Battered and bruised

Well it had to happen eventually.

My wife and I were sailing yesterday on our 21SE on Lake Washington near Seattle Washington. The winds were generally light for the first two hours and then they started picking up. The winds picked up to 10-15 and this being my wifes 3rd time on the boat was having the best time she has ever had. The wind then picked up to what we later found out to be 16-24 moh for about 2 hours. We were literally flying! We were doing screaming reaches and passing motor boats.

We were going into the beach on our last run across the lake and we were feeling a little cocky about our control of the boat. I had the traveler all the way out, downhaul on as much as Karen could pull it and the main sheet as tight as I could get it and were pinching into the wind on a close reach. When the next gust hit, I generally let the boat come into the wind alittle and when the hull started to lift, I pushed the boat off the wind and we accelerated like never before. It all is a blurr from here....I think we either hit a swirl or downdraft as I remember the jib getting backwinded a little and this started to raise the front of the boat. We did not react fast enough to release the sheets and we then went up, up and over.

We managed to not go thru the sail as we lowered (fell) to the main sail. By weighting the bow or stern of the hull, it took us about 5 minutes to turn the boat from stern to wind to mast/bow to wind. I released the righting line and uncleated the jib and main sail. With our weight we could not get this boat to come up. Luckily two guys from a motor boat jumped in and helped us right the boat.

We got to the beach and lowered all the sails and pulled the boat out of the water to derig. We were cold and tired. We did not finish packing the boat until dark and went home and passed out whooped and battered. We broke one trapeze wire (wahoo), the bungee to another trapeze, and our motor runs but is not turning the prop. We lost a water thermos, throw cushion, and another cell phone bit the dust. We both have at least 10 cuts and abrasions and bruises.

This was the best time we have had yet and I cannot believe it, but Karen wants to go this fast again!

It sucks when one split second event can rain on an otherwise spectacular day.

Sounds like your wife is a keeper....but that's a whole other thread.

David

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David Gauci

David - That is why I have been quizing you with the righting pole. It is awesome that you can right your boat solo and I would definitly feel better if I could also. Until I rig the righting pole I do not want to repeat this again.

My wife is a keeper and I am very glad it was her and not my 75 year old dad.....

Even with flipping, this is AWESOME!!!!!

I hear you. Just this past weekend, a few of our guests were challenging wearing their lifejackets. I tried explaining that when it happens, it can be explosive and very violent.

I must say, the day that we picked up our H21, we had to sail about 20 miles back up to our island where its kept. It was the g/f's first time on a Hobie (and mine for more than a quick spin). Within minutes, she was out on the wire and then the fun began. By the end of the day, we'd logged over 40 miles on the GPS because she wanted to power reach back and forth as we made our way northward. She was out on the trapeze having an absolute blast, all smiling and laughing as the boat screamed.

I seem to remember proposing to her shortly after that day. Having a woman that loves to sail fast is one of life's "must have's".

Let me know how the pole develops.

David

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David Gauci

Sucks? That's a normal day for me. I don't lose as much stuff anymore now that I've gotten better at wrecking, but a day without cuts and bruises is hardly a day worth going out.

I just got to jump into the discussion as to your choice of sailing partner. I love my wife dearly but she is scared to death of the water and will not go sailing with me, during the past 30plus years I have sailed all my Hobies solo, with the exception of the occasional friend that will crew with me.

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06 getaway -- always remember, man with both feet in mouth have no leg to stand on.

I dumped my 16 for the first time today too!

I thought it was pretty awesome, very similar condition to yours as well.

-Fred

[quote]I just got to jump into the discussion as to your choice of sailing partner. I love my wife dearly but she is scared to death of the water and will not go sailing with me, during the past 30plus years I have sailed all my Hobies solo, with the exception of the occasional friend that will crew with me.
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This is the reason why I got the Hobie 21SE. I have been windsurfing since 1980 and have always enjoyed the sailing. My wife has no desire to windsurf and my kids actually have no desire either. I also have a Tornado, but it is very lightweight and touchy with the wind and is more of a crotch rocket. Therefore to get the family interested in sailing I decided to get a catamaran that is smooth and one of the fastest. Now since I have the 21SE with wings I can take the wife, 2 kids and their friends and have a very exciting sailing day. My wife was having the best time flying across the lake and blipping every boat in sight and I was pushing the edge. This is the closest sailing to windsurfing, but with friends on board.....

We hopefully won't repeat the flipping part anytime soon with my wife on board as she wasn't all that thrilled with the experience, but she is still ready to go again for the sailing.