What is the "Dolphin Striker" for?

Ok. My sailing bud is a engineer, and we were having a couple-of-beers, lookin' at our' boats and, we got into this discussion; (He owns a 16 and I own a 14T.)

What was the original thinking behind adding a striker to a 14 to make it a Turbo 14, when you added a jib? What's it for?

He hit me with all kind's of math stuff, but I would like to know your ideas.

Thanks

It adds stiffness to the crossbar. keeps it from buckling.

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

The mast creates a lot of downward force on the front crossbar during sailing. The forces on the sail are translated down the mast and also the pull from the shrouds and forestay are down through the mast base. The dolphin striker turns the front cross bar with limited stiffness and strength to a truss like on a bridge. Without the dolphin striker the front crossbar would first deflect down making the shrouds loose and then eventually buckle and break under heavy loads.

The H14 had a smaller sail and less load on the crossbar. Adding the jib (turbo) increased the loading. The H16 has a larger rig and therefore more loads.

The jib on the 14T doesn't add much load, but the trapeze sure does. The original 14 didn't have a trapeze. That's why modern 14s (that use trapezes) have dolphin strikers.

Same for the 16. Two people on the wire add another 300-400 lbs of downforce on the mast.

And how much weight is the mast putting down? I've heard some obscene numbers for spin boats.

You mean its not for killing dolphins?

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1992 Hobie Cat 18 #16943
Hobie Fleet 198, Rapid City, SD

I believe it was originally designed for the Japanese market!

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Hobie Adventure Island (Yellow Papaya)
Hobie Tandem Island (Yellow Papaya)

Yea,whats up with those SICK BASTARDS

It's to grab and hold the boat when coming back up from righting it when blown over!

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UK Wildcats have 8 now!

1976 H16 27640
1985 H16 89112

The dolphin striker is really handy when you have a sailor overboard. The pick-up technique is to come up to the waterborne unfortunate from a close reach then turn to straddle him/her between the hulls this slows you down so they can grab the bar and climb aboard. If you are in a mood, you may also fall-off once they are ahold and keel-haul them.

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The fact that this windy world is largely covered in water obviously means that man was meant to sail.

.......And don't forget the designers original purpose.....For suspending your beer cans/self/crew from on hot windless days....

Well. It started out ok, but has quickly degenerated into nonsense...

Thank you hobie18rich, Chet3, MBounds and karl Brogger for your' answers.

MBounds: We think that your answer solves the question, and I lost some money but, it's ok...

Thank You, sail right.

wow

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The fact that this windy world is largely covered in water obviously means that man was meant to sail.

nonsense...ah.

I'm a newbie to this and am still learning but was just wondering.

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Eric Deko