Righting

I know this topic has been covered ad nauseum, but Saturday, I decided to bite the bullet and do some intentional righting practice. Of course, this was instigated by a buddy that used to have a cat back in the day, and we had already polished off a couple of beverages, so it seemed like a good idea. Plus, I just wanted to shut him up. Armed with my 88 pound Murray's righting bag, we swam the boat about 50' from our rafted up sloops. I must also mention at this point that one of the main reasons for doing this was there was absolutely no wind, it was hotter than Hades, and we were bored. "Hold my beer, watch this" was our motto. Both of us standing on one wing, hauling on the shroud and trap wire was sufficient to bring her over. My buddy and I righted it very easily together, with no bag. The entertainment for the peanut gallery kicked in when I tried to right it myself. I was able to get the righting bag out of the cooler of the submerged hull (didn't think about trying to get it out of the dry hull). I tried every leverage trick I could think of, including putting the righting line under my armpits and holding the bag on top of my head. I think the bob came out of the water, but that was it. So close. I tried using the trap lines, I moved fore and aft. I did get a lot of helpful hints from the folks on the sloops though (my dad always said that "help" was a four letter word too). Somewhere in the process of climbing back onto the cat, I dislocated my floating rib, so I'm still enjoying the after-effects of my little adventure. Anyway, my thoughts are that if it's windy enough to tip, it'll be windy enough to lift the sail out of the water and right it myself. I'll have to wait for my rib to heal, and a windy day (probably some time in October here in Texas) to try it again. I felt that righting practice was an important prerequisite to learning how to fly a hull.

By the way, Saturday I saw two new Getaways, with no UV damage, and new sail colors. They were gorgeous!

The getaway video shows one person righting the boat, but if you look close, the jib is furled and the snorkel is on!

I don't recall having a shot of just one person righting the Getaway. We suggest a crew of two is necessary. Maybe get double water bags?

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

I think I would've been able to do it by myself, with the righting bag, had there been some wind to lift the sail out of the water. I would only tip in wind or gusts, so it's a moot point. There wasn't enough wind to go sailing, so we decided to have righting practice out of boredom. One righting bag per person is more than enough to handle. Two 200# adult males popped it up easily without the use of the righting bag.

Good for you taking a bath when it wasn't necessary. I have pulled people without a clue from the water and on the worst of days- of course, because those are the conditions that result in capsize.

I don't know how you'd get a Getaway up solo but here is the good news for anybody practicing righting on any boat: the wind gods that blow you down try to make amends by helping to upright you too

In reality you probably aren't going over when there isn't any wind. You will one day or the other go over when there IS wind and waves. If you don't go over at some point, you ain't sailing hard enough.

So, with the downed-boat mast about 45 degrees INTO the wind (or perpendicular to it) the wings and trampoline and the boat itself are acting as sails being blown towards the righting direction. This is a good thing. To complicate matters on a calm day, the sail on the water tends to "seal" itself to the water. If the water is dead flat with no waves it suctions down self pretty darn good. Waves help break the suction and the wind also works it's way under the sail to help lift it.

So if you can, although it is not as much fun as swimming on a hot day, practice this move under "realistic" conditions with help nearby. Oh yeah- your life jacket doesn't work if you don't wear it- please don't end up as a guest of Davey Jones.

Another message from the church of the latter day sailors- The Morons

Does anyone know how the righting line is supposed to be rigged and used? Our used Getaway came with the line knotted at grommets in the tramp, run underneath the tramp and then out again in the middle of the tramp lacing before returning to the other side underneath the tramp to another knot in a grommet. I just can't imagine how this would work? I guess you pull on it from the bottom of the tramp but how would two people do that?

I'm used to our Hobie 16's where the line runs around the whole boat.

The righting line runs under the tramp completely. It does not touch the tramp or come "above deck" at any point. It begins in the back corner, runs forward to the center crossbar (that supports the mast) through a hoop, across the boat to the other side, through an identical hoop, and then back to the other corner. I do not recall how the end is attached. It may indeed be connected to the tramp with a knot. In any case, it makes a giant squared U shape under the tramp, with the opening of the U toward the stern.

I hope this helps. The accuracy of this information is about 80%.

Thanks John,

I now know my righting line is rigged improperly. I do have those hoops and i will re-run it accordingly,

Captain Han Winogrond, Sail Safaris Inc
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St John, US Virgin Islands
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Forum makes for some interest reading. Just so you know, two adult males (200 lbs each) were able to right a Getaway that had turtled, but the heavy wind and waves that got us that way flipped her the opposite way when she came up. Remember to eat your wheaties, sailing a Hobie can be a work out. Come on summer.

at 178lb i was having trouble righting my first capsize even with enough wind that i could do it now, but with fear of being blown into the dam i lowered the main, cleated the halyard and loosely tied up the sail, and the boat flipped over with super ease. raised the sail back and took off. took about 10-15 minutes but that was my beloved first experience.

That is great advice, I have never been able to right my getaway by myself. I have had to do this as well. It seems that when I tried to right the getaway with the sail up, I couldn't do it fast enough before the boat turned with the wind. But with the sail down, it came up quick. I would only recommend that as a last resort since it is very difficult to raise it again out in open water. I only weigh about 150, so usually I have an extra person with me. If not I tend to be much more careful when flying a hull.

Does the Solo Righting system work with the Getaway? If so, what is the part number in the Hobie catalog?

Also, how difficult is it to re-attach the extended shroud when sailing solo with wind and waves to contend with?

Thanks -

David

I was told that an old backpack will work great too when flipped...just stuff it in the tramp, and when needed, but it on your shoulders, dunk (fill it with water) and it should right,,,,,

I have to say the last thing I want on when I've righted a cat and I'm under the tramp or the sail or trying to clamber back on, is bag of water around my shoulders. Use the pack if you want but pulley it from somewhere.

Check out the power righter. http://www.catsailor.com/power_righter.html