flipping the boat

I've got what you are looking for......
enoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh22TflF7oY

Wow... that thing went turtle in a heartbeat! Thats what I'm worried about... the lakes I sail in are SHALLOW... I could demast or ruin my sails or do all sorts of damage out in the lake and have a heck of a time getting back to shore. I doubt there are my spots in Lake Winnebago that are even 20' deep, let alone 25+

I think you over analyzing a little bit, I flip all the time in a shallow lake. I probably goes to turtle only 20 percent of the time and when it does, just the tip of the mast gets a little dirty. I've never been stuck, maybe once I rotated the boat a little to get it up easier. Your mast hits the bottom first, not your sails. I have had to wipe a little mud off the top of my sails though

Nice sail!

any thoughts on the danger of bending a mast when it gets stuck in the bottom. I got a deal when buying my 16 as the mast was bent beyond repair right above the stays. How much pressure can it take. any tips on how to avoid (besides the BOB)?

I've piled a mast into the mud hard a couple of times. Like the top 3 feet was nothing but mud. And haven't bent a mast, or broken a comp-tip. A friend and I were out in rediculous wind with my first H16. The wind pushing on the tramp put it turtle before we could even get onto the lower hull. Funny thing is it blew back onto the other side on its own and was ready to be righted. Barely had to tug on the righting line to get it back up.

Capsizing happens, my 2 cents worth is to suggest doing it to learn how to fall avoiding stays and especially the main, your feet will go straight through. This will help in a pitch pole. Always wear gloves, trying to right a cat with bare hands is painful, and you cannot exert as much power as you can with them, other option is to put rope around your waist and try that way. Try looping the righting line over the hull or under - find what works for you. Hulls tend to be slippery so good shoes help. If you have a solid trampoline I would suggest a mesh trampoline, that will help when righting. When capsized your cat is a huge sail, so practising will prevent drama down the road - losing track of time and distance is all too easy. Turning turtle seems dramatic but gives you a chance to relax/rest and you will not drift as far as a capsize. You have to reef a lot to seriously reduce the power generated - then not worth going out. Have no experience here but doubt whether a mast will bend when hitting ground as the sails slow the turtle movement and capsizing will almost stop you - so no serious speed involved, possible tide movement but doubt it.

>>other option is to put rope around your waist and try that way.

My preference is to take the righting line and wrap it around the trapeze hook one time and then hold it with my hand. There is enough friction to easily hold it with my hand, but when you let go, the line comes right out. Much easier than trying to hold on with just hands.


>>Have no experience here but doubt whether a mast will bend when hitting ground as the sails slow the turtle movement and capsizing will almost stop you


I've never had a mast break from hitting bottom, but it certainly can and does happen. I think the biggest issue here is from wave action. The waves pick the boat up and then when they pass, the full weight of the boat gets put down on the mast causing it to bend or break.

sm

So... 60 really is the new 40!

I had an H16 in the mid-1970's, and a different one in the 1980's. Sailed J-24's for a number of years and then nothing for about 20 years.

Moved back to the beach a few years ago and was searching for something active to do at 55 years old. I'm an old surfer, but that was not really getting it anymore except for really great days and then I had to compete for waves. The kite surfing thing looked cool but if the wind dropped below about 10 knots... you're swimming with all that gear. I always enjoyed watching the cats sailing along the beach and had very fond memories of the hobie days. I was running down the beach last spring and saw a guy at least 60+ setting sail one morning and, after a chit-chat, I was hooked. Get another cat.

Naturally I had to rationalize my decision to the wife and I told her that if I got the boat I would probably be in even better shape because of pushing the boat up and down the beach, hauling gear around, getting the boat through the surf and then sailing a few hours. Turns out I was right. To effectively sail in the ocean, you have to be ready for anything and be in total control of the boat. I find myself pushing my exercise program a bit harder than before in order to be "cat ready", with waves, flips and other cheap thrills.

I thought I might enjoy the boat for about 5 years (until I'm 60) but it sounds like I will probably surpass that timeline. That hobie is as much fun as it used to be and we trap-out and sail as hard as we used to. I don't punch it out into a big or medium shorebreak because it can be so...violent.

Last time out we were sailing along side a 50 foot Right Whale and a calf off Jacksonville Beach. Having that boat has put some new life and dimension in an ole salt.

xxxx

Hey Mugrace.. I knew you had a Jacksonville connection because I used to race the Mugrace on J-24 Boom Boom for about 8 or 9 years. Mostly in the 80's.

And yes, Paul Califano had the first Hobie dealership in Jacksonville. He carried the early surfboards first and then cats. If I remember correctly, Paul started it out as a dive shop, selling stuff Loyd Bridges would use.

What was the J-24 you sailed? Boom Boom was not mine but I left a lot of blood, sweat, tears and beers on it. Does Mike Harrell or Bill Kirill ring a bell? I was the foredeck / spinnaker guy. We placed pretty well in a lot of races but Mike and Bill got to keep all the jewelry.

You cannot drive on Jacksonville Beach but you can launch at a couple of the ramps.

Bobby Knight aka wetasse

xxxx

The Mug Race is an awesome race if the wind cooperates. One year the wind died and we had to drop anchor to keep from drifting back to Palatka with the incomming tide. But usually the wind was good. We placed 2nd in our class one year.

There used to be about 400 boats in the Mug Race with half monos and half cats. I think the race has been down to 200 boats the past few years. That is still a lot of boats.

I've actually only raced the monohulls in the river and offshore, but it would be fun to do a cat race. I got my new boat last July and it's a 2005.
Couldn't find a good used Hobie anywhere in NE FLA and bought the last boat a former dealer had in Jax Beach. I can't believe the closest dealer now is Tampa / St Pete.

On a good day you might see 8 -10 cats off Jax Beach now, whereas in the 80's there would have been twice that. An as you know, if there are two sailboats on the water it is always a race.

xxxx

In Jacksonville Beach, you can launch at 8th Ave N., which is a couple blocks north of the new Jacksonville Beach pier. It is a designated Hobie launch site and has very easy access. You will need your cattrax for the 100-200 yards of beach before you hit the water.

I think you can launch at Atlantic Beach at the end of Atlantic Blvd. but I can't confirm that yet.

Bring your wetsuit, the ocean water is fluctuating between 60 -65 now and we're having a cold front now. If it's blowing NW, W, or SW Jax Beach is the place to come this time of year. If it's NE this time of year it will be too cold and bumpy for Barbie. You might go to Cedar Key if it's NE or hard onshore breeze. It's possible that the river is warmer than the ocean now if you are considering the Rudder Club.

I'm planning to blow the dust off my sails this weekend after a 3 month hibernation but the wind has not made up its mind yet. The weekend you are planning could be 80+ degrees or 60 degrees. You never know in NE FLA. It's heading down to 29 tonight.

When you get closer to decision time call or e-mail me and I'll give you a good report from a sailing perspective. I can see the beach in about 30 seconds from my house.

Bobby Knight (904) 993-8911 mobile