naturally, I don't want to wear this gear and look like that guy "who knew what you did last summer" when I am launching from the beach in front of all those beautiful bikini girls!

In this drybag, I also carry a beach towel and another waterproof box that holds my keys, wallet and cell phone.

In my pocket is another waterproof case that houses my MP3 player.

In a seperate cooler style bag, I bring a pack of smokes, binoculars, compass (hey, sh#t happens, right?), couple of bottles of water, couple of beers, trail mix, camera (in a waterproof case).

Seperately, on the tramp, I also have a paddle and a yoga pad which I lay over the tramp and lay on when I'm jibing and navigating the harbor, avoiding careless boaters. It keeps my butt and back dry from up splashing and laying low, under the sail, improves my field of vision in all directions to better spot those booze swilling, hip hopping, cell phone yakking, nimrods.

SO, in conclusion, even for a safe, comfortable day sail, I have much crap knocking about the tramp with me.

I keep thinking that I am going to rig a cargo net but maybe you will come up with something cool and innovative.

And don't forget that it needs to look good for the bikinis!

I've spent several hours at a time on my 16. I have a little cooler rack that came with the boat when I got it, and it sits right in the middle, sort of attached to the dolphin striker and the front crossbar. It works great for holding a little cooler, but its not huge by any means, so mostly a few drinks and a sandwich or two is all I can fit. The only other issue I have with it is the jib sheets can get tangled around it from time to time (not good in the middle of a race!) If i need more storage than that I just take a small pack and attach it to the trampoline. Good luck with your project!

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Ben Wells - Hobie 16

There was a post on the Wave forum about someone who replaced the forward "seats" with large hatches, for storing sleeping bags, tents, etc... in the hulls. That seems a bit extreme (and would definitely void the warranty).

I use large carbiners to clip dry bags, or plastic grocery bags, to the downhaul loops. That keeps them up off the trampoline and out of the splash. I also use carbiners to clip other things to the lacing lines. (Harbor Freight often has 6" ones for $0.99) I don't stay out on the water for more than a few hours, because my lake's not that big.

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What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"

thanks for the replies guys they're a lot of help...love the Bikini comments...and couldn't agree more.

Hey Indywave!

Hanging a drybag from the downhaul loop doesn't crete a weird, distracting, vision impairing distraction?

Sounds almost like a scrotum hanging there....I'm just saying...??

All right, you just spoiled it for me! That never would have occured to me. Now I'll never be able to look at it the same way again!

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What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"

I sail 1.2 to 2 hours per outing, single hand (H17) SF Bay (cold water surrounded by semi submerged, often, impassable marsh / mud between me and dry land)

On my life jacket (in case the boat blows away faster than I can swim which is common):
VHF, snack, flare, glow-stick, Knife

In a drybag on the tramp:
Another VHF, compass, water, pliers, Hobie multi tool.

The drybag on the tramp is a nuisance. I'd like to see a product, rotomolded, in an attractive shape (think of the mast tip float) which is located in unoccupied air-space in front of the front cross bar / dolphin striker.

Peace,

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Dan Peake
2003 H17SE
2005 FX1

I guess I sail naked... or near to it.

In my vest I'll have my car keys.

On the tramp, I'll tuck a bottle of water underneath one of the straps.

I've gone with the water one time.. wow what a mistake that was, even when sailing for a few hours, you really need to hydrate.. you don't realize how much work you are doing out there, not to mention being directly under the sun.

One of these days, I'm going to take a cooler with me. I wonder if the local sheriff boat could/would give me a ticket for drinking while sailing? Lord knows, I've done plenty of that on the ocean while on monohauls... even while on the helm.

As for sailing... I'm just out cruising around, rarely am I going anywhere on my cat, although I think I might make some planned stops this coming season.

I often take a cooler with me strapped to the back of the AI. And sometimes a folding chair. Then we go to the sand bar and toss back a few and hang out.

I'm late to the party, but I made it!

I'm the family sailer you are after. My wife, son and I head to the lake and plan to spend most of the day there. Actual time on the boat is probably 2 or 3 hours, but we beach it for an hour in the interim. So we are out long enough to want to bring some sandwiches, water, etc.

I have frequently pondered a way to stow a cooler between the front hulls. I've only sailed for 1 season (and not even a full one!) so I'm not really in it for speed just yet, but even I don't want something splashing whenever a swell goes under the boat or - and this is important, looking like crap. Nor, for that matter, weight so far forward I'm in danger of pitch poling.

As it stands I usually lock my keys in my Hobie Box (combo lock), tuck a few waters in my tramps webbing, and throw anything else I have into a boat bag and tuck it into the hull.

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Proud new owner of a 1991 Hobie 18.