Had 4 adults, I was only sailor, on my H18 (with wings), pushing out through big surf - too big. Everyone wanted a ride and I didn't want to disappoint. A big wave caught the nose, pushed it around. Took next big wave on port side and we almost flipped over. 2 of us went flying and the ones still on the boat had no sailing experience. I surfaced in time to grab the strut on the wing with one hand and the rudder crossbar with the other - dragging behind the boat, steering it, going parallel to the beach. Another big wave hit and washed over. I was barely able to pull myself up and onto the boat. The other adult swam in and sat it out. I was shook up, but we got through the surf and sailed for a few minutes anyway. Only casualty was my prescription sunglasses. Could have been much worse. Lesson learned; water was 80 degrees though!
-- Tim Young
Hobie 18' + other stuff that floats and goes.
Kentucky --
I thought you had jib furling on your 5.0.
In big wind days, furling that jib when you come in gets rid of those flogging jib blocks, which can destroy your face.
At least you have flat water when the wind comes up. We get green water crossing the deck, it rips your feet out from under you, or simply washes you off the tramp if sitting on it.
-- 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 --
I think you should add at least 1 pair or trap wires. The 5.0 is quite sensitive to fore/aft weight distribution and has a tendency to sink the bows on strong wind if you don’t distribute the weight all the way back. For that wind it makes all the difference to have your crew on the trap all the way aft, so behind you. You will realize that your boat can handle a lot more wind than that, and it’s not so much because of the additional leverage, for that you can play with your sail and sailing angle. (And in soft wind put the weight on the front beam). If I had to renew my trap wires I’d use dyneema.
No, just a zippered luff jib. And yes, very noisy and potentially dangerous when flogging like that not to mention very hard on the sail.
Yes, relatively much flatter water in high wind conditions on the lake, but you pay a big price in terms of violent wind shifts, typical of man made lakes.
-- Hobie 16 (3 formerly)
MacGregor 25 (formerly)
Chrysler Dagger 14 (formerly)
NACRA 5.0 (currently)
High Point, NC --
Yes, I’d sooner have sustained 30mph,(quite fun if on my baby Dart), than continual 18 mph reversals on the 5.7.
There used to be a poster heee with an N5.2 who sailed on a mountain lake in Japan. Crazy wind shifts.
At least with two up, righting is only a minute or two.
-- 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 --