Discovery Library
Righting the Hobie Cat
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RIGHTING YOUR HOBIE
On that reach ...flying through the air and water then... WHAM!!!
Your Hobie Cat has forced you to swim instead of sail. Not really what you had in mind... if you have planned ahead you will be up and sailing again quickly. Whether sailing single handed or with a few friends, righting your boat can be quick and easy...
First, preventing your mast from becoming one with the bottom, or turtling is a priority.
We at Hobie have designed two mast floats to keep your Hobie Cat from becoming a mudhen . The floats attach to the top of your mast and will prevent the mast tip from sinking. The next objective will be to get back to sailing! Righting systems vary a bit but the theory is the same.
A line is attached to your Hobie, thrown over the hull in the air and then weight (yours and or your friends) is used to lever the boat back to an upright and sailable position. After you have checked that everyone is OK, turn your hulls and mast into the wind and uncleat your sails. You and your friends now need to congregate on the hull that is in the water. Grab the righting line, lean away from the trampoline and get as close to the water as you can.
Try to stay out of the water. If you don't have enough body weight to right the cat we have the Righting Bucket! Just attach it to the boat, with the hook that is provided, throw over the upper hull and fill the bucket with water! With the bucket strap over your shoulder, lean your weight out from the boat. The bag comes clear of the water and up the cat will come!! Grab the dolphin striker or crossbar as it comes up, climb aboard, sheet in and GO!
You can install a "Righting Pole" to the underside of the tramp and swing it out to do a chin-up and pry the Cat back to level.
Tipping your Hobie over can be a great way to cool off and enjoy the water... try it!
It is excellent practice for when you weren't planning to go for a swim but your Hobie decided that you needed to cool off!
The Video :
THis SOLO sailor is better off in 10 knt winds or less, to practice the righting.
Two person is faster in 15 knt winds, but one must grab and hang onto the Dolphin Stryker bar, while the other releases the sheets, and or points it into the wind.
In this one, the skipper is just at the edge of his ability, and beyond. He is not able to control or predict the frequency of the waves and effect of wind power on the twisting sail effect. At 1.06 the lee point catches in a wave followed by the windward and the skipper in full flight toward the horizon.