arielpeeri wrote:
I have been sailing my Wave, with the pin inserted at bottom of mast, after watching official video by Hobie and other by users who showed the pin inserted and ready to sail. A friend told me yesterday that I should take the pin out once the boat is rigged, and [color=#000000][/color]sail without it, insert it back at end before lowering the mast.
Which is true?
Will it feel differently sailing without the pin?
Thanks!
Ariel
Hi
On a Hobie Wave the pin should remain in. On other cats that may or may not be the case depending on the design.
My Hobie Wave manual (about 10 years old) revision C #3845-0010 states on page 10:
"For safety, the pin should remain in the mast base while sailing".
For myself, I sail in Moreton Bay, Queensland, which can get quite windy and choppy so I have my rig loose, maybe too loose, but I have seen the rig bouncing around while tacking into the waves and been very glad there was a pin in the base to keep the mast on. If the mast came off at the base, while tacking into the wind I am not sure which way it would go but it is possible the mast could came back and hit someone.
So I always keep the pin in, and have a loose lead tied to the mast to the pin so as not to lose it. I also always carry a spare in my kit.
The Wave mast rotates freely with the pin in.
However, I did sail another cat a few years ago where the pin was used only for raising and lowering the mast, and needed to be removed when sailing, but that is not the case with the Hobie Wave which has many very good features to simplify sailing that I appreciate every time I go out.
Hope that helps.
All the best
Owen