good way to dock hobie 16 ??????

Any tips on a smooth way to dock the boat without walking on the hulls? Usually the wind is blowing across the docks at our marina and without walking on the hulls, it is a challenge.

Thanks

Taking a cat into a fixed dock can be very challenging and even dangerous if the wind is up. There's a reason they are called "beach cats" not "dock cats"! If you do want to try it or if its your only option, try getting really good at slow speed maneuvering, and I mean REALLY good. Learn how to stop, tack on a dime, park the boat, and even go in reverse by back winding the sails. All this skills will help you put the boat anywhere you want it to go. If the wind is up, you might consider getting close to the dock, borrowing a mooring for a minute, dropping the main sail and using a paddle ( stash it under the tramp but tie it up well so waves won't knock it off) to complete the approach. Good luck!

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Blair T

I love these calm moments before the storm, it reminds me of Beethoven...


'02 Hobie Tiger USA 1152

If you have to walk the hulls walk on the edges where the support is greatest
docking a hobie especially a hobie 16 is always going to be tough with the sails up
Does the marina have any shallow areas to drop the sails and then paddle over to the dock a hobie with the sails down is pretty docile

Its a good idea to practice this on a float or small anchored boat first. i have had good results by approaching head on to the dock in a beam reach, totally let out the sails at full speed,about 2 boat lengths out in moderate wind. Use your judgement to steer to just leeward and toss a line or grab the dock from center of the boat and tie off quickly. If you miss too far leeward quickly steer into the wind, toward the dock and go into a dime tack, back winding to keep you from going into the dock if you still have speed. You should be able to hold the shouds or trap wire handles from the dock.

I have this kind of problem every time I sail. I live on a small lake and have a boardwalk for a shoreline and a small dock. The prevailing wind is onshore, straight onto the boardwalk, so you can imagine the difficulty in slow maneuvering to land without crashing or walking on the hulls. In light wind, I have done it successfully a few times. Most of the rest of the time, I sail into some nearby lake weeds, take the main down and paddle over. Other times I jump off and muscle the boat to a stop, then pull up on the boardwalk. Mine is definitely a 'dock cat.'

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'77 Goldfinger, blue hulls

It takes practice to be a trailer sailor. I managed to sail my boat halfway into the parking lot the first summer.


If it's really blowing hard I will drop the main and take in in with just the jib and then sheet the jib way out when I have momentum.

A cat is hard to dock in heavy wind. Having all the sails up isn't what sail boats really do when they dock. Either furl the jib and drop the main then paddle in or just drop the main. Whatever you can do. I like to drop the main and sail in with furling jib only, then furl it and depower boat so it can skim along side dock bare wire while I grab on.

The cat is wide, lacks center boards, doesn't turn w/out wind in the jib through a tack, has huge overpowered sails, etc etc. No matter how good at it you are, the risk of damage to yours and others property is pretty huge.

My friend hit a parked car trying to dock the hobie in 15 mph winds. He missed 3 tacks then finally jibed it and on a reach with sails powered all the way up pushing against the shrouds he flew up the boat ramp out of the water and along the side of a fisherman's truck with one pontoon (the truck had just been resprayed!).
I no longer let my friend helm the boat. I have him practicing on heavy air days with the buoy out in the lake. It gives him a mark he can see, something to hit, and some real practice with no risk of property damage.

In your situation I would just walk on the hulls if you really aren't comfortable with docking in a public situation (boats, kids, etc around). We lay, walk, dive, jump, etc off the hulls all the time on my old 80's hobie and have had zero problems. If it was a newer hobie I probably wouldn't do this, or trailer the boat all the time...

How do you drop your main without getting out of the boat in shallow water?

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'81 H16 yellow hulls

Come in slow, head up into the wind when you're right at the dock, sheet out, drop the main. We are on a lake with trees overhanging the shore so we have to sail up to the dock. The first few times I did this were a "little" exciting but a piece of cake after that. The key is knowing the wind at the dock and selecting the angle of approach that has the smallest angle to head up into the wind. Really, not that hard. Practice when the wind is light and you'll get it right away.

Thats sounds logical, but HOW do you drop the main in the water; don't you have to be waaaay out front of the mast to pull the halyard and unhook the stop from the tab on the mast?

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'81 H16 yellow hulls

Not necessarily, you just have to pull it hard down and wiggle it around in front of the mast. I've raised my main on the water before by walking out on the hull, but that's only for situations where you absolutely have to.

Dustin

To drop the main:
1. Release the downhaul. If that's tight, you'll never get the little bullet out of the clip at the top of the mast. (You can do this well ahead of time.)
2. Pull the boom up so it's not wedged in the track and the sail gets a bit of slack in it.
3. Pull the halyard straight down and hard to get the bullet out of the clip and then, while keeping the halyard taut, hold it out about a foot in front of the mast and let it slide slowly until its clear of the clip at the top.

Alternate Step 3: With slack in it, whip the halyard forward of the mast and really snap it like you're cracking a whip. If done right it will pop the bullet out of the clip and the sail will drop. Very slick, quick and easy but takes some practice to get the hang of it.

The real key to success in either method are steps 1 and 2. The sail must have some slack or it's never coming down!

why is it bad to walk on the hulls?

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http://youtube.com/optikid16030

1983 Hobie 16 Cat fever #55697
2008 Laser Radial/4.7 #190471
S.S.S.
S.Y.S.P

2nd on the walking on the hulls. I frequently stand/walk on the hulls, and other h16 owners I know do too, so I'm curious why the OP avoids it.

Walking on the hulls will weaken the decks prematurely is all. Mine already have some soft spots so I avoid it all together so I don't end up with my foot through it!

Dustin