Went out to Arkabutla lake saturday right behind a storm front that had just passed ( Thanks Damon! ). My GF and I got cought up in some huge wind gusts in the 20+ range,white caps and deep swells, almost pitch polled twice, lost our cooler and broke off a rudder! I knew we'd be swimming soon so my GF pulled down the mainsail and we limped into the beach on just the jib and one rudder. If we were more experienced and out on the trapeze I think things would've been ok. Luckily a nice motor boater pulled up with the lost cooler! By the time the boat was parked at the sailing club and we were settled down it looked like the wind had stablized... whew, what a day
Tim

anyone got spare rudders to sale? I have one backup, but should prob get new ones, EPO's or something, mine are from '81

--
Tim Grover
1996 Hobie Miracle 20
Two Hobie 14's
1983 G-Cat Restored
Memphis TN / North Mississippi
--

Sounds like you did great! We all have one or two stories like that where the wind picks up unexpectedly and things start to break down on our old boats. If you can keep your head and limp yourself back to shore that is a good day! I know I had to be 'saved' by a motor boat once and that was embarrasing not just because I need the help but because I got myself into a situation I couldn't handle. Sounds like you handled your situation like a pro! Live, learn and move on.

Contact Prindle Pete (pbegle) - he just put up 4 rudders to sell in the classifieds.

Regards,
Dave



Edited by Wolfman on Aug 21, 2011 - 12:16 PM.

--
Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
--

fxloop

we limped into the beach on just the jib and one rudder. If we were more experienced and out on the trapeze I think things would've been ok

Nothing wrong with sailing home with no main... We camp in the gulf (on islands) in the fall, and thats our windy season. If we wake up to real strong wind.. it's not uncommon for us to sail home (if its downwind) with Jib alone or even bare pole if weather demands it.. it's kinda fun and sure beats capsizing with 400lbs of camping gear (and dog)

What's the procedure for getting the main down while sailing on a H16 or P16 when it's windy? Unhooking the bead from the fork would require getting pretty far forward and beat up by the jib I would think.

--
John Fricker
Prindle 16
Seabrook, Texas
--

Quote

What's the procedure for getting the main down while sailing on a H16 or P16 when it's windy? Unhooking the bead from the fork would require getting pretty far forward and beat up by the jib I would think.

ANCHOR.. then drop the main while facing head into the wind. A second set of hands to prevent the sail from catching air is very helpful.

PS if you drop your main... you should still attach your halyard to your blocks/beam to act as a backstay (the sail/blocks do that when attached) otherwise... DON"T LOOK UP AT YOUR MAST... IT WILL BE MAKING REAL UGLY SHAPES as the jib bents it forward.. (asking for disaster without it)

What kind of anchor do you guys prefer? I've been looking at anchors, but haven't bought one yet.

Thanks!

fxloop

Went out to Arkabutla lake saturday right behind a storm front that had just passed ( Thanks Damon! ). My GF and I got cought up in some huge wind gusts in the 20+ range,white caps and deep swells, almost pitch polled twice, lost our cooler and broke off a rudder! I knew we'd be swimming soon so my GF pulled down the mainsail and we limped into the beach on just the jib and one rudder.

An hour later when I launched the breeze had settled to a steady 10-15 and I had a nice cruise down to the dam and all around the lake. A dude launched his big antique pram sailing with two little kids.

Timing is everything.

I was pretty impressed that you were able to take down the Hobie 16 main on the water (during high winds) and sail back to the beach under jib alone, way to go skipper! However I'm not sure I'd recommend that as a first or second option response to high winds, more of a last resort. You got a little lucky because the direction you wanted to go was downwind. There is probably about 200 degrees of compass headings that you couldn't have sailed with just the jib.

Anyway, you got back safe and as we say... "Bad experiences make the best stories!"

I still haven't told here about breaking my mast rotator/diamond wire (through-mast) bolt during high winds the previous weekend. Solo, flying a hull, and a diamond wire starts waving in front of my face!

--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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Anchor? Anchor? We don't need no freakin' anchor.

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Nacra 5.2
--

Hey fxloop! I heard about your adventure. I was hoping to be on the water with you guys but that system moved through Collierville and looked nasty so my son and I bagged the day. It looks like the gusts recorded nearby on land were 25+ MPH. No telling what they were on the water. You did well to stay vertical.

That'll be something you remember for a long time and a great Thanksgiving story for years to come! Hope to see you out there on "the Butt".

--
David
Memphis, TN
'84 Hobie 18
--

golfdad75

Anchor? Anchor? We don't need no freakin' anchor.

famous last words.

Essential saftey item if you plan to
a. stop anywhere when there is wind
b. stop on the water
c. capsize - if you anchor your cat will auto rotate bows into the wind
d. emergency beer opener

Quote

I still haven't told here about breaking my mast rotator/diamond wire (through-mast) bolt during high winds the previous weekend. Solo, flying a hull, and a diamond wire starts waving in front of my face!

