HOBIE 14 CHALLENGE

Okay, I'll come over and play!!

Bob

I just bought a '81 h14t last weekend. I'm still learing the ropes, so I won't be any competition. However, I'd like to come to be a sponge.

hey rick,
come on over.....bob curry will be here too......we can tune ya up.......you will not regret it.......Im new to the 14 also...only been sailing it for 2 months......lets have fun.....drop me an email for more info............tewtops1@yahoo.com.............t

Since this is a hobie 14 posting, figure some people specific to the 14 might answer a couple of questions. Congrats to Bob on the Wildcat (if its the same one). Been looking at the pics of the regatta and came up with a couple of rigging questions.

1. I noticed that a lot of people run a rope from the bridle chain plate back to the front crossbeam. I'm assuming that this is to control mast rake (release the rope to rake mast back for upwind, tighten rope to pull forestay down and rake mast forward for downwind). Is this a correct assumption? How do you typically cleat it off (cam on the front crossbar, the downhaul cleat, just wrap and tie)?

2. Also noticed that most were running turbo rigs (jib blocks on the tramp) but setup for uni. Do they have a seperated setup for rigging with the jib? Meaning, do they replace the normal chainplate with a furler? Or do they use the chainplate with the jib? I've been planning converting my 14 over to a turbo but not using the furler. Basically run the same bridle and chain plate but add the upper forestay with the jib. Then when I want to run uni, replace the upper forestay and jib with the normal forestay. Is this even possible?

Any rigging answers would be appreciated. Would love to take a road trip from central fl up to sail, but afraid my truck wouldn't make it Rather spend my money on fixing the cat than my truck (sad, sad, sad). Wife says I'm obsessed... maybe so but I'm not complaing.

Thanks in advance.

Rob
H14

You don't need to make any changes to your forestay to run a non-furling jib. Add a jib haylard block right below the forestay attachment and a cleat at the bottom of the mast, opposite the mainsail cleat. That's really all there is to it. The Jib will attach to the bridle-ring at the tack, the halyard at the head, and the jib-blocks at the clew. You can use the standard Hobie jib with it's built-in forestay, a jib with a zippered luff that attaches around the current forestay (most small catamarans use this method) or a jib with hanks that will attach to the current forestay (better for recreational sailing than racing).