Brookville, IN zip code; EIEIO

I got the sailing bug as a kid when my uncle gave me an old copy of "Royce's Sailing Illustrated" I saw that Hobie 16 diagram and KNEW no finer machine could possibly exist for sailing. So a waited and saved and bought my first Hobie and rebuilt it, then another and another, finally I ended up with a big yellow 18, a beuty of a 16 and a 21sc.
Great story eh?
theres only one problem!
I live in in souteast IN 60 miles west of Cincinnati. We've got pretty limited water down here.
Theres the river, Hueston woods, far to the west Lake Monroe, north of that Eagle Creak, and right here close to home a lake called Brookville (or as we like to call it Brookvegas)
theres a nifty little sailboat ramp at the Hanna Creek launch. it's great! sailboats only, tucked way in a cove. Our wind is great, our water is big, the other boats leave us alone ( sort of)...but there are some serious hangups...

A. Brookvegas zip code; E I E I 0. there are 3 types of people here; RED NECKS! whew!, The nice people (god love ya) and what we affectionately call the ThrocMortons ( think Thurston Howwel III! You know who you are! I can't "motor out" like your sea cows so I have to rig at the dock, head to wind. either help me hold the boat or deal !!! Rigging a cat dockside is no treat for me either!)

B. where the F***k is the beach???? all this beautiful (and I mean Primo) infastructure for mono's and theres no beach? there's only concrete at Hanna creek. and as we all know concrete, docks,and boat ramps are the arch nemeses of Hobie cats !
Went sailing with my girlfriend this last weekend and i had to "pull over" so she could use the WC. I had 2 options beach it on the boat ramp, which was in use, or let the boat be eaten alive by the dock. (needles to say she swam) but really no place to just run the boat up.

So lets build, or petition to have built, a beach. Or let us use one of the swimming beaches. Hanna creek really is one of the finest sailing hubs I've ever seen you just don't cater to cat sailors. There are a lot of us around. we make up a big contingency! just ask the folks at eagle creek! The hobie beach there is nice and they must rake in a fortune at $500 a slot. Brookville has NO cats on it because there's no good place to store/launch one! I pay a Handfull for 2 parking spots at hannah creek and I'd give twice that if you'd let me leave my cats on a crummy beach!
I plan on getting the guys at strictly sail in Cincy (great people!) nd the BLSA involved!
If you have any suggestions or interest PM or email me. I really want to see this happen

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Jack

Jack, I agree with you 100%. I would be thrilled if there was just anywhere that you could beach and take a break, as you are coming out of hannahs creek to the right there is a muddy spot i thought about checking out but there is no wind over there. Let me know what i can do to help. Was that your 18 with the yellow cover on it in the lot on sunday? if so, she is beautiful.

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1978 Hobie 16 31743

Hey Jack, I think you got your East & West mixed up, unless we've re-arranged the state a bit.

You're welcome to come up to Geist Reservoir, but it's not the best sailing lake either (S-shaped, with unlimited power boats). I've often wondered how the sailing is on Brookville Res. I've camped and hiked around it, but not had my boat when I was there.

One thing you might try, as suggested on the Wave forum, get some pieces of PVC garden lattice from Lowe's or Home Depot, and lay that on the shore to slide your boat onto. It will smooth over rocks and dirt, and the boat slides on that stuff like ice . It should be light enough to carry a few long skinny strips on or under your trampoline, so you can make your own beach wherever you want.

Just a suggestion; might work better than a busted blood vessel (which it sounds like you're working toward).

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What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"

yeah monroe is West of me....you got me.... I've been up to geist and i was, well, Underwhelmed is the word. Huge boats and it's a long drive for the aggravation.

yeah that yellow monstrosity is mine! she's a handful! I'd really like to see a Hobie beach specifically for that purpose ( I'm green with envy about the ones at Eagle creek&Monroe)

Well I doubt 2 of us can get anything done but I'm sure there are more of us!

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Jack

I was there on Sunday the wind was crazy! Right next to the ramp is a grass area with a concrete curb at the waters edge... that would be a fine place to have a sand area for us. The strictly guys told me there used to be a fleet of 55 hobies up there i hope they start coming back, my brother and i bring our boats up there most weekends, i hope to see you soon. Glenn

