Well I was racing this past weekend in gusty conditions and having some difficulty managing my lines, mostly the main. I was losing it overboard, usually through the tramp, and getting it wrapped around various things such as:
myself
the shrouds
and even the main blocks
I discussed the problem with one of the experienced racers and he suggested that the factory specified line lengths may not actually be the best lengths and suggested that it might help to shorten some of the lines a bit. My lines are the factory specified lengths.
Unfortunately there aren’t any active H16 sailors at my club that I can ask.
Does anyone have suggestion that can help in this area? Do the experienced H16 racers ever shorten their lines?
You can try getting a mainsheet overboard preventer its in the hobie catalog its a piece of canvas that ties to the tramp lacing and keeps the sheets from going overboard
It's often something that happens when you're out on the wire and things are a little rough. I always ask the crew to just haul it back in, and with a little effort in making sure the lines are kept in check, it doesn't happen too often. Some sailors here feed the excess into the tramp lacing which seems to work just fine. Just make sure you have enough line for light downwind conditions where one would have boom all the way out with the skipper right in the front. It's something that with a little time doesn't become such a nuisance.
Clint