sheet rope length

For several years I've been using 3/8" sta-set for my mainsheet but it is kinda heavy, tends to get balled up pretty easily and won't sheet out as fast as I would like. I'm thinking of going to a Robline racing sheet, probably 8 mil. What lengths are you guys running with a 6:1 setup? Even though I don't really compete I'm still looking to maximize performance. Is 40 ft sufficient? I mean does anyone really ever have occasion to travel and sheet all the way out on these boats?

Travel and sheet all the way out??? DEFINITELY!!! Quite often!
3/8" Spun Braid 44' for the mainsheet. Mine is for both the mainsheet and traveler. Some people have two separate lines.
I don't know where you live, Sunvista, but there are several Hobie Dealers that post on these forums that provide mail order service. Surf City Catamarans is one of them. Ordering from a dealer will ensure that you get the right product for your Hobie.
Good Luck!
Richard

Line Lengths for the Hobie 16
Location Line Size/Type Length Quantity
Aft Tramp Lacing Line 1/4' Halyard 15' 2 ea.
Center Tramp Lacing Line 1/4' Halyard 19' 1 ea.
Downhaul Line (stock downhaul) 3/16' Halyard 5' 1 ea.
Mainsheet Line 3/8' Spun Braid 44' 1 ea.
Jibsheet Line 5/16' Spun Braid 32' 1 ea.
Outhaul Line (stock outhaul) 3/16' Halyard 7'6' 1 ea.
Main Halyard Line - Comptip 1/4' Halyard 51' 1 ea.
Main Halyard Line - Non-Comptip 3/16' Halyard 27' 1 ea.
Jib Halyard Line (old wire halyard)
Jib Halyard Line (Aussie system) 3/16' Halyard
5/32'-1/4' no stretch line 20'
70' 1 ea.
1 ea.
Trapeze Adjustment Line 1/4' Yacht 3'6' 4 ea.
Trapeze Shock Cord 1/4' Shock Cord with 2 Loops 7' 2 ea.
Main Batten Tie Down 1/12' Leach Line 1'5' 1 per batten
Jib Batten Tie Down 3/64' Leach Line (round) 1' 1 per batten
Hawaian System Shock Cord 3/8' Shock Cord with 2 Loops 6'6' 1 ea.
Wire Lengths for the Hobie 16
Location Wire Type/Grade Finished Length Quantity
Main Halyard-non Comptip
C/L shackle to near side stop=15 5/8' 3/32 7x7 25' 7 3/4' 1 ea.
Jib Halyard
Rope 20'6' of 3/16 halyard 1/8 7x19 16' 5' 1 ea.
Shroud
thimbles both ends 1/8 1x19 19' 1/4' 2 ea.
Trapeze Wires
thimbles, stops and handles 3/32 1x19 16' 9 1/8' 4 ea.
Forestay Pigtail
thimbles both ends 5/32 7x19 6' 1 ea.
Lower Forestay
thimbles both ends 1/8 1x19 17' 6' 1 ea.
Bridle
thimbles both ends 1/8 1x19 3' 8 1/4' 2 ea.

Roller Pigtail
thimbles both ends w/swivel block 1/8 1x19 17' 1 ea.
Bridle w/Hobie Furler
fork and thimbles 1/8 1x19 3'7' 2 ea.

Hawaiian system shock cords? Roller pigtail thimbles? I love people who answer questions I didn't ask. I hope you cut and pasted all of that and didn't waste as much of your time as mine.

Cut and Paste - NAHCA Hobie 16 Line Lengths.

BTW, my local Hobie dealer is a yacht broker that I doubt has ever even sailed one of these boats so I won't be asking them anything. Sooooo.....since you hi-jacked my thread with the Hobie parts guide I'll pose the question again:

Is anyone using 40 feet (or less) of 8mm robline on a 6:1 mainsheet system? If so, how's that working for you?

8mm is just a bit larger than 5/16", so it should be about the right size. I don't know anybody using Robline - except maybe Rich McVeigh from Maryland. He's a line hound.

On my 14, with a 6:1 purchase, I'm using 37 feet of Paraloc Marlin. I've only used it in one event (14 NAs last year) and it's OK. It's got a harder feel than my other sheets.

On the 16, (also 6:1 and 37 feet) I've been using New England Ropes Bzzz line. I got it cheap (from Rich) and it's held up well. Its a lot softer than the Paraloc.

On the 17, I use New England Ropes Salsa and I love it. Great hand feel, not too expensive and not so light it gets blown off the trampoline.

Thanks. I might consider Bzzz line instead. I crew on a couple F18s using Bzzz line for spinnaker halyard. Its light and doesn't seem to get too balled up.

Since you mentioned H14....I have a chance to pick up an old 14 turbo this week. This is appealing to me in that I can sail during the week when there is no one else around. I think I can right it on my own. Any idea what the minimum weight is to solo right a H14? I don't want to be the sixty year old guy in the headlines.

sunvista: We bought a H-14T last year for my daughter, and it's great for her size/weight, but, at first, I honestly didn't care much for the thing. (Obvious reasons such as it's a lot more sensitive to weight placement than the 16, less buoyant, etc.) However, after working out some leaky mast issues, we have really put it through the paces this year and I'm quite impressed. I haven't even taken it out myself in lighter wind, but when when the wind gets above about 15 or so, and you'd be getting into survival mode solo on the 16, the 14 is a blast! I've never windsurfed, but I imagine that this approaches that experience (plus there's a place for a cooler full of beer)! I really expected the 14T to completely bury the leeward hull and be a dog when trapping out and flying a hull, beam reaching, etc., but it really perfoms nicely with proper weight distibution. It's cool to be able to go out and blast around in bigger wind when the 16 would be such a handful. And I don't worry much about flipping, because I can easily right it solo with no aids (even when practicing with no wind) at about 5' 7" and 180 lbs. My daughter weighs about 120, and can't quite right it on her own. I'd guess that if your weight is somewhere between 120 and 160, you may need a small righting bag.

The only issue I haven't fully resolved with the boat is that, even when using all the proper techniques, it turtles very quickly when capsized. Our local reservoir is relatively shallow and has a muddy bottom, so the mast will stick easilly and power boat assistance is required.....unacceptable. A couple of gallon orange juice jugs are the temporary fix for that. I don't think it would be difficult to bring up from turtled in deeper water.

In summary, I'm really glad we got the 14T, and plan to keep it for those big wind days even when/if my daughter moves on to something else. I know this is a lot more info than you requested, but (in case you couldn't tell) , I'd encourage anyone to get a 14 for their stable if they can afford to buy it, maintain it, have a place to store it, etc.

_________________
Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16

I own both an old hobie 14 and a hobie 16. Oddly enough, in my opinion, I think that the h-14 turtles easier than the bigger h-16. Weird. Maybe, the much larger sail on the h-16 tends to keep the boat on its side, if you go swimming. And, I really hate turtling....
And, kinda surprising, the h-14 is still really tough to get it back up from being on its side. A bit easier then the H-16, but still tough.
Anyways, the h-14 is a great boat for lighter sailors, for sure. Basicly , a solo boat, but a real fun boat in big winds.

Thanks guys. I'm going in on this boat with a buddy. His wife is a pretty good Laser sailor and is really excited about the Turbo but she is only 145 lbs...maybe 150 tops. That could be a problem. Also good to know that these boats turtle easily. I'm sure she'll insist on a mast bob.