6:1 down haul

I'm very new at the Hobie thing, so please forgive if this is a stupid question. Why is it so important to have the downhaul so tight as to need all those pulleys and such?

Thanks,
Fred

Has to do with proper sail (foil) shape in varying conditions.

Getting enough tension is possible with 3:1, as is stock, but it takes some effort. For racing you use tension upwind and slack downwind. During transitions, if using 3:1, you will be moving around to get lever angle and possibly require a stronger crew to do it. Moving around disrupts boat speed and possibly requires the stronger and likely heavier skipper to move forward to apply downhaul which takes your mind off the sailing.

The 6:1 makes it possible to release and re-apply easily and quickly by any crew. The lines are also long enough to do from a distance.

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

Did I read right somewhere that you cannot adjust the downhaul from the trap? like its against class rules? Something to factor in when determining how much rope to get.

It's not prohibited specifically, but swivel cleats are not allowed, which effectively prohibits it from being adjusted from the trapeze.

with the Harken 29mm triple block, what size rope do you use and how long do you need?

just put you a pulley at the back of the tramp and run the line straight there then through the pulley then out to the trap lines.
might have a hard time cleating the line back, but hey, just hold on to it!

That wouldn't work well, either - 1) when the mast rotates, the cleat is pointed at the leeward shroud (or thereabouts), fouling the angle and 2) it's almost impossible to downhaul when sheeted in - the gooseneck binds. You might get it to come down, but you're sure not going to get it to come up.

There's really very little reason to be able to adjust the downhaul from the wire.

What is the visual indication of the right amount of tension and too much tension? ripples in the sail? Can too much tension cause damage with 6:1 advantage?

There isn't so much of a visual indication. Downhaul affects sail shape (how full the sail is). You change this dependent on the conditions you are sailing in.

More wind = more downhaul; Downwind course calls for a loosened downhaul and an upwind course calls for a tightened downhaul.

_________________
Zach