How to avoid pitch-polling

OK, my "silly question" #2. I have never pitch-poled yet, but people have made me very scared of it. When is a pitch-pole most likely to occur? (i.e. what point of sail, what kind of weather, what maneuver, etc.). What can I do to make sure it never happens?

Also - what are the other dangerous situations that can happen on a Hobie?

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Broward County, FL
1984 Hobie 16, Olympic Edition (kept in NY)

Pitch pole

Best time to pitch pole is on a reach. The sail is powered up the spray is flying and the bow dipps under the water. Your rudders are now pointing up and you are holding on or in front of the boat. Yes they can be somewhat violent but are something to behold. Keep the weight back on the back corner and crack the jib sheet a little as the hull gets lower. If you get a hull dip sheet out quickly then once the bow pops back up sheeet back in.

Don't fear the wind and sea respect it.

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Rich Vilvens
F-18 5150
[email protected]
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/f-185150sailing/

Don't sail. But if you do then don't crew for Rich as he thinks it's really funny to pitchpole his boat while you're working the spinnaker and watching the head of the sail and not the bows, and then he'll use you to break his fall. But if you sail a Hobie you can minimize it by going as slowly as possible and sailing strictly in small lakes. Yeah, pitchpoles aren't much fun because they usually happen during the two seconds you direct your attention from the bows to something else. You and your crew have got to have fast reflexes to dump the sails while simultaneously holding on to something to keep from either launching or sliding forward.

So, to answer your question:
1. Rake the mast aft to put more power over the stern rather than the bows.
2. Position yourself and crew as far aft as possible.
3. Travel out the sails if the wind is blowing more than your comfort zone.
4. Don't sail in a choppy ocean.

In the early stages of learning to sail a Hobie if you don't come back bloody and/or bruised then you weren't trying. As you get better the blood and bruises happen less often. I don't like to sail Hobies conservatively because it's boring, besides, part of the thrill is containing the beast, so I still get bloody and bruised.

Dangerous situations:
1. Sailing in winds or conditions beyond your knowledge and ability.
2. Sailing without a life vest.
3. Not maintaining your boat. Get a Hobie catalog and replace worn, broken, bent, frayed, torn, corroded parts. Tighten bolts. Drill out loose rivets and replace them. Inspect for corrosion in metal and soft spots in the hulls. Lubricate the traveler, rudder cams, mast luff track.

Nice Skipshot just won't let that go will ya. That was far from an intentional pitch.

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Rich Vilvens
F-18 5150
[email protected]
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/f-185150sailing/

How do you drill out rivets? I have rivets securing the bearings for the jib cam cleats to the front crossbar. How do I drill those out? Thanks.

And - am I more likely to pitch-pole on a close reach or a beam reach?

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Broward County, FL
1984 Hobie 16, Olympic Edition (kept in NY)

Install the Hydrofoil Kit, P/N: 30110. I did b/c I'm new to sailing and have twin 8 y.o. daughters. I'm not concerned about pitch poling myself and in fact I'm looking forward to pushing her to that point and knowing where the edge is.

But, I want to make sure I stay safe whenever my girls are on board and I don't want to ruin their first experiences with sailing. That would be a tragedy and not worth the cost saved for not installing the foils, in my (humble!) opinion.

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'81 H16

If it ain't a blowin', I ain't a goin'

pitch poles occur on broad reaches when the wind is aft. a gust pushes the bows down and its like slamming on the brakes as they go under! the 16 has very little bouyancy up front. the trick is to stay all the way back, both skipper and crew, out on the trap, in windy conditions do not cleat the mainsheet, but hold it. installing foot straps all the way aft on the hull lip gives you something to hang on with when momentum is pulling you forward, though your crew may not be so lucky. releasing the sheets instantaneously on both sails when the bows dive is what saves you from going over.

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Chris
'88 H18SE Arís

In most cases you use a hand held drill with a 3/16 drill bit, then put the bit in the center of the rivet and start drilling until the head breaks off. If the rivet starts spinning and head doesn't break off then you'll need to mangle it off with a combination of a screwdriver and pliers. Then use a punch or small Philips screwdriver and a hammer to knock out the shank. That's it.

Popping new rivets in is easy with the right tool. You can use a cheap one from the hardware store that is squeezed like scissors, but you'll wear out your hand and the tool. Get a rivet tool that has two handles like a hedge trimmer. Make sure to use stainless steel rivets. They cost more but they last much longer without corroding.

It's not the drilling out that's difficult, it's the replacing. Search the forum for the answer because I don't have it since I've not needed to do it.

Depending how you trim the sails, distribute your weight, wind, and wave conditions you can pitchpole anytime. You'll need to experiment to find the point where you get good speed but not too much. Start by working the traveler on the main - the closer to center the more likely you'll pitchpole. And if you have good crew, the crew should work the jib to ease pressure on the bows.

I'd like to clarify this. Pitchpoles usually happen when the boat is going fast with lots of pressure on the sails and hulls.

I've always thought those anti pich pole foils look more like leg/foot slicer dicers.

Truthfully, they aren't really all that effective. If the boat has a mind to go down the mine, she's going down the mine.

Avoiding pitchpoles is a matter of technique and experience. Even the best of us bite it every once and a while.

That's all fair-n-square about the foils. Getting them I figured nothing is 100%, I just wanted a measure of security, knowing it wasn't a guarantee. Wouldn't surprise me if I went over with them at some point.

In fact, when I was talking of buying them the local hobie shop dudes told me I'd be just as affective with proper technique. I said yeah, once I GOT proper technique LOL

I hemmed and hawed, and when I looked over at my daughters playing on an AI I plunked the moolah down anyway. G'head lemme here ya, "awwwww shucks....."

Anyway, here's the riveter you want: http://www.harborfreight.com/heavy-duty ... 66422.html. Jeremy at Surf City recommended this once and I am SO glad I listened.

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'81 H16

If it ain't a blowin', I ain't a goin'

During a small craft advisory...stay on shore. I keep forgetting that one. The boat always goes over.

That rivet gun will handle Stainless for $18.99??? If it will then I will order at least one having burned out several other guns that couldn't handle it

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1985 Prindle 16

No sweat, I rivet SS with my littler hand squeezer.

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H18, H17 & Various motor boats