"big wind sailing"

i cant sail in the really strong stuff yet so i am looking to power down my boat because i want to keep sailing so i can learn how to handle the hard winds. i dont want to reef.

i have been out on the jib alone without fear but it was not eonough.

do i use 14 mast and sails

Perhaps something like this would work for you....
I came across an older 16 main and boom and just cut off the sail at the reef line and re-sewed it...
put it on the old 16 boom... i also installed a furling jib a while back...
Now i can go out alone in bigger winds.... and know i can get back to shore without bugging anyone.....
http://www.waldorfs.com/miniSail1Web.jpg

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•Present boat -1998 Hobie 16 Solana Sails furling jib[/size]

This is a great idea, but not so easy to round up the goods if you live in the middle of nowhere.

Why not use the same mast and boom, use the cut down sail and just tie down the halyard properly and not worry about notching the cable in the fork?

I like the idea of the furler on the Jib. A friend has one on his 14 and it is cool!!!

We sail in pretty heavy wind here al the time, but I prefer to two man sail in those conditions, only because I can't right my 16 on my own.


dale

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Dale Guthormsen

Where to be, On the Edge
2008 hobie 16

ability aside, what does hobie say the wind speed limit is that a 16 can safely sail in?

Safely? Hmmm, kind of a contradiction if you don't have gills and you're relying on something that floats isn't it?

I've seen H16's out in, no joke, sustained 50mph winds. It was at Lake McConaughy in Nebraska last year. Much over 25mph and I'm not real interested in being on the water.

yea Karl is right It becomes very uncomfortable over 25mph! steady winds 20- 25 are fun but when you start getting the 35 mph gusts with it you start breaking (censored) (boat and body) and I am only good for righting a boat 2-3 times before I am worn out but I know Karl his crew Ben Wells can go all day long righting their boat over and over again.....(Clear Lake 2008 16 NAs)

screw you It was windy enough the boat righted itself once. I've never had that happen before. that was the day I learned catamarans without spinnakers are just silly. I'm sure Ben has a more vivid memory of the event than I do, I try to block out those bad memories. I think we crashed 5 times the one day....

Just so you don't forget, Karl . . .

What a day to run, what was it, eight races? I was still tired two weeks later.

The next day I was worthless.

It was only seven races, and you were probably one of the youngest teams out there.

HTFU.

Its not the years, its the mileage.

and who was on the beach when we finally said screw it and went in day two of big wind?

I'm damn near twice your age. I've got a legitimate excuse.

In Karl's defense.. It was kind of fun to see what would happen when the boat was set up for 3 mph of wind... and then go sail in 25+....



That may be.. but i'll tell ya... even on my young body - sailing 20 yards, pitching, righting the boat, and then repeating the process about 5 times in the space of 6 minutes will wear a guy down.



clearly that day you were too

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Ben Wells - Hobie 16

Thanks for the help Judas......


Set up? We were block to block, anymore rake and it wouldn't sheet. It was the windward mark that was screwing us, and that one gust from hell going down wind. I saw that prick coming at us 30seconds before it hit us. I just go too used to driving a boat that is almost idiot proof down wind. Hell, I didn't capsize once at the 20NAC and the wind was higher, and on a even more powered up boat. I'll admit it, H16 setup is a total frickin' mystery to me.




Again, thanks. At least you didn't have to sleep in a heater-less, PS3-less, tent.

Why is it always raining?

Relax Karl. Just having some fun at your expense. Laughing at you, not with you. You know.

And the trailer was pretty awesome, I'll give you that.

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Ben Wells - Hobie 16