Calvert Sails Hooter

I just wanted to reply to your question as no one has. I will tell you I am around a lot of H16 sailors throughout the country and I have never seen a Hooter used on a H16. I think the main reason this is, is due to the H16 mainly being a large one design class. The only active Spinnaker racing I know about in the H16 class is the Trapseat spinnaker set-up, which uses a spinnaker bag on the Tramp and the European H16 spinnaker which is not being actively used.. You could email Rick White and ask him about a Hooter on a H16. Please share with us any news you get on this topic.

I have never seen it used on a Hobie 16, but it sounds like it could be a lot of fun. Obviously, it would have to be a play thing since it would not be class legal. Of course, it could be used in handicap racing.

I use one on my 16' boat (a Taipan 4.9) which I sail as a single-handed, unirig with Hooter. Sails almost as fast as an A-Class upwind and nearly as fast as the I-20 downwind. Doesn't reach well except in light air.

The Hooter will also go upwind. I have been working on developing a Youth Class boat of some kind and chose the Wave as a platform and then added a 7/8 masthead Hooter as a headsail.

I got a chance to use it in a light air distance race that was upwind all the way. For the first 1/3 of the course I was about the same speed as 5 Hobie 16s, but then went the wrong way (tactical error). So, I was happy with the speed of the Wave with this rig.

I should have the full prototype done in time for introduction at the Wave Nationals in December.

Thanks for asking,

Rick

Rick White

Catamaran Sailor Magazine

email: rick@catsailor.com

Thanks Rick. This would just be for playing around and racing against an extensive fleet of 18sq's at my club. I'm just looking for ways of adding more fun to the sailing day.

Thanks again.

Rick can this system be designed for the H16 and H14? Seem yes to that question. From what I understand the European spinnaker system for the H16 has not been received well, and from what I have been told does not improve the performance of the H16 that much - don't know why this is? We need a simple system that is actually fun to use as that is what sailing for most is about. We are also looking at making the H14 turbo as a junior team preparatory boat for the H16 class (been talking to people in Germany and Brazil), so any help developing a fun Hooter set up for this boat would be greatly appreciated. We are also working on developing Trapseats for the H14 so we will hopefully also have a junior disAbled cat class like the H16. It will be interesting how a H16 Trapseat spinnaker will compare to a Hooter set-up.

Thanks.

Good job with your efforts promoting the Wave though!

What is a decent size spinnaker for the Hobie 16? I feel like 400 square feet is way to big since I sail a 27' mono-hull sailboat with a spinnaker that big and she flys with it.

Just guessing, but I would say the headsail for a 16 or 14 should be more high-aspect than full shouldered as in standard or old-fashioned spin designs.

On the Wave when I went only 30 inches above the hounds for the halyard block, I saw no big advantages in speed. Since the mast is so stiff, I decided to go to nearly to the masthead for the halyard block and found significantly better performance.

It seems that the leading edge of the sail is far more important than the size of the sail. If you look in the Open Discussion in the old and new forum the Inter20 is using a smaller, flatter spinnaker than most spin boats. And now the Nacra 6.0 is having good success with smaller, flatter spins.

All of this is heading toward the Hooter-style which Calvert and I developed almost 7years ago.

I can't really help here in developing anything for the 14 or 16 because I have no such boat available. Had a 16 for a few months until the decks turned to mush. No loss -- it was donated to us, more or less.

I really believe the Wave should be the youth training boat of the future for a number of reasons:

*hard to capsize, easy to right

*has tremendous hull buoyancy so that weight is a very small factor in its performances

*is very reasonably priced and very available both new and used

*extremely durable -- almost bullet-proof (great for kids that run into each other and docks in their learning process -- fiberglass damages much faster and easier)

*with the Hooter it can be trapezed upon

*good for kids that are very young and good all the way to grown kids like all of us.

*etc.

The list really goes on. Problem with the 14 is that they are hard to find in good condition and are not readily available as new boats. The Wave can do nothing but grow -- Hobie is tooled to pop them out like garbage cans - no relationship or pun intended)

And, I emphatically add, we definitely need a youth boat. The 16 is fine for teens and upper teens, but it way too powerful and way much to handle for younger kids.

If anyone is interested in developing a Hooter system for a H16 or 14, perhaps you could find an old one somewhere and I could play with it for a while.

God Bless America!

Rick

Rick White

Catamaran Sailor Magazine

email: rick@catsailor.com

>ANSWERS TO Waveman & Rick White:

:Answer to Waveman!

