Hello, i have been sailing cats for a while but i recently bought my own, it came with an almost perfect condition hooter, but i would like to know what everyone thinks about hooter vs. spinnaker, should i sell the hooter, and buy a spinnaker or is there really a difference, i am not a hardcore racer but i do like to go fast

What is the boat that you purchased. Some do better with one and some do better with the other.

a Nacra 5.5 and i'd be sailing it with the jib

if its all set up to hoot... have a hoot... you can look into the spin feature after you learn with the hooter...

a furling hooter is much easier to put away when it needed.... than struggling with snuffing a spin when you need to

well, experience with a spin really is not an issue, it is all set up for the hooter, i'm just wondering if there is any real performance difference

yes there is a difference... one sail is more for reaching (hooter) and can even go upwind a little, and the other is for deeper down wind sailing... So you can't ask which has more perfomance... they have different purposes.

I personally like spins a little more because they make the downwind sailing alot more fun (and fast).. .The spin is very exciting when i heat it up... Nothing like flying the hull downwind... and being on the edge of disaster.

The spin works very different compaired to the main (power up by sheeting out) so it is counter intuitive and a challenge.

i sail with many other boats that have spins.. we kill the hooters when we are traveling downwind...

That being said... hooters furl up and make dousing a snap...

snuffing a spin (singlehanded) is a challenge, things get snarled all the time... and can be so frustrating when you shrimp your sail (sail over it and it gets tangled in centerboards/rudders/hulls/etc). I have had to cut 90' of spin halyard/retrevial line to avoid being pulled over by my shrimped spin... no fun!

okay thanks for all the input i'll have to take all this into consideration

Hooter's are more FUNNNN !!

--
~ Vietnam Vet 69-71~ 17 Hobie w/big jib, ~18 Hobie mag,~DN Ice sailor,
and other toys.......
~~ I live in NY state on the north shore of Oneida lake in
Bernhards Bay. ~~~~~~
--

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Hooter's are more FUNNNN !!

Exactly what I was thinking

As stated above, different sails for very different purposes. I would get a nice spin before getting the hooter

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I would get a nice spin before getting the hooter

Actually, I would get a variety of hooters, and have as much fun as possible before the police come.

If you deside to sell the hooter let me know. I have a Hobie getaway that could use a little more horsepower

Soundsailor24, what have you decided?

sorry i have been really swamped for a while, but i think i'm going to get a spin and sell the hooter... so Hobiesailor1, where are you, i'm in Madison, CT

I might be interested. I live in Granby,CT. Call Bob at 860/844-0048.

I am selling the hooter for $800,sail, furling system and lines to it, also the blocks if you want them, no pole

My NACRA 5.8na with a Hooter. Its easy to use and really adds speed down wind.





edited by: skarr1, Mar 13, 2009 - 11:05 PM