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PostPosted: Tue Dec 18, 2018 12:40 pm 
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Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2018 3:06 pm
Posts: 46
Location: Rockland Maine
JF - It seems easy enough to experiment with mast rake - that will be a bit of fun.

Do you follow the standard advice regarding spreader rake and diamond wire tension?


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 6:40 pm 
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Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2018 4:06 pm
Posts: 123
Location: Sydney, Australia
Hi Tedcool
I use the back hole for spreader rake (maximum).
My diamond wires can touch the mast about 12” up (when pushing with thumbs).
I never adjust them. Just set and forget.
Most important to me is leech tension (from mainsheet tension) and luff tension. Plus getting the jib luff and jib tack right so you can steer accurately from that.

Rudders and boards are also important. Once you have rudder rake and toe in/toe out right, then the trailing edges and leading edges are essential. No hum. If you have him, it is slow. Which is why many AUS boats use Finline brand rudders and boards because they are better than genuine Hobie.

_________________
John Forbes
Hobie 18 Reimagined
Sail # 490
Boat name: 18@heart
http://www.hobie18.fun
https://www.facebook.com/Hobie18catamaran/


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 7:14 pm 
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Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2018 3:06 pm
Posts: 46
Location: Rockland Maine
Thanks John!
It will be 5 months minimum before the water temps here in Maine are reasonable.
I will be ready with the proper gear and a plan for set up on that first day out!


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 25, 2018 2:46 pm 
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Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2018 3:06 pm
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Location: Rockland Maine
JF - I was looking at your FB post from 12/2 regarding lowering the main.

I see you have fastened the halyard ring using what looks like an unusual eye splice.

Could you describe what you have done here? Thanks!


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 5:09 am 
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Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2018 4:06 pm
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Location: Sydney, Australia
Hi Tedcool,
I’m guessing you are referring to the halyard, halyard ring and shackle.
I use a 1/4” Harken twist shackle because it is the shortest of all twist shackles I have seen. I want the sail up high.
I use a 5mm thick stainless steel ring. I tried the genuine Hobie Aussie Halyard Ring but it elongated / stretched under the downhaul loads we pull to. The Hobie Aussie Halyard Ring is 3/16” (4.8mm) thick. It doesn’t sound like a lot of difference between 4.8mm and 5mm but it is enough to make the difference between staying round and elongating.

I then cut the bottom off a 3/16” D shackle and welded the top of the shackle to the 5mm ring. The welded shackle allows the ring to sit on the hook and not on the halyard rope.

To allow the halyard rope to pull all the way up and pull the ring off the hook, I stitch the halyard to the shackle using FSE twine. It is stitched a lot but it only needs to be strong enough to handle the load you can personally pull on the halyard. The tail of the halyard faces backward so it doesn’t bump on the halyard sheave.

The top of the bolt rope is also cut away about 15mm with a hot knife to allow the sail to raise up higher before it hits the halyard hook. This allows for easier unhooking when derigging.

The shorter halyard twist shackle restrict how much the whole lots twists, again aiding in the lowering of the sail.

Letting your rig tension off on one side also helps in releasing the halyard ring off the hook.

Enjoy an easier life now.........

_________________
John Forbes
Hobie 18 Reimagined
Sail # 490
Boat name: 18@heart
http://www.hobie18.fun
https://www.facebook.com/Hobie18catamaran/


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 5:21 am 
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Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2018 4:06 pm
Posts: 123
Location: Sydney, Australia
Tedcool,
Regarding your original question about the jib block ratchets: the are also some videos on my FB page showing how my crew (daughters and wife) manage the jib sheet during a tack. Basically, leave the ratchets on and hand feed the windward side jib sheet out after the boat has gone past head to wind during the tack.

Remember, the H18 has a very, very long foot length on the jib compared to every other beach cat so the jib sheet will always be a handful to manage.

You may also notice I moved my mast rotation arm down to the base of the mast. This is purely to stop the jib sheet catching on it during a tack. Even with the shockcord ‘triangle’ on the mast it will still get caught on the mast rotation arm if it is above the boom in the original location. For 40 years H18 crews have put up with it fouling on the rotation arm. I’m not sure why, because it is frustrating for the crew and delays speed out of a tack. I only had the boat for a month or two before lowering it. It has never fouled again and my crew if very happy.

_________________
John Forbes
Hobie 18 Reimagined
Sail # 490
Boat name: 18@heart
http://www.hobie18.fun
https://www.facebook.com/Hobie18catamaran/


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 6:18 am 
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Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2018 3:06 pm
Posts: 46
Location: Rockland Maine
No need for an eye splice at the halyard ring with a long / bulky tail. Thanks!

I'm going to be starting with a 5:1 downhaul system this year, so I'm hoping my stock ring will suffice for the season.

I'll be making a system like centralmichigansailor described in his truly inspirational 2011 posts.

Image
Image

I did notice your relocation of the rotation control arm.

I imagined that the purpose of running a line from the arm to the boom cleat was that the mast would rotate to the desired position 'automagically' as you tacked /jibed. Berman describes marking and setting the line carefully.

It seems you have abandoned that system - unless I have missed something else ( likely...). Perhaps the factory setup never worked well as designed?

Thanks again for all the advice. Summer is short here, and I'm looking forward to getting out and having fun with a nicely set up boat.


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 12:53 am 
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Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2018 4:06 pm
Posts: 123
Location: Sydney, Australia
Hi Tedcool,

The factory mast rotation system works fine above the boom. It is low cost and does the job. However, it does have two cons in that the jib sheet does occasionally catch on it during a tack and secondly, it can only be adjusted from the middle of the boat by the crew only. With my “bottom of the mast system” it never ever catches on the jib sheet and it can be adjusted from both sides of the boat by the skipper or the crew.

The 5:1 downhaul system in your two pictures is very similar to the Hobie 16 system. It is ok but again is limited. It can’t be adjusted from either side of the boat nor by the crew when on trapeze, which is when it is required to be adjusted the most. The cleat is also very high up the mast making it difficult for the crew to uncleat it. For any downhaul system the cleat should be as low as possible. All the way to the base of the mast.

It also looks like the top blocks are bolted to the sail. If that is the case, then it will need to be laced up and unlaced every time you go sailing. If you look at my system it has a loop and ball at the top which makes it super fast and easy to rig and unrig as the 8:1 stays threaded up the entire time and stays with the mast when de-rigged. Having two swivel blocks on each side of the mast allows it to extend out to the gunwale and the crew (and skipper) can reach it and adjust it when on the trapeze. This adjustment can be seen being done in my videos. It’s the red rope that ties to a third shockcord (the original Hobie factory position for the crew trapeze shockcord) at the gunwale.

I moved my crew shockcord forward as the original Hobie factory position is in a bad spot. It was right in the middle of the space where the crew gets out on trapeze, right at the middle of their back which is the most awkward place to reach for the crew. I installed a new gunwale ferrel as far forward towards the main beam as possible so it is forward of where the crew goes out and forward so they can see and reach it more conveniently.

All these changes are to help the crew. The crew needs to be happy and also be able to do their jobs faster because the skipper is always waiting for the crew. Never is the crew ready before the skipper after a tack or gybe, therefore every change made to my boat is to help the crew be smoother, faster and happier.

_________________
John Forbes
Hobie 18 Reimagined
Sail # 490
Boat name: 18@heart
http://www.hobie18.fun
https://www.facebook.com/Hobie18catamaran/


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