how much hull flex is normal?

Last few times out with any wind, I noticed that when on a reach and moving pretty good, the downwind hull appears to flex a bit. I'd guess the bow tip point moves up and down maybe 3" when going through 2' waves. The lee hull doesn't appear to flex. I can't feel any soft spots on the hull. It's an '89 H16 that feels solid and does not take on any water. Is this normal, or does this mean soft spots are coming?

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1989 H16
2009 H16 squaretop

More likely means that your trampoline isn't tight enough, allowing your hulls to twist in relation to each other.

Look through this forum for some good tramp-tightening tips and get it really tight! The improvement in boat feel and performance is very noticable.

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Tim
Unofficial Fleet 72 Communications Officer and Div 4 Webmaster
http://www.hobiefleet72.org
http://www.div4.hobieclass.com/

Ah! New tramp. That's been on the docket for this fall or spring. The old vinyl one is getting, well, old. Several guys I know are going with the mesh tramps now, and I like the idea (don't race). But I helped a fellow a couple weeks ago put one on and it seemed stretchy. I looked around the forums and didn't see anything very definitive on whether a vinyl tramp or mesh tramp will make your boat tighter. Any thoughts on whether I'd be giving that up with a mesh tramp?

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1989 H16
2009 H16 squaretop

Im sure many have thought of this but here it goes.

For those not racing class legal and with old boats....Is there any way to rig diagonal lines under the tramp from corner casting to corner casting to reduce flex in the frame?

Meaning from front port to rear starboard and another line from front starboard to rear port. Maybe using a very thin 1/16" SS cable with a tiny turn buckle at the end of each cable to tension?

Hey ALEXSAILS, I wondered the same thing, diagonal SS lines between posts to brace the frame up tight. I did ask once somewhere on this forum but was basically told it was pointless from memory. Never did find out why that is so, but sure would like to know if anyone has an opinion. To me this would give a rock-solid square frame with no movement whatsoever. Anyone...?

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Hobie 14 Turbo, based in Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand

mathematicaly it would make the two dimensional/flat frame stiff but the flex from worn castings and pylons below would not be solved. I threw it out there just to see If someone had tried it before...

For me and any many this would be a last resort, no one wants to see a wierd qizmo of cables running under their tramp.

My 73 H16 had cables rigged like you describe, It did not seem to make much if any difference in the flex. A tight tramp (not easy to find on street corners) are your best friend.