Hello! Thank you! ...and sail wear question!

Fyi... it appears to me that this is a limited issue. It has not been widely reported. This sail looks to have had these (reinforcements) place on one panel too high. I do not believe this is the plan... I am, though, checking with the loft again.

Patches in the correct positions as far as I can tell:



This is the one in question:



They are the same though, so no downhaul on the damaged one?

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

Thank you again for the suggestion. I will undertake the remove and realign process as you have suggested. I will also attempt to smooth the shroud cover damage so it is not abrasive.
As for Hobie - they have suggested that their loft may have placed some of the strips in the wrong place. So with all good intentions of trying to produce a quality product that is differentiated from its competitors which includes protective strips to stop exactly what has happened to my Getaway Sail, they have just missed the mark a little. As for the protective strips being of some value, it is obvious without them excessive wear can occur as is shown in the photos which contrast where the shroud rubs against raw sail as opposed to the protective strip.

Downhaul was certainly on when photo was taken and during sailing. I will send a photo of the full rig taken at the same time. Downhaul was applied by feeding the DH cord through the centre of the DH cleat then back up through the DH eyelet then back down to the cleat for tie off. This process gives significant DH leverage.
http://rs1042.pbsrc.com/albums/b428/Rob ... f.jpg~c100

Thanks all for the replies! I haven't had the chance to check in on this thread, and so I was delighted to see so much activity on it.

A few updates...

1. I can confirm the issue is due to rubbing on the shrouds when headed down wind.
2. I fixed the tear with some sail tape, and will keep a close eye; re applying as needed!
3. My boat is a 2001, and my sail (which I believe is original) doesn't have any of the plastic protectors over the batten's as some have shown. They would indeed make sense (though interesting that they appear to not align with the shrouds in some cases).

4. Re: getting to know my boat; I had the pleasure of hosting my cousin for a few days who is a very experienced sailor. He taught me a number of very helpful things...ever since I've been tacking like a pro! My key learnings include:
a) I've been over thinking the sail; just keep it tight and rudder to find the sweet spot
b) I've been a touch impatient; slow and steady
c) I've been throwing the rudder way too hard, and need to ease into tacks...the boat will turn! (see point B)...

Anyway; all good fun! Thanks again for your contributions!

Cheers,

--Jamie.

Hi Matt.
The photo you have included indicating the patches are in the correct place I think is an incorrect depiction of the issue.
Firstly this photo is I think a Hobie promotional shot with the Getaway on a reach. The sail is nowhere near the shroud and will not rub. To be fair the sail should be photographed on a downwind run and then a proper assessment can be made.
Secondly - has the loft responded to your enquiry?
As I read it all Getaway sails have been produced with a three misaligned protective strips.
This clear manufacturing fault.
This should be admitted by Hobie as with all good intentions three of the five protective strips just do not do the job they were designed and sold to do. And those owners impacted given appropriate remedies.
I have now engaged a specialist to adjust the position of the strips as there are no sailmakers in Vietnam or even a Hobie representative here now.
I look forward to your thoughts.
Robert - Deck Hand