We have two great new accessories for Hobie Islands!

Hubba Hubba!

_________________
The Wind Is Your Friend...

Can somebody elucidate the diff between "Spinnaker" and "Jib" ?

I know from "Balloon Spinnaker"... but the new AI sail looks like a jib to me-who-does-know-much-about-this-stuff.

Also, is it "Self-Tacking" and, if so, what is "Self-Tacking"...... -)

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

true spinnakers are for downwind work only, the reacher is more of an asymmetrical spinnaker (also referred to by some as a genakker(genoa/spinnaker hybrid), though they are technically different). asyms are capable sailing as high up as a beam reach, they can not sail into the wind. this appears to be what the reacher is

a jib works on all points of sail from close hauled to a dead run.


that's the jest of it. technically speaking a jib is defined as a sail that is no more than 110% of the area of the foretriangle of a traditional sailboat (the foretriangle is the triangle made by the forestay, the boat deck and the mast). anything larger than 110% is considered a genoa. islands do not have stays so all of these terms are very loosely defined in that regard and are best described as just headsails.

self tacking is exactly as the name implies, as you tack. the sail takes care of itself.

non-self tacking is when you have one sheet on one side of the mast for one tack. when you tack, you throw that sheet then sheet in the one on the other side of the mast for the new tack.

_________________
2015 Outback- dune with sail kit
2015 TI- dune- sold
2015 AI2- Hibiscus- should probably sell...
2018 AI2- Dune

The TI spinnaker is larger. The hardware should be the same. Sheets and halyards are likely longer. I don't have a sq area spec at this time.

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

Pete, it's more of a genaker or genoa. Jibs are meant for going up wind while spinnkers are meant for going down wind. It is not self-tacking. Looking at the kit and the set-up instructions there is a line that attaches to the clew of the sail which goes through port and starboard swivel cleats used to gybe (since we are talking down wind only). Self-tacking would be more of what Vetgam has set-up for his jib, where there are no tack lines to manage, but there is a limiter on how far port and starboard the sail is allowed to fall off to.

_________________
2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

• Trampolines
• Hobie cover
• Davis Spar Fly
• Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
• Spine Board Hakas

Matt, should I stop refreshing the page every 15 minutes?
Any idea when the video will be up?

Got to be sometime this week.

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

Great news, looking forward to getting one

_________________
2015 Hobie TI Dune (coming soon)

Sweet

_________________
Kayak Fishing Specialist: SLH
https://slhobie.com.au

speaking about the angle u can go with this sail, I am a bit confused. i expected that this sail could go on a beam reach as usually gennakers do. Genoas in my opinion are different, they also sail upwind.
In the manual I read that we shoudnt sail upwind but also on a beam reach. Only broad reach is good.
what do you think about it. was the manual exaggerately careful?

for me this info is absolutely necessary cause the cost (in europe is 40% higher) and the effort to mount it woudn't be worth for a sail that can b used only on a broad reach.
It also depends the itineraries you do. Can hobie people say more about the angles we can use with this sail? thanx

+1

Especially something about the consequences of sailing it on a beam reach or beat.

Does it increase the chances of something breaking? Or is it just a matter of losing efficiency and/or control?

I am thinking in terms of beating upwind for a few miles, and then deploying the new sail and reaching back-and-forth back to the beach.

The sailor in that situation is going to be constantly varying their angle to the wind as they gybe back-and-forth surfing the swell/chop - so knowing what to expect if/when they slip into a beam reach would be important.

"If you can't afford to lose, don't play the game."... and all that...

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

Hi Pete
i think that the problems to the boat, or better to the mast, couldnt be caused by a wrong sailing angle with the reacher up but just by too much power on it and this is why some people who installed a self-made spi on the hobie decided to have also a backstay line from the top of the mast to the stern. This in order to avoid that the overbending of the mast (our mast naturally bends) could damage the base of the mast (this issue happened to somebody).I think that with a wrong angle the sail just shoudnt stay up. I think that we should have to wait the reports from the first users, but it's very strange that Hobie declared that this sail is not for a bream reach.
About the wind speed i wonder why should I fly this sail when the wind speed id higher than 10 knots. With that wind I am already very fast and at 13 knots I am thinking to furl the mainsail and the bow will start submarining. Yeah I know that some guy will do that, in order to establish new speed records and some other guy will break the mast, but for me I shoudnt use this sail at more than 10 knots.

This is a spinnaker. Not a jib, gennaker or genoa. This is designed for down wind sailing.

They are for sailing in lighter wind strengths and at lower angles than a beam reach. You can sail broad starboard, down and over to broad port tacks. Higher angles will not have good performance results (better off dropping and sailing on the main sail alone) add stress to the mast / rig, so are not recommended as per the manual.

Improper rigging or use that causes damage to the boat is not covered by a warranty. Torn materials in the spinnaker due to excessive loads or catching on boat hardware are not covered by warranty.

That said... they are a blast!

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

Hi Matt
looking at this link
could you tell me which is the type of sail?


http://www.africa.northsails.com/SAILS/ ... fault.aspx

Great stuff! Looking forward to some videos!