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1978 Hobie 16 31743

I wrote the head of the BLSA and he gave me the scoope. Used to be A ton of cat sailors...now not so much. I've seen the grassy area you speak of but with the traffic and the wall, It would be better than nothing. I've been told theres "Sum of da soft groun ofer der ba EEgypt hollow's rayamp" that's usable but that defeats the purpose of mast up storage at Hannah Creek.
The DNR says no way it will violate some habitat runoff thing
(which is ironic because there is a killer beach north of the causeway on the west side)
Here are our options.
1. a beach to run up on and maybe store cats for the season with mooring stakes we'd be exposed to weather and you'd have to sail the boat there because it's basically the bottom of a cliff
2. The worst place ever for a beach. the power boater's kids will use it as a swimming beach and we'll get bumped but it beats nothing.
3. "The Deal" a Beach for seasonal storage liek the hobie beach at eagle creek
hidden away behind the mono guys with an access road from the Hanna creek launch! It would bring in Dingy sailors and cats alike. The cove due north of the "3" has some Awesome wind, and it's protected from the skiers wakes (great for kid's/beginners. It's pretty snaggy back there but for sunfish, lasers, and cats it'd be a great spot. Sailing out into the main lake with on a windy day could prove tricky, but you could kamikaze back into the beach, I find hitting the dock at hannah in a 15mph wind a bit tricky...if only the DNR would bight.
4. (not pictured) we could just petition to have a few tons of sand poured in the area between the jib crane and the launch ramp, along the sea wall.

Really I don't care anymore...
Between dodging pontoon boats
(whose drivers are looking backward at there kid...See picture)

And being circled by a roving gang of jet skiers because they liked to see me try to hang on in 5' surf.....This next season I'll be driving out to Monroe or Huston Woods (Again no beach) anytime I want to fly a hull.
And it's a shame because the people at Hannah Creek (with the PBR, Franzia toting jet skiers, and pushy ThrocMortons aside)
Are Great Folks!!!
They'd spend 6 hours helping you unturtle a boat, or give you a tow out when the wind was howling and they could smell your hesitance as you prepared to tack out of the cove. We (my father and I) aren't great sailors and we don't know all the rules. We've probably gotten too close or passed in front when we weren't supposed to, and If we pissed anyone off we're sorry. But because of the people at strictly sail and the BLSA this will be a Lifelong hobby for my family. They are, what the Throc's would call, "Top Drawer"

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Jack

Did you ever consider fighting back?...

http://www.nipmucpoint.com/nipmuc/ultimate_pwc_repellent.htm





Oldy but a goodie!

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

Hello Cincinnati Sailor,
I know that I made the offer before and here I go again...Come on over to Paynetown State Recreation Area on Lake Monroe by Bloomington In, and you will find a wonderful catamaran friend cove to launch from.I spent a Saturday last fall clearing out any visible rocks from this cove so it is safe to sail out of.The lake was very low and we pull out some 70 plus wheelbarrows loads of rip rock.Some of the electrical camp sites have very nice beaches to leave your catamaran while you camp.
I usually have a cooler full of cold beer ready for any other cat sailors.May is a good month to try it out.I know it is a long way to drive so I understand the hesitation,just plan on spending a three day weekend to make it more worthwhile.
Or just contact me and try out my 21SE with me for a day trip?
Let the festivities begin....
Bill 404 21SE

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Bill 404 21SE

Good beaches for launching Hobies is worth fighting for!!!!!!

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Bodhisatfa

Bill i haven't forgotten what you told me last time we spoke. I took the 21sc over thrice last season and It was a blast! Monroe is definitely the place to go! We camped at site 137, I think, we pulled the boat right up and siled right out! Other than a little mud on the deck it was PERFECT! I'll be back this year for sure, and I'll keep my eyes peeled for you.

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Jack

Jack,
Keep me updated with your plans to come back to Monroe and I will come on over to sail with you.I live in Columbus so Monroe is about an hours drive for me.

How far is Caesar Creek from you?I have sailed there in their Mayday Regatta and had a blast.At that special event we launched from the public beach and I am sure that is not the regular launch site.
Bill

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Bill 404 21SE

Ceasar is about an 1:45-2hr drive for me. I've only been once to scope it out.
Whats the word on Patoka??? I drove past it awhile back and wondered if it had any potential

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Jack

Lake Potoka is real nice.I have sailed it some 15 years ago in the off season.We launch from public beach with my cat traxs.I am sure we weren't allowed to launch their but no one was around and we just took advantage of that.
I have hear good thing about Lake Potoka.It is a longer drive for me so Lake Monroe is my "home port" , Paynetown State Recreation Area.I have sailed out of Paynetown since '76 without any hassle.The park people are easy to get along with and the only thief that I encountered was a stolen bungee of my trailer one holiday weekend a long time ago.
I solo sail my 21SE and I always find someone to help me rig my boat just walking around the parking lot.Very friendly and helpful campers and park visitors.It usually cost me a cold beer.What a fair price.................Bill

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Bill 404 21SE