::::What is a decent size spinnaker for the Hobie 16? I feel like 400 square feet is way to big since I sail a 27' mono-hull sailboat with a spinnaker that big and she flys with it.

>Please go to the Trapseat web site and read the articles about the International Trapseat Cup. The Trapseat spinnaker has been used with great success during our match racing events and once again Mike Strahles is very successful with it against much faster cats. I am trying to get a hold of him so he can come to this forum and talk a little about the reason he chose this size of a spinnaker and give us also the dimensions.

>ANSWER TO RICK WHITES RESPONSE.

::::::really believe the Wave should be the youth training boat of the future for a number of reasons:

*hard to capsize, easy to right

*has tremendous hull buoyancy so that weight is a very small factor in its performances

*is very reasonably priced and very available both new and used

*extremely durable -- almost bullet-proof (great for kids that run into each other and docks in their learning process -- fiberglass damages much faster and easier)

*with the Hooter it can be trapezed upon

*good for kids that are very young and good all the way to grown kids like all of us.

*etc.

>All very true Rick.

>Advantages of the H14 for junior boat.

*Better preparatory cat for the H16 youth events.

*Available all over the world – the Wave is not available all over the world.

*Much more exciting to sail than the Wave, a thrill ride, and easy to right after a capsize.

*has minimal hull buoyancy so has similar thrill factor of a windsurfer. Is also light- weight.

*is very reasonably priced and very available throughout the world new and thousands of boats available used. We are now working with Hobie Co. to have new H14’s shipped to the states and as demand increase so will its availability.

*Is very durable.

*Easy for 2 kids to trapeze off.

*Is great for a kids boat as many off us have grown up sailing this little legendary cat.

*Is fast for a cat of its size.

*Of course great in the surf!

:::::Problem with the 14 is that they are hard to find in good condition and are not readily available as new boats.

>Actually there are thousands of H14’s here in the states and we just were donated a H14 up here in Idaho, this H14 is in perfect condition. I also know other people who have just bought used H14’s that are like new, so good shape H14’s are available. Once again H14’s are build new in Europe, South Africa, Australia, and South America so getting new H14’s imported will not be so hard – the Wave will have to be imported to all these before mentioned continents to even make a dent in developing as a International junior (not youth) class.

:::::And, I emphatically add, we definitely need a youth boat. The 16 is fine for teens and upper teens, but its way too powerful and way much to handle for younger kids.

>Absolutely! That is why we need an international boat for the H16 class as this is the focus on this forum. I have sailed the Wave and wouldn’t mind owning one and having one for my four young kids. My kids have sailed a Wave and currently sail a H14 and they like the H14 much better but then again they have been sailing this little cat for a while now (ages 6, 6, & 9 – mostly sailed by my 9 year old and a friend). I want to see my kids go on to race in the H16 youth worlds and am trying to prepare them for it so I just do not see how the Wave would better prepare them than the H14, and also I can not see how a US built Wave which is not an international boat is going to prepare most juniors (not youth) for the youth worlds which is done on the H16. I am of course thinking internationally and I think you are thinking nationally. So I guess we are going two different directions. Still I believe I am not seeing all the issues related to creating a junior (not youth) cat class, but once again I am look for an affordable preparatory cat for the H16 youth and open worlds. I have checked into the Dragon but it is quit expensive and is more of a preparatory cat for the Tiger then the H16.

:::::If anyone is interested in developing a Hooter system for a H16 or 14, perhaps you could find an old one somewhere and I could play with it for a while.

>That would be great and we will see what we can do.

>I think a dialogue like this is great for us all because it is very obvious to me and many others that we need a junior (not youth) cat. I know my kids are growing fast and if I do not act now they may loose interest if they can not compete against other kids. I should also tell you all I have two Access Dinghy’s which are 7.5 ft. monohulls that my twin boys have been sailing very successfully sense they were 5 (with no adult on board). These little boats will not capsize, have a electric servo system so the kids can sheet the sail in more easily (strength is an issue for little kids). The Access Dinghy’s were also designed originally for people with disAbilities. I use this little monohull until they are about 8 or 9 (my oldest is 9 now) and then the plan is to put them on the H14 turbo as a team cat until they are 16 when if becomes time to move to the H16 youth events. I also must add that we are trying to develop Trapseats for the H14 so disabled kids can sail them like the H16 with Trapseats. To me if it isn’t accessible to some degree to people with disAbilities then we really are leaving an important part of our society out of the fun.

>What do you all think?