keep from turning over !

OK, I am new to sailing, beach Hobie sailed several times with other people, familiar with tacking, swapping sides at correct times, wind direction, etc,, not sure how to turn all the way around,(jybe ?) Will be taking my wife beach sailing, only if surf is calm & wind is light. If I turn the boat over with her, that will be it for me, I will be sailing home ! (B-ham Al.) What precautions/actions can I take to prevent this ?

The only way to be sure not to capsize is not to sail. That being said, there are ways to minimize the possibility. Don't sail in conditions past your abilities (especially with the misses). Do not drive the boat hard, ease off the main sheet, travel out the main a bit farther than normal, do not cleat the main sheet (vital when puffy), furl the jib (if an option), rudder control is essential. As far as jibing, as you fall off the wind, let out the main and track out as you fall off and initiate the turn. If you are going pretty fast let the boat decelerate. The further off the wind the further out you track. Anticipate the jibe (i.e., once you are directly down wind, grab the main sheet just under the boom block/s (all 5 or 6 lines) and with heads down swing the boom to the other side of the boat and continue the turn. This will make the jibe smoother and safer. Sheet in and travel in as course dictates. Happy sailing.

Hire someone to give you lessons. It will be money well spent.

Capsizing isn't as bad as you think it is. Watch this pro show how to capsize (boat on its side), turtle (boat is upside down), recover, and right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh22TflF7oY

And take some lessons from someone who knows how to sail the boat.

This past summer I had a Hobie sailor show me how to attach the sails, gave a little instruction. We sailed about 1 mile off beach & back. About 20 years ago I sailed with this guy who just got his hobie, he asked me if I want to drive. I said sure ! (he must have thought I knew what I was doing, I only have rode on a Hobie 2 other times, little did he know,,) We did fine, no turn overs. We went about 2 miles out, I think I sacred him, he did not ask me to sail again. I was young & brave then. Now I am not as young & not as brave !!!

Wow that went turtle quick.

I thought you were talking about me until I saw the video,,,

After watching that clip I have a couple of questions:

1) what kind of boat was that? It looked like a H16 with skegs on the bottom, the rudder grundons look to be off of a H18, and it's boomless.

2) Where can I get a sail with a naked lady on it?

Also is there anyone in the Northern California area that does lessons?
Surf City, do you guys do lessons? It would be a great excuse to get down to Santa Cruz and do some ocean sailing.

That's one of the 10 other catamarans not available in the USA

http://www.hobie-cat.net/site_gb/?produits,produits

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hobiejohn at earthlink dot net
Fleet 297

thats the hobie 15 from hobie europe, thats exactly like the boat i have....

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Hobie-cat 15 Club "Keels Over"
2003 (Hobie Cat Europe)

That's funny! I watched that video more than one before and never noticed the naked girl on the sail lol. I must be getting old.

The outer banks is a hot Hobie spot. My uncle loves going there on his H16. I'm sure there are a few sailing lesson businesses.

I just took a girl out today that had never been sailing! We didn't turn over but she was worried a few times. By the end of the day she was really getting into it and helped me take second in the local clubs race!

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Nacra 5.2 "Elsies"
Hobie 14T, "Blazin" I guess I am keeping her!

Oh boy, I know exactly where you're coming from pappastratos. I bought my 16 two years ago and my wife had never been sailing and had a fear of the ocean. She didn't trust my sailing skills either as it had been 20+ years since I last sailed (I'm 34)!

You just have to take it slowly and push/extend her boundaries slowly. As she gets used to the speed and control of the boat at a certain level you can go just a bit faster.

Once you've got directional control and the basics of tacking and gybing, the key to crew confidence is for you to be able to to control the boat. I learned this (well, proved what I thought I knew) by taking out some guys to troll for some fish. We didn't catch any fish but I sure confirmed that I can make the boat stop on the water whenever I want to. All I had to do for this was to turn the boat into the wind and we'd park up until I worked out how to get out of irons again (another good skill). I also learned that you can slow the boat down by letting out either the mainsheet traveller or the mainsheet. To start with I just left the traveller out quite a way and then just sheeted in the mainsheet until I was going fast enough. If I wanted to go faster, sheet in; to go slower, sheet out.

Oh, and remember to keep the crew back from the front of the tramp at most times so the bows stay out of the water and minimise the chance of pitchpoling.

Just take it slowly and you'l get there - don't rush things and be confident in your own ability to sail the boat. I've now got some time under my belt and am confident to go out in 20 knot winds and 2 metre swells. Those conditions would have scared me before but I am now confident in my ability. When you're confident about what you can do this confidence spreads to your crew too becuase you know what you're doing.

Also download the Hobie University manual (google this and you'll find it). It has lots of useful and easily explained manouvres in it.

Happy sailing and only go just a little bit past your comfort zone each time and you'll be zooming along on one hull with the missus screaming from enjoyment very soon. Good luck.

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Anthony
88 H16 "Moonshine"

I took a girl out last weekend and got her out on the trap then scared the poop out of her. it was lots of fun she was into it by the end. Start slow then show her what the boat can do.

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1979 Hobie 16