That will wake you up!

Quote

What kind of anchor do you guys prefer? I've been looking at anchors, but haven't bought one yet.

There is an anchor for every condition (grass, sand, mud, etc) but no perfect anchor for every condition.

around here most use a danforth as it works best in our sandy bottoms of the gulf. It's not so great around the sea grass's but will eventually grab (maybe).

Most of us carry an anchor and we island hop a lot . we anchor just off the beach (otherwise boats seem to need a lot more attention on the beach with every wind shift)

I use a FORTRESS anchor (alum). they are very light. I have about 5' of chain on the end of my anch line to prevent chaffing, getting cut on a shell and to help the anchor sink and grab





Edited by MN3 on Aug 23, 2011 - 07:28 AM.

MN3 - Can you give some more details of your setup? What kind of boat do you have? Where/how do you store the anchor onboard? Where does the anchor attach to your boat when anchored? Do you anchor in the Gulf after the first few breaking waves/sand bars or are you anchoring in the intercoastal? Thanks.

--
John Fricker
Prindle 16
Seabrook, Texas
--

jfricker

MN3 - Can you give some more details of your setup? What kind of boat do you have? Where/how do you store the anchor onboard? Where does the anchor attach to your boat when anchored? Do you anchor in the Gulf after the first few breaking waves/sand bars or are you anchoring in the intercoastal? Thanks.

Ditto....Where the heck do you keep it?

jfricker

MN3 - Can you give some more details of your setup? What kind of boat do you have? Where/how do you store the anchor onboard? Where does the anchor attach to your boat when anchored? Do you anchor in the Gulf after the first few breaking waves/sand bars or are you anchoring in the intercoastal? Thanks.

sure,
Mystere 5.5 (basically a f-18)
i have a custom front tramp i had made that carries the anchor (and righting bags). before that i had a little bag attached to my front beam it fit in.

I attach my anchor bridal (just a line tied into a triangle) to my bridal wire swivels (probably a clevis pin on many boats, replace with a shackle or swivel)

we anchor everywhere. we try not to anchor up in waves big enough to really make our cats dance, and will move to an intracoastal area if really rough on the "outside" shoreline

There has been a discussion on catsailor about this very thing. The guys are talking about using sea anchors when sailing offshore in case of emergency. I can tell you that if I had had one Memorial day weekend, I would still have the mast that came with my C2. Ouch. I think I'll go look for one for distance racing.

Quote

There has been a discussion on catsailor about this very thing. The guys are talking about using sea anchors when sailing offshore in case of emergency. I can tell you that if I had had one Memorial day weekend, I would still have the mast that came with my C2. Ouch. I think I'll go look for one for distance racing.

A righting bag makes a pretty decent sea anchor...

what happened to your rig? how do you lose a mast?

MN3

we anchor everywhere. we try not to anchor up in waves big enough to really make our cats dance, and will move to an intracoastal area if really rough on the "outside" shoreline

Why has your group adapted to using anchors like that? Is it because the beaches in your area are too rough (shells, rocks) to beach your beachcats?

--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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I keep a small 3 lb grapnel anchor in my halyard bag. This is the one http://www.westmarine.com…Num=10372&classNum=10420. Not sure how effective it would be but it's the law up here, and I sail in lakes less than 16 ft deep.

--
Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
--

MN3

golfdad75

Anchor? Anchor? We don't need no freakin' anchor.

famous last words.

Essential saftey item if you plan to
a. stop anywhere when there is wind
b. stop on the water
c. capsize - if you anchor your cat will auto rotate bows into the wind
d. emergency beer opener

Don't forget you can hide the evidence by attaching it to he anchor and tossing it overboard.

--
Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association
1982 Prindle 18
1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook.
--

MN3

jfricker

MN3 - Can you give some more details of your setup? What kind of boat do you have? Where/how do you store the anchor onboard? Where does the anchor attach to your boat when anchored? Do you anchor in the Gulf after the first few breaking waves/sand bars or are you anchoring in the intercoastal? Thanks.

sure,
Mystere 5.5 (basically a f-18)
i have a custom front tramp i had made that carries the anchor (and righting bags). before that i had a little bag attached to my front beam it fit in.

I attach my anchor bridal (just a line tied into a triangle) to my bridal wire swivels (probably a clevis pin on many boats, replace with a shackle or swivel)

we anchor everywhere. we try not to anchor up in waves big enough to really make our cats dance, and will move to an intracoastal area if really rough on the "outside" shoreline

What weight of anchor is sufficient for a cat?

--
Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association
1982 Prindle 18
1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook.
--

the steel one i have is called the Super Hooker 7 (i think it says 7) its 14" accross the stock
the alum one i have is the same (size 7)

http://www.sailingissues.…hting-guide/anchors.html
http://www.fortressanchor…ardian_anchor_guide.html
http://www.fortressanchors.com/safe_anchoring.html