Wind strength to flip a H16??

With summer thunder storm season in full swing and the high winds that come with them i got to wondering what kind of wind speeds are needed to trash a 16 that is sitting on the beach(stripped of sails).
I know there is probably a big difference between Hobie's with mesh & vinyl tramps.Our H16's have mesh tramps and I have ours tied down with ground anchors,so no worries there.
Any thoughts??

It depends on a lot of things - what direction the wind is coming from, how the boat is positioned (protected by trees, exposed, etc.).

I've seen boats flipped in 30 mph wind and some not flipped in 60 mph wind.

I have to agree. I was out sailing over the holiday weekend.
Winds were 15-25mph most of the day and the sailing was very fast. In the afternoon a thunderstorm arrived before we could get off the lake and we were hit with 60mph winds. I had been beating back and forth waiting for my turn at the ramp. I turned up into the wind and stalled. Very quickly the boat accelerated backwards and then broached suddenly and the wind blew us sideways about 100 yards onto the leeward shore and the big rocks in what seemed only seconds. We managed to get the boat pulled up onto shore but suffered some hull damage. We never flipped (I have a solid vinyl tramp) and never seemed to be in any danger of doing so. Other than that the only damage was to my pride and the prospect of getting my wife out again anytime soon.
On the other hand several years ago on an Arizona lake I watched in horror as a boat not far away, beached on the sandy shore with sails luffing on an calm day, when a 20mph gust picked it up and turned it over almost completely destroying the boat - bent mast, holed hull and torn sails. No other boats were affected and no one was hurt, thankfully. Just a freak gust.

You always want to be as careful as possible. Still, sometimes luck just runs counter and bad things happen.

There seems to be varying opinion on what is best. I know of folks that tip their boats on their sides with bow to the wind. I have never done that preferring to just take the sails down and hope the wind doesn't catch the tramp and take off. I have seen others use corkscrew like anchors on either side and tie the boat down (I think I am going to buy a few of those...) I can see that a mesh tramp is definitely an advantage in this case.

We have had 120mph winds here with the boat on the trailer, parked, and have never had a problem. It was scary but nothing flew away.

You pay your money and you take your chances.

Knoche,interesting story.Thanks.
Get those ground anchors,they really work.I bought mine at a company that deals with electrical contractors.The power corp. here in Canada (Hydro) use's them for securing utility poles.I believe they come in different lengths.Mine are 5ft.I also moor my 19ft. bowrider on one and it has never moved an inch once it was augered into the bottom.

Robbor

Where do you sail out of?

Please email me off line re Hobie sailing in Ottawa, lunnjohn at magma dot ca

cheers and good winds

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