HERE WE GO!!...AND DID!!!!

It's Saturday morning, sunny and breezy. We're getting ready to take the H16 out for the first time! For the first time I rigged and de-rigged solo in the driveway yesterday thanks to the H16 rigging video. All looks good.
Those "Third Hand" devices I couldn't figure out how to install, but I did add a single block w/becket on the main downhaul, WOW what a difference!

If all goes as planned we will be sailing for the next 3 day's. Thanks everyone for all the help and info!!

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1981 H16.
1993 Macgregor 26S

1st day sailing the H16. SUCCESS!!!! Winds were a little light but we had a blast! Wife is a natural sailer! I was amazed but she took right to it! Going out again in the AM! Again...WHAT A BLAST!!!

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1981 H16.
1993 Macgregor 26S

Cool. We just got a new to us Gateway and hope to be ot next weekend (Magothy River).

Glad the day went well, we hear alot of first time stories that go the other way.

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

iresq, Although we live in Pasadena, we launched out of Millers Island since my cousin has a shore front home there. We had the powerboat out on the Magothy a month ago, we party at Dobbins Island. The powerboat is on the way out now since the motor commited suicide. Definetly get that thang out and sail. We might stay around here next weekend although we originally were planning a sailing/camping trip so I don't know.

gree2056, yeah it was GREAT! The first time I've sailed a beach cat since 1988! The FIRST time ever for my wife (I did have her on a 65 foot cat in the Grenadines). She was nervious at first but she took right to it. She can REALLY read the wind! I was very impressed. Even when the wind was at a lull I joked "well we might be going slow, but it isn't because of engine trouble" (Me and boat engines have had a tragic last few years...thats another story). I was also VERY impressed on how a Hobie can still move in what at times seemed like no wind. My last cat would have been completely stopped but our H16 never stopped going forwards.

Well ,it's almost 9:00AM, time to get back on the water! Later all .

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1981 H16.
1993 Macgregor 26S

I made it to the water today but there was very little wind. We sailed for a few hours and then came in.

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

more like floated a little...better than sittin at home though

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Josh Benge
14 skip
16 skip
20 crew

Yeah, there was some wind before you made it out Josh, but then it went downhill.

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

We bought a 1986 Hobie on Aug. 12. This holiday weekend was only the second weekend we were up at the cottage since then. But today, Sept. 3 was the first day we have had enough wind to really fly across the lake! The other weekend, and other days this weekend we were just "floating" really. Barely moving. But it was GREAT today! The hulls were humming and we were moving at a good clip! After about 23 years without a Hobie, we are now loving it all over again! Too bad the summer is for all practical purposes over in Michigan. But we can spend the winter sprucing it up, putting a new tramp on, etc. and be ready to go next summer!

Yeah rjack22, I was telling my wife the same thing Saturday..."Well it's September 1st and we finally have a boat to enjoy". It sure would be nice if it was June 1st right now! LET'S CANCELL WINTER DUE TO LACK OF INTEREST!!!!!

Our 1st weekend out WAS A BLAST!!! 1st & 2nd day's real light air, good for getting my mountain raised wife aquanted with sailing. Yesterday the winds in the upper part of the Chesapeake were strong enough to whistle in the rigging on gusts (even NOAHH was only predicting 5-10 winds ). We had that boat SCEAMING across the water! We battled 3-4' chop in the bay plowing and almost jumping, totally wet with spray and wave wash , it was GREAT!!! Every once in a while a large mono-hull would side up with us, I'd sheet in and leave them in the dust...or rather spray! We then returned to more protected waters in front of my cousins house and pushed the envalope. We had no problem getting the windward hull to just skim with great speed, but everytime I tried to really fly the hull we would flip all the way up and almost capsize. The 3rd attempt we DID capsize. Powerboats came to help, I thanked them but said we wanted to right the boat ourselves...but asked them to hang out just incase. The first attempt to right I was too far back and both front hulls went into the air. The second time she came up and kept on going to again capsize on the other hull. The 3rd time I released the main sheet (Duh!!), swam the mast around and did it again this time my Wife grabbed the piviting hull to prevent it from leaving the water and the cat was back on her feet.
My wife was a little freaked out but she's ok now. I'm in 2nd Heaven. Sore from sailing ALL DAY with 2 beer breaks of course but VERY VERY HAPPY. I have one deep regret. All the time we could have been doing this in the past!!! I really feel I short changed myself by stepping out of sailing for so long. I guess we'll make up for lost time though, almost all remaining warm weekends will be slated for sailing. I guess my 1981 sail colors "Cat Fever" say it all!!!!!!

I'm going to repost part of this on H16 since I have a few H16 related questions and this post is way too long now anyway...Cheer's!!!

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1981 H16.
1993 Macgregor 26S