Help getting started in Portland (PDX metro) area?

Recently purchased a used H16 ( 77-78 ) after looking at several over past few mos. I believe everything is here and in very nice condition including manual. I have sailed a much smaller AquaCat 12.5 http://www.americansail.com/aquacat12.php for several years and decided I wanted something larger to play with.

The problem: I've never rigged it. Never stepped the mast or anything. It's so much bigger I'm a little intimidated to say the least.

I was hoping there might be some kind soul in my area who would be willing to run through it with me, preferably at a sailing site, or even on dry land and give me some pointers, make sure I have eveything I need cause I plan on taking it on vacation in early August.

Got a great trailer and could travel within a reasonable distance this weekend even for an overnight on Saturday night. I have other time available if I can find assistance between now and August.

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

Hey Moonunit,

Give me an email at:

Tack.N.Gybe /at/ gmail /dot/ com

(Replace /at/ and /dot/ with @ and .)

I'll hook you up with the local Fleet 72. We are becoming very active and do a lot of fun sailing and a few races - we'd love to have you and would be happy to help you rig and sail!

Also, check out our new, partially-finished website at:

http://hobiefleet72.home.comcast.net

-Tim

_________________
Tim
Unofficial Fleet 72 Communications Officer and Div 4 Webmaster
http://www.hobiefleet72.org
http://www.div4.hobieclass.com/

Tim,

Thanks for the reply, e-mail sent I found the hobiefleet # after reading some here on google but all the links were bad, thought perhaps the club might have been deactivated, so thanks for the good link!

Looks like this weekend could be great for me if you and some of your friends will be there. Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks again.

Hey Tim,

I just bought my first Hobie cat, 1978 H16, I've never sailed on a cat before so I'm looking for like minded people to sail will for tips, advice, etc. I sail a Catalina 25 and crew for a racing J24 out of Newport and just moved back to PDX this March.

Bought the cat to have something cheap, easy, small to sail on the lakes around here when I can't make it down to Newport, once a week just isn't enough! I also plan on taking the H16 across the bar for some real action once I have the rig the way I want it and my skills honed, of course the ocean has to be in the right mood as well!

Where does the local fleet sail out of? I plan on sailing at Hagg Lake quite a bit as 2/3's of the lake is marked off as a no wake zone so lots of sailing room.

Looking forward to meeting you all!

Cheers

_________________
Jeff B

1978 H16 #31207

Hi Jeff!

Just email me and I'll put you on the mailing list (or follow the link to the website above and sign up yourself).

As for local sailing spots:

Hagg Lake - never been there personally but heard it is good.

Yale Res. (WA) - Great camping and good, steady, reliable wind.

Dalton Pt launch on the Columbia - below the dam and Beacon Rock. Near Skamania Island which is a great sandy island to rest and swim. Good wind and less intense than deeper in the Gorge and much less chop thanks to the river shape here.

Stevenson, WA - Brand new park and launch, no sandy beach but some good shallows to anchor in. Full-on Columbi River Gorge action - high winds, heavy chop, large standing waves. Last time I was there I was sailing my 16 solo without the jib. Heading upwind in 25-30 kts, I jumped the boat on a standing wave until only the rudders were touching...if you can sail here, you can sail almost any inland location.

Skamokawa - Lower Columbia, between Longview and Astoria. Consitant wind, wide, lots of tidal action. We have a race the first weekend of August here (you should come even to check it out!) with bouy-racing the first day and a long distance race the second. Last time, the long distance race was amazing! There are tons of islands and shallows to choose your way through, and the abrupt shallowing of the river just inland of Astoria makes for some crazy waves.

Anyway, there are more spots than this but this is what we mostly hit.

-Tim

_________________
Tim
Unofficial Fleet 72 Communications Officer and Div 4 Webmaster
http://www.hobiefleet72.org
http://www.div4.hobieclass.com/

Thanks Tim!

I can't make it the first week of August, I'm assiting the YBYC (Yaquina Bay Yacht Club) that weekend with the NorthAmerican C15 Nationals in Newport. Taking my power boat down for a chase boat and carrying a photographer as well.

Your event sounds like a blast!! Please, Please post pics!!

Cheers.

_________________
Jeff B

1978 H16 #31207

Tim,

Thanks so much for the hookup with Fleet 72! Sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you this weekend.

Met several folks at Dalton Point on Saturday and had a great sail. JP babysat me to get the cat out (couldn't have done it without him). He spent A Lot of time working with me and getting things right enough for me to get out in a nice light wind (for the Columbia).

Jim, Patsy and her friend from Texas, and (I think) Dave were all there and very helpful and social. There were several mishaps on shore, including my own. No one wants to have there Maiden launch on the asphalt, however this kind of (censored) is not foreign to my luck Damn some of these trees need to be trimmed out here!

Almost went over on my second tack, however fatboy made a magnificent scramble and saved myself and my 11 yr old son from immediate mayhem.

Of course we were the slowest and ugliest hobie out there, but we held our own and required no real help on a several hour sail, (although Jim came around several times and gave us some great tips and advice). There was lots of trapeze action but none on my hobie. At times we struggled to stay alive as I finally realized that my rudders flipped up on almost every change of tack (?sp). Took my badbod two hands to keep the rudder strait until I figured it out about 3/4 into the sail!

I was TIRED early on and I'm way hurtin today but got most of my gear cleaned up and back in order. Now I need to look around for some replacement parts and some small items that were not with the boat when I got her.

All in al it was a great day and my son who has sailed with me on the Aquacat I had before the Hobie said it was the most fun he ever had and believe me he hasn't been deprived of lots of good times. I'll post this on the Fleet 72 board as well. Thanks again.