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 Post subject: H17 Sail Options
PostPosted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 7:26 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2015 6:54 pm
Posts: 1
Hi Cat Sailors,

I'm a big fan of One Design Racing and protecting classes, so I can apprecaite everybody telling me to go and see a Hobie dealer for replacement sail quotes.

However, After looking at Whirlwind Sails H17 SuperR radial main with that squarehead top, it makes an old boat look young.

Are there other sail options in Aus for after market sails for the H17, or are they all in the US? Do we have any local sail makers doing H17 sails?

Cheers.

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 Post subject: Re: H17 Sail Options
PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 12:04 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 10:13 am
Posts: 1184
Location: Nepean S.C. Ottawa, Canada
Chip at Whirlwind does great work, I know 'cos I bought my custom Pentex sails from him, and many of my buddies have bought from him too.

However..... be careful about buying a square head sail for the older design of boats.
The 1980's boats were all designed for pinhead sails, and that allowed for the leech to be kept tight.
Switching to a square top means that a tight leech can only be achieved by extreme mast rotation.
Took me nearly a year of racing to figure that out.

If you are sailing purely for pleasure, go for the looks.
If you are racing, stick to a pinhead sail.

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2015 H16, with spin,
SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'


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 Post subject: Re: H17 Sail Options
PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 6:09 pm 
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Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:15 am
Posts: 104
Location: Kaneohe, Hawaii
Where I sail there is no one design so it doesn't make any difference as to "keeping a boat class legal", therefore I just bought a Dacron pin top stock type sail from SLO for way cheaper than Whirlwind or HCC. Plus Whirlwind doesn't make a Dacron pin top mainsail anymore (I'd have to go mylar).
I just went the cheapest route and was surprised at the very good quality of the sail from SLO.


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 Post subject: Re: H17 Sail Options
PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 7:55 pm 
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Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:28 pm
Posts: 265
Location: BC, Canada
John Lunn wrote:
The 1980's boats were all designed for pinhead sails, and that allowed for the leech to be kept tight.
Switching to a square top means that a tight leech can only be achieved by extreme mast rotation.


John, would you care to elaborate? Because of the comp tip?

I've been enjoying my Pentex square head of a few seasons now, but I do not race. Other than causal encounters with a few H16 or P16, I have no comparison.
How do you know if your leach is not tight?

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 Post subject: Re: H17 Sail Options
PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 10:14 pm 
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Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2013 2:43 am
Posts: 266
Location: Brisbane, Australia
The Anchorman where in Australia are you located?
There's been afew H17 cats on the market of late which is good to see. Hopefully new owners who actively sail them. There are afew sail makers here in SEQ who I would contact about a H17 main, otherwise the US market will be the way to go.

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 Post subject: Re: H17 Sail Options
PostPosted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 3:26 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 10:13 am
Posts: 1184
Location: Nepean S.C. Ottawa, Canada
Square tops: 20 and 30 years ago, they made skiffs and cats with comp tips or flexible masts, the idea being that in higher winds, the top of the sail would 'twist off'. Today, if you load up a mast like that with a square top, the 'twisting' that occurs will result in a leech that is not tight, and you lose performance.

All the modern high performance boats (29'er, 49'e, Cirrus, WildCat etc) have solid stick masts. They were designed to carry a skinnier mainsail, with a square head, plus a spin. the thinking changed, as did the design. We're now into more of a 'wing' sail, so that's why the 'old' and the 'new' don't always mix well.

My biceps put on an extra inch as I would have to crank down on the mainsheet to tighten up the leech.... and we loosened the rotator to allow more flex in the mast.

Time to buy a Phantom? http://vimeo.com/83829320

_________________
2015 H16, with spin,
SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'


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 Post subject: Re: H17 Sail Options
PostPosted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 8:40 pm 
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Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2013 9:06 pm
Posts: 13
dray wrote:
Where I sail there is no one design so it doesn't make any difference as to "keeping a boat class legal", therefore I just bought a Dacron pin top stock type sail from SLO for way cheaper than Whirlwind or HCC. Plus Whirlwind doesn't make a Dacron pin top mainsail anymore (I'd have to go mylar).
I just went the cheapest route and was surprised at the very good quality of the sail from SLO.


Dray, I am considering a sail from SLO. Are you happy with yours? What color(s) did you go with?

Thanks,


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 Post subject: Re: H17 Sail Options
PostPosted: Sat Oct 10, 2015 11:52 am 
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Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 12:35 pm
Posts: 313
Location: Lake Champlain, Vermont
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Love the Chip sail

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 Post subject: Re: H17 Sail Options
PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 1:54 am 
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Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 12:36 pm
Posts: 788
Location: Tri-Cities, WA
WhirlWind SuperR Squaretop is a great sail. I've worn out my first one and have ordered a replacement. I keep my OME Hobie sail for regattas, but it is the only time I use it. IMO the high wind performance of the SR squaretop IMO is far superior to the standard sail. The boat is faster off wind, seems to point just as high and tacks better.


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 Post subject: Re: H17 Sail Options
PostPosted: Fri Feb 12, 2016 7:21 pm 
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Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 12:36 pm
Posts: 788
Location: Tri-Cities, WA
New sail on order 8)
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