Hobie 16 Main Sail Setup

For the traditional 3:1 downhaul system, this is what the hardware setup looks like:

H16 Downhaul Hardware

Figure 31 shows how it is rigged on the boat (H16 is same as H14):

H14 Assembly Manual

Thanks that helps alot. The 14 online manual has much better detail and clarity than the 16. Still one question though. Does the portion of the luff rope just above the goose neck actually go into the mast track? Theese questions may sound silly but I thing I am dealing with a bad repair job on my mainsail tack causing it not to fit properly.

Benjamin,

I asume you mean the rope sewn into the luff of the sail. The grommet on the sail that attaches to the gooseneck pretty much determines that the lower end of the rope is not in the track. The rope should be in at the entry point on the mast track. Is there damage to the lower end of the track? In newer boats (and as an option for older ones) there is a small S/S guide below that entry point that helps guide the luff into the track. The luff rope should be in that if you have one. What year is your boat?

I just read my assembly manual (from 1985) and they specifically say

do not reinsert the sail into the mast track below the track opening

. Is that your question?

Howard

Thanks Howard. My boat is an 83. And yes I think you answered my question. Not sure what the s/s guide is. pretty sure I dont have one. No there is no damage to the luff track anywhere. I think it may be a factor of my main just not fitting together right because of a bad repair on the sail. Is anyone sailing a hobie 16 in Ft lauderdale this weekend? maybe I could come look at your setup before you head out.

the stainless steel (s/s) guide is a bent piece of metal that guides the roped portion of the sail into the track i wish that i had one

The vast majority of racers remove that sail guide first thing when they get their boat. It's really not necessary and it has a tendency to snag the sail when lowering.

The luff rope runs down the luff to the tack and then turns 90 degrees to become the foot rope. Assuming you have the original sails, there are two small aluminum tack plates rivetted together at the tack. If the tack plates are missing and the downhaul assembly is directly tensioning the sail material or luff/foot rope, it is very bad for the sail.

Also, tension the downhaul prior to tensioning the outhaul. If the outhaul is tensioned first, all the metal bits in the downhaul assembly can

bunch up

making it difficult to feed into the mast track and downhaul properly.

The S/S guide is called a sailfeeder kit #80100501 in my 2000 catalogue. It became standard in 1985 and was an option for older masts. I have sailed my boat for 21 years and have never had the problem of the sail snagging on it when dropping it. I remember people with older boats having problems raising their sail without the guide.

The best way to learn is to find some H-16 sailors and ask questions and watch them as they rig. The one thing you need to remember is put the pin in before lowering the mast. I think everyone forgets one time but usually not a second time. You will enjoy the H-16. It is fast, easy to handle, and just fun.

Howard

Being a slow learner, I have done this twice, but I think it is also very much worth the extra 20 seconds to put the drain plugs in. <img src=

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i'm fairly new to Hobie sailing but after adding the sailfeeder, we found that it makes it much easier to raise the main, especially when raising on the water; so far it has never snagged the main when lowering.

I had a SS sail feeder on my 85' wish I would have removed it. It wore a hole through the sail cloth where it chaffed when the main was up. My 06' boat has one side of the luff track machined out to feed the sail. This seems like a much better setup.