Just finished 4 days of sailing in some great weather. Second to last day out, I was sailing solo on the wire, screaming along on a slightly broad reach, occasionally flying a hull. I was just enjoying the thrill of the wind, salt and speed. I happened to glance over at the starboard hull and noticed it nose under a wave nearly up to the striker. Before I could back off the mainsail, it dug under another wave and I was ass over tea-kettle, Peter Pan style into the water.

So, I sat there for a moment, gathering myself together. To my right, was my recently flipped Hobie, to my left were my sunglasses and hat still afloat in the water. I regrouped and spent the next 10 minutes righting the boat. It came up easily.

Two days later, I'm sore and bruised and stiff from the 4 days of excitement. I have the mind of a 16 year old but certainly not the body. My girlfriend calls me a risk taker, thinks I'm crazy for going out in rough weather alone, hiking out and flying a hull. She asked me what I learned from the experience. I told her, "I learned nothing" and can't wait to get out and sail again. She thinks I'm nuts.



Edited by motivated on Aug 22, 2011 - 08:17 AM.

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Karl, Captain of Stayin' Thirsty
2011 Hobie 16SE
Atlanta, GA
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awesome! where were you?

Was in Myrtle Beach, SC. It was calm in the mornings, then the wind would whip up around 1-2pm. The surf was also tough at times, I'm guessing 3-5 ft swells, especially as the tide was going out in the afternoons, which made for some interesting departures.

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Karl, Captain of Stayin' Thirsty
2011 Hobie 16SE
Atlanta, GA
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nice... werent you talking about sailing in Dunedin?

Yes, Dunedin was 2 weeks ago. Was in Myrtle Beach last week, then off to Destin two weeks from now. Trying to get in as much sailing time as possible.

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Karl, Captain of Stayin' Thirsty
2011 Hobie 16SE
Atlanta, GA
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I kept my eye out for ya.

I though it was you were following my friend and I (he was on his G-cat) up Honeymoon park to 3 rooker on a Friday afternoon but that boat dropped off. Was that you?

You learned nothing?
You learned fun things may hurt when you get a little older. (big deal)
You learned your hat and sunglasses float! (that's awesome!)
You learned not to glance over your shoulder because you darn well cant do anything about it when she starts to go over. (just bad luck)
You learned the boat pups up easily.
Jeez man by now you gotta be one WISE GUY!

I plan to keep on learning too. Some lessons need lots and lots of reinforcement!
Keep on sailing!

Pain is only temporary
Chicks dig scars
Glory is forever!
Sail on

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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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Sail fast... take risks

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The Bone
H16
Mass / NH
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MN3

I kept my eye out for ya.

I though it was you were following my friend and I (he was on his G-cat) up Honeymoon park to 3 rooker on a Friday afternoon but that boat dropped off. Was that you?

Yes, I remember you guys! Didn't one of you have a big boom box aboard? We were fighting the current (tide coming in) in Hurricane pass getting out to the Gulf. My son was at the tiller, I was trying to teach him how to sail. As I remember, it was a great day.

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Karl, Captain of Stayin' Thirsty
2011 Hobie 16SE
Atlanta, GA
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yea that was my jam box :) I remeeber sailing next to you guys in the pass.... you were sailing VERY well in that light air fighting the current.

I thought that was you (sail gfx) but when I walked up to someone and asked if you were the guy from the beach cats... he said "no". Perhaps that was your son? i was gonna invite you to sail around with us sat/sun.

We sailed all the way up to the mid 3 rooker area, and watched a huge stormcloud come at us. we had great wind coming home but if i recall battled the then outgoing tide in the pass as well...

anyway,.. .next time your down here... ask for me (andrew) and i will introduce you to the fleet down here :)

How cool is that? You might have spoken to my dad, or one of my two boys. I'll take you up on the offer, would be cool to meet some other TBC'rs. It has literally been 30 years since I've sailed the area, and I was very surprised by how much sand has washed off the beaches and into the bay. There were a lot of shallows, even at high tide, kicking up the rudders.

Here's a pic of my old boat from 1975 from the Causeway when the sand was on the beach and not in the bay!



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Karl, Captain of Stayin' Thirsty
2011 Hobie 16SE
Atlanta, GA
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Yes we have seen tons of sand wash into the bay. They put a few million cubes of sand on honeymoon.. those are the new islands now off Caladisi! lol

in a real high tide (3') you can sail almost anywhere in the bay.. so it must have been a "low" high tide.

Quote

Here's a pic of my old boat from 1975 from the Causeway when the sand was on the beach and not in the bay!

I hear it used to be like the wild west out on the causeway back in the day. Bonfires,keg parties, shotguns.. and so on.

I have sailed it since 2000 and has been heavily regulated and patrolled (and getting stricter)

If you have any desired to race and meet thre real TBCS - http://www.tampabaycatsailors.com/ .

They also have a yahoo group that mails out updated race info

MN3

I hear it used to be like the wild west out on the causeway back in the day. Bonfires,keg parties, shotguns.. and so on.

Yes, I graduated from Dunedin High School and the causeway was always a cool place to party, especially after football games. I could tell you stories, but suffice it to say it made for some great memories. On a Saturday morning, the causeway would be lined with Hobies (the cheesy rental place didn't exist). It was a very cool crowd, I knew quite a few of the other boat owners. A typical Saturday for me was to sail out of Hurricane Pass, head south to Ft. Desoto before turning around and heading back to "port". It was a great way to spend a day as a teenager and I had not idea how good I had it at the time.

I worked at a place on Curlew near US19 called "The Weather Mark" which was the local Hobie Cat shop. It was there that I learned all about Hobies, boat repair and sailing. Its now a Music store or something, and if you look behind it you'll see there are still boats being stored in the yard.

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Karl, Captain of Stayin' Thirsty
2011 Hobie 16SE
Atlanta, GA
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