Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 3:51 pm

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 4:52 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 7:03 am
Posts: 7
I have a new Wave and have been sailing on Gardner Lake in Maine. I have the lateral stays in the third hole in and the forestay in the second hole, yet there still appears to be a lot of "play" in the stays. What is the ideal "tightness" of the stays with the mast in place prior to raising the mainsail? Thanks!!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:13 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2008 4:07 pm
Posts: 46
Location: Alberta, CAN
A little bit of play is OK, but try to make it as tight as possible. Many here like to put a significant aft rake in the mast i.e. the must leaning back as much as possible. This will give you weather helm... i.e. when you take your hands off the tiller, the boat would naturally want to turn into the wind and stop... among other things.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:37 pm 
Offline
Site Admin

Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 12:44 pm
Posts: 15027
Location: Oceanside, California
There should be no play at all when the boat is simply sitting on the beach. The wires get loose when the sail is under load and the mast is bending. I would try to tighten them as much as possible. I use the main halyard pulled very tightly forward of the mast to hold the mast while crew sets the forestay pin.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:10 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sun May 11, 2008 4:55 am
Posts: 11
Location: Southern NJ
Hi, I had the same problem. Actually I had to leave the stays a little loose to get that ball link pin into the bridle. While masting alone I had to hold the mast with my shoulder, then tie a line to the trailer mast holder with as much tension as I could get. Even then it was the most time consuming and tedious task to get all holes lined up to insert the pin. When I got out into the chop or boat wakes the shrouds would sing, twang and snap with the slack. I thought for sure that something would eventually break! I made a guide out of 3' of 1/4" rod bent it into a "U" (4" between upper and lower rod, one rod about an inch longer) to act as a large pair of pliers. On the bottom of the "U" I slid a 3" piece of plastic tube 1/4" ID to hold the bridle cable eye's with the U bolt in the middle, the OD of the tube holds the U bolt in the up position. Then slid the upper rod into an extra forestay adjustment hole with about 10" of the rods coming out the other side. Now the bridle is attached to the forestay and when I squeeze the ends of rods with my hand everything gets pulled taught up into place and the pin slips right in, then slide off the guide. After that problem was solved I was able to shorten the length of my shrouds, now all standing rigging is almost as tight as piano wire but still allows the mast to turn freely and also have more rake. If you can't picture it, e-mail me and I'll take a couple of pictures of the rig for you.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:01 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 7:58 pm
Posts: 429
Location: Indianapolis, IN
The quckest & easiest way I've found to pull things tight is to use the mainsheet as a block& tackle. To tension the forestay, cleat the hook end of the halyard to the base of the mast and tie a loop in the bitter end (in front of the mast) a foot or so above the bridle intersection. Put the block & tackle between that loop and the lower wires, and you can pull all the tension you need. For the shrouds, cleat the bitter end of the halyard and hook your block & tackle to the chain plate.

The serious Wave racers advocate a really loose rig, but I get bounced around by power boat chop more than I race. I much prefer the taut rig for casual sailing.

_________________
What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 6:32 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:42 pm
Posts: 209
Location: Irvine, California
Geez, Indy,

You're always thinking. What a great idea to use the mainsheet. Up until now, I have been "manhandling" the shrouds and stays.

Brain power is a much netter approach.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 8:51 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:15 pm
Posts: 5
Man oh man.

You guys must be manly men indded!

I find readusting the halyards front and sides to be a very difficult task due to the halyards themselves. I simply cannot tighten them on my own. I almost need someone to pull on the mast one way or the other to give me the cable play I need to readjust them.

And putting the mast up and down? I can't see how one guy can do this alone.

Maybe I am just a landlubber with a Hobie Wave.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
cron
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group