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PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:44 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2018 3:38 pm
Posts: 3
Hello everyone, I am a new sailor and my grandfather gave me a 1967 AMF Alcort Sunfish to learn to sail on. After getting confident with the boat my grandfather went back on eBay to find the hobie 14 i have in the title.

After getting the boat for a good bid of $100 we both had to figure out how exactly to put the thing together and actually sail it. Our first attempt was a complete failure with us just being tossed around in the waves without getting anywhere at all, we both quickly realized that we had butchered the rigging and returned the boat to the beach to give it another shot, referencing a book my grandpa gave me (hobie cat sailing) we got it right the second time and besides having some issues being thrown into irons and not being able to escape for several minutes we figured out a way to get out although in a less smooth fashion than I originally expected (we settled on still letting it take us backwards but we would throw the rudder in the opposite direction and once we got close enough would slowly straighten the rudder until we were underway). also we had to be careful with our placement on the boat because if we were both near the stern at the same time we would find our stern quickly disappearing under the waves.

Anyways a couple questions I have are 1: is this tiller original because whenever we come about I have to literally throw the tiller to the other side of the boat because if I don't it will be caught in the ropes, it is also far different from the sunfish tiller that swivels out depending on what you were doing.
2: Any tips on getting out of irons or sailing the thing in general would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for reading my ridiculously long post and happy sailing!

Oh btw here are some pictures
Image
The boats
Image
A better view of the tiller on the hobie
Image
Closer view of the previous picture plus the rigging on the traveller.


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PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:32 pm 
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Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2014 12:34 pm
Posts: 149
Location: Hartland, WI
The hiking stick (tiller) may be a bit longer than stock. When turning you pretty much have to toss it out the back and retrieve it after the blocks clear to the other side. To keep from getting into a stall the trick is to go into a tack as fast as you can, turning smoothly without turning the rudders too sharp. Too sharp is like braking. You need to have your speed up mainly. The other thing is the 14 is really only good for a 200lb load. More weight on it will slow you down, as you'll be low in the water.

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JKK
83 yellow/ white decks Hobie 14 Corando turbo
82 yellow hulls Hobie 16 Cat Fever
84 yellow hulls hobie 16 Yellow Nationals
plus a few extras that I'm restoring


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PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 9:15 pm 
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Joined: Thu May 17, 2018 5:24 pm
Posts: 225
Location: New Hampshire
Welcome to the Hobie family.
Yes that looks like the correct tiller and yes you do have to swing it around when tacking/gybing. If you are on a light wind day I sometimes will lay the tiller handle across the crossbar when tacking and steer with the crossbar until the tack is complete. then I will grab the tiller.

As for getting out of Irons or sailing backwards you have it right that when your sail is back winded you turn the rudders in the opposite way to bring the bow about. If there are 2 of you aboard the mate COULD try paddling to get the bows over quicker.

There are some good videos about sailing the Hobie.

I started sailing this year too also on a 14 but mine is a turbo. I was not flying the jib when I 1st started this year and it is very easy to get stuck in irons with no jib. With the jib it's a whole different animal. I find it's best to keep your speed up a bit going into a tack and smoothly turn.

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84 14T Redline #67 Blue Hawaii faded but still working!
82 Yellow hull16 '81 Boomer nationals 20.9 on GPS
83 White hull 16 No sails "Clean and Purty Now!"
87 White hull no sails no tramp


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PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 9:17 pm 
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Joined: Thu May 17, 2018 5:24 pm
Posts: 225
Location: New Hampshire
Also noticed your main sheet and the pulley on the traveler. Is there a 2nd pulley set that attaches to the boom? There is supposed to be if there isn't.

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84 14T Redline #67 Blue Hawaii faded but still working!
82 Yellow hull16 '81 Boomer nationals 20.9 on GPS
83 White hull 16 No sails "Clean and Purty Now!"
87 White hull no sails no tramp


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 1:25 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2018 3:38 pm
Posts: 3
A1cnc wrote:
Also noticed your main sheet and the pulley on the traveler. Is there a 2nd pulley set that attaches to the boom? There is supposed to be if there isn't.


Yes there is, of course as you could probably tell i had put the sail away when taking the picture. Thanks for the reply though!


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 1:28 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2018 3:38 pm
Posts: 3
A1cnc wrote:
Welcome to the Hobie family.
Yes that looks like the correct tiller and yes you do have to swing it around when tacking/gybing. If you are on a light wind day I sometimes will lay the tiller handle across the crossbar when tacking and steer with the crossbar until the tack is complete. then I will grab the tiller.

As for getting out of Irons or sailing backwards you have it right that when your sail is back winded you turn the rudders in the opposite way to bring the bow about. If there are 2 of you aboard the mate COULD try paddling to get the bows over quicker.

There are some good videos about sailing the Hobie.

I started sailing this year too also on a 14 but mine is a turbo. I was not flying the jib when I 1st started this year and it is very easy to get stuck in irons with no jib. With the jib it's a whole different animal. I find it's best to keep your speed up a bit going into a tack and smoothly turn.

Thanks for the reply and yeah I don't have a jib for my 14, also I guess turning not so hard makes a lot of sense because I suppose when we got caught into irons what didn't help was cutting the tiller so hard because it would pretty much instantly kill all of our momentum we had built up before turning. Once again thanks for the advice!


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:33 pm 
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Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2014 12:34 pm
Posts: 149
Location: Hartland, WI
It appears to me that you are removing the main sheet from the blocks. It's easier to pull the pins rather than reving it each time. Also if your main sheet is the proper length you can run the end of thru the traveler car. So one rope does double duty on the main. I usually remove the blocks and main sheet when not in use as the rope will last a lot longer than if left on the boat. Some people keep the blocks on the boom and store with the sail. Also you could use a quick release pin on the lower block.

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JKK
83 yellow/ white decks Hobie 14 Corando turbo
82 yellow hulls Hobie 16 Cat Fever
84 yellow hulls hobie 16 Yellow Nationals
plus a few extras that I'm restoring


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PostPosted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 4:01 am 
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Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2003 6:19 pm
Posts: 145
Location: Florida Panhandle
Congrats on the boat!!!

Tacking: Smooth tiller push. It's not a Sunfish so this will seem like an eternity! Try to maintain this angle of the tiller throughout the tack. Once at the eye of the wind, release about 3 feet of mainsheet maintaining the rudder angle. Also throw the tiller around the mainsheet on to the new side. Now cross the trampoline. Keeping the rudder angle, begin to sheet in slowly. Once the boat begins to make headway, slowly straighten the rudders and fingers crossed, off you go.

Traveler: The H14 does not like a centered traveler position. Ease it out about 2-3" for upwind sailing.

2 person sailing will require the passenger to keep their weight a bit forward during tacks.

Now go sailing!

Bob :wink:

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