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First day - solo survivor
http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=51830		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  OldNewb [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 6:01 am ]
Post subject:  First day - solo survivor
So, I completed my winter list--replaced the standing rigging, all the shock cord, etc. It seemed to survive our Michigan winter well enough wrapped in plastic. At times, it buried in snow. I couldn't see the trailer for weeks.

Now that summer is on, we're finally warm and I have free time--nobody wants to go. So, I went alone, and tried a new lake.

Image Image

Let's see, I managed to forget the mast chip, until I was on the water. After I finished rigging and was ready to back up a power boat pulled in on the side I was lined up for, so I waited longer. Got the sail up, pushed it out on the water and the wind died--then I realized tree cover put me in a bit of a lee spot.

Got it going, rudders humming, and started to freak out!! This is way faster than the Wave's we used on vacation over the winter, and I haven't even got it going nearly as fast as we did last summer. It was good that it was a light wind day.

About my second loop of the lake I started hearing creaking. I was leaning on the shroud, and the noise seemed between the mast and the opposite front pylon. All that came to mind were pictures of hulls snapping in half. I calmed down, and headed back in. Got a couple gusts that pushed me a bit, and everything seemed normal again--no creaking. Ran another loop, and in the same part of the lake this time facing the other way, the creaking returned, along with a big gust, lots of jib flogging, and worry about a heavy gybe. I heard a bit of creaking like that when I compressed the frame to restring the trampoline, and it was really making me nervous so I headed in. When I got in I realized I forgot to remove the mast step too.

So, was my creaking the new anchor bars settling in, the mast base creaking without a chip and being pinned, a pylon or something else?
Author:  hawk592 [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 6:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First day - solo survivor
OldNewb wrote:
So, was my creaking the new anchor bars settling in, the mast base creaking without a chip and being pinned, a pylon or something else?


Sounds about right for the first time out on a new to you cat. Just don't ever forget the plugs, lol. The creaking was probably a combination of all of the above mentioned items. Next time out with the mast step pin out and the tefflon chip in you'll be amazed how easily your mast rotates. Nice pics.
Author:  sunvista [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 6:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First day - solo survivor
Who knows? Most of these boats, especially older ones, creak. Add snap, crackle and pops for my '82. I'm sure it will fold up one day but it has definitely seen 32 years of fun and going strong. I don't take her out in small craft advisories anymore.
Author:  srm [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 6:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First day - solo survivor
Crunching, grinding, and popping are bad. A little humming and creaking is nothing to worry about.

sm
Author:  M in MI [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 7:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First day - solo survivor
My boat is 35 years old now, it will be in the water for its 24th season that I've owned it. It makes different sounds from time to time. I just look it over as I sail it, and when its out of the water. I just keep an eye on everything, I look for anything that may be starting to show signs of excessive wear or things that may be loosening up. Fix or replace as needed.
That rudder hum can be corrected if you look for the thread on it in the Hobie 16 facts, at the top of this forum. But you may also want to leave it alone, there has been a few sailors here that like that sound, myself included. I miss that sound sometimes, I'm tempted to put some older untouched factory rudders back on.
You are not the first to forget to unpin the mast step from the mast after raising it, or put a teflon chip in. It will become 2nd nature the more you do it.
The AC 72's make all kinds of different noises when their racing, they are just, one example, of the cutting edge of sailing technology. Pressure Loads on a hobie cat change while sailing it, I'd be afraid if I did'nt hear some noises.
Going solo is easier than sailing with a crew, the boat does not argue with you.

I agree with SRM, that would be a good rule of thumb on noises.
Author:  OldNewb [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 10:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First day - solo survivor
Thanks for the thoughts! I don't recall being this nervous last summer. Probably because I was too busy keeping everyone else calm.

It was a comedic newbie error day on my first solo trip. I got the mast 2/3rds up and realized I wrapped the halyard through it. I forgot to raise the rudders when I came it. I forgot to hold onto the mast and bounced it as I yanked the pin out of the step (back to the screwdriver--big, easy and obvious to remove).

A few things went well. I replaced the plugs this year (I only swapped the seeping o-rings last year). I put the rudders on right this time. I remove them when I drive more than 20 miles. Last summer, I spent a few hours replacing the cams and getting the lock set just right, but they just wouldn't stay locked on that last trip of the summer. The EPO2's look symmetrical and have a single part number, so I couldn't figure out how they could be put on backwards. I realized it's the tiller crossbar and upper rudder assembly I have to check. So much better.

We'll be spending next week out at Silver Lake on the west side of the state.
Author:  ASDASC [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 6:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: First day - solo survivor
Yep, been there, done that. I have an old philips screwdriver for the mast link now. Like you say, it is big and easy to grab/hard to forget. What lake were you on? Interesting that we have 3 michigan guys on this thread!
Author:  OldNewb [ Wed Jun 18, 2014 6:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First day - solo survivor
Whitmore Lake, it was a whole 3 minutes further away than Kent Lake (Kensington), but it was nice and open without weeds trying to kick up the rudders.
Author:  wiltok [ Thu Jun 19, 2014 7:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First day - solo survivor
Make that four Michigan guys! I am on a lake in SouthWestern Mich.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zwbMWS9U6s
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