fusioneng wrote:
Keith:
Where did you get that from (Hobie recommends solo in the rear), I know of nothing more awkward, can't reach the centerboard, can't reach the furler, your head gets chopped off by the sail control lines, there is no way possible to hike out ever. And the bow is so high the boat gets blown off course all the time. I think the opposite is true the boat was pretty much designed to be soloed from the front where in my opinion the boat is much better balanced and you can reach everything easily, you can hike out on the tramps and you don't get your head taken off by the sail control lines. All just my opinion of course, but if I had to solo from the back I would have got rid of the boat a long time ago (I feel totally trapped back there. You have no means to balance the boat to keep the AMA's out of the water))
Your kidding right ?
FE
Whoa! You are probably 100% right--looking in the little documentation I have from Hobie about sailing the Tandem, there is nothing about which cockpit to use. I guess my friends (maybe 6-8) with Tandems, who all sail from the rear, have given me that impression. I did think Hobie recommended that, but I don't know where I got that idea. The 2 times I've sailed my Tandem, I sailed from the rear, but I had a passenger, which I always hope will be the case. Walt sails from the rear.
Most of my friends are campers, so they have ballast up front, and can trim their boat.
But, FB, you certainly have additional reason to sail from the front--you have 2 Honda 4-stroke motors on the rear. If you were in the rear seat, you might sink the boat. Just kidd'n. Bob, please see my comments on another thread I started today regarding the furler line and cam cleat.
A few pictures of my friends sailing their tandem from the rear:
Henry on a day sail & my first AI 2 sail
Steve with passenger, Alex
Bosab--a very large man sailing from the rear
Debbie and Tom (RIP)
Royd's tandem, ready to fly (from the rear seat)
Denise & Josh prepping their boat. Josh sails from rear.
Hollywood (Butch) at start of Everglades Challenge--He has made considerable mods to the lines in the rear. He sails from the rear except in very foul weather.
Royd sailing from the rear on a very nasty day.
What can I say, my friends have led me astray!
Keith