Do I have this right?

Sails: the main sail is pretty much non-interchangable but is to be tight when sailing into wind and loose when sailing with wind

A jib is a tight right triangular sail used beneficially when sailing into the wind whereas a spinnaker is a more loose sail of the same shape with more surface area most beneficial when sailing with the wind aft of your boat?

the double hull feature of a catamaran reduces surface area on water and thus drag benefiting the sailor with more speed, since it has two hulls it is more balanced and thus provides more maneuverability.

Due to it's light weight one could capsize a Hobie doing stupid stuff... but because of the dual hull design if weight was exerted on the aerial hull in a pull towards the ocean it would, theoretically, right itself. aided especially if one has a bouy or some type of flotation device on the top of the mast...

that is all I could think of, tell me if I have pretty much got it or if I am somehow misconstruing the design.

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If the grass is greener on the other side, Take to the water!

I'd do almost anything to learn to sail. crew your boat, mow your lawn, date your daughter ^_^

Well, you did pretty good for the most part. The main sail should be trimmed in for sailing upwind and trimmed out for reaching and running downwind. Exactly how much to do this to maximize speed is what you spend your entire life doing.

Jib is tough, it is made for any point of sailing but is particularly useful when sailing upwind and tacking. Sailing downwind, you put the main sail either on port or starboard, and you let the jib fly on the opposite side so that it is not blocked by the main sail, but on the same side as the spinnaker. Spinnakers are only useful with broad reaching and running, but if you have a very shallow draft on it then it could possibly be used for beam reaching, that is, sailing perpendicular to the wind. If you plan to be sailing downwind a lot when using one, a big belly is better.

Correct on the fact that two hulls means less drag in the water, but no, it makes the boat twice as less maneuverable. Let me explain: when you try to turn a boat in the water, you're fighting the length of the boat trying to push the water out of the way; kinda like sticking a straw in a cup of water and trying to spin it, you're fighting the drag above and below the centerpoint of the straw. Now fix two straws together and fit them side by side, now you're fighting two hull's worth of length, and it's harder to turn. Exactly how much harder it is, I don't know the calculation off the top of my head, but it's the reason it takes a bit more skill to make a good tack with a catamaran than with a monohull.

And yes, it is relatively easy to right a catamaran of small sizes, but bring a partner with you the first few times you try, and make sure your righting line is in good working order (mine snapped once, that was a bad day). Righting a catamaran if you let it turtle however, that is let the aerial hull fall down to the water so the mast is sticking straight down, is significantly harder. This is because there's no good leverage point to try and right it from, except the bottom of the mast... call in a motorboat and have them help you out if this happens. Never tried the procedure myself, because it's simply not good practice to ever let a catamaran turtle; puts a lot of wear on the boat.

Anyone else feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about any of this.

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Sail Fast, Live Slow.

~Nate

Brett,

There are books that explain sail adjustment graphically that are much easier understood. That said, I'll explain a little. The jib and main are used together in all points of sail with a slight exception where straight downwind you can go "wing and wing" meaning the main is out to one side and the jib is out on the other side. In other conditions the sails are set for an even flow of air on both sides. They act like an airplane wing airfoil where air flows a greater distance on top and shorter on the bottom. That creates a difference in pressure that pushes up on the bottom and pulls on top of a wing. Similarly it pulls the sailboat forward. You can tell if the sail is adjusted right by looking at the telltails on either side. Both should stream back. If the windward side is flopping around, you tighten the sail or steer off the wind a little. If the downwind side is not streaming back, you let out the sail until it does. I understand it is best to adjust the main on a Hobie first and then the jib. I have not sailed with a spinnaker and have never seen one on a Hobie 16 though it may be done.

As to getting out of a turtle, it is not difficult. The trick is to get the bows to come up out of the water by pulling a righting line while standing near the lee stern. The bows come up and the boat falls over on to one hull.

Check the library for books on sailing.

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Howard

So that's how you properly right a turtle? I've only ever seen it done with motorboats... at least for catamarans. I'll have to keep that in mind.

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Sail Fast, Live Slow.

~Nate

This is called sailing wing-on-wing and it is not as efficient nor safe as sailing downwind on a broad reach. It's slower and more prone to an unanticipated jibe than a broad reach.

This is a good time of year to read a book on sailing. Reading combined with actually sailing will make you better faster and help you enjoy sailing more.

I am hoping to get to the library tonight and get some books on sailing that way I don't just go in blind. I am still having trouble learning to sail though, nobody near me that I can find.

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If the grass is greener on the other side, Take to the water!

I'd do almost anything to learn to sail. crew your boat, mow your lawn, date your daughter ^_^

Last summer I bought a 16 fixed it up myself. I read a couple of books and downloaded theHobie University manual. That is so helpful. From what I read I taught myself and this year plan on getting better by joining my local fleet. Its really cool to read and learn by doing with no assistance, just to prove that you can!

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~Kyle Gless '77 Hobie 16

if your Hobie turtles and it will if the wind is heavy, just take your time and move to the transom on one side bring the bows up get in the middle of a hull ,with the riting line in hand and you and crew grab and lean hard, maybe put the line behind your back, maybe have the crew jump up into your lap and keep pulling, she will come up. NOW , before you sail, make sure the mast is sealed !!!!!!

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Bodhisatfa

What is a transom?

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If the grass is greener on the other side, Take to the water!

I'd do almost anything to learn to sail. crew your boat, mow your lawn, date your daughter ^_^

same as the stern, see link

http://fleet297.org/how_to.html

Hobie University link is on this page, a great primer

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Sheet In...Max Out
www.fleet297.org
sailflatlands at gmail dot com

pretty much the same story here. I did however have an week in San Diego many (25+) years ago where I spent several hours on a 16.

I got my h16 3 years ago. I found catsailor.com and this form, downloaded the Hobie University as well, read it more than a few times and took the boat out in light winds. Moral of the story is:

You can learn to sail a Cat by reading and re-reading!

It just takes a bit longer than if you have some help. I did join the fleet shortly after my first few solo sails, and have learned a ton from the veteran sailors and by making mistakes on my own.

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Sail Like you Have a Pair
Bluish gray 73 - 83 H16
Super Nice Yellow 84 H18