im new to cats so i want to know what to expect!

hello guys, i just bought a hobie 14 with a turbo sail, only its sorta of homemade. this headsail came off a high performance windsurfer. so this headsail reaches all the way to the back of the boom!
im planning on sailing this boat with two people and im also planning on rigging up some trapeese or some sort of harness. since my boat doesnt have them fro some reason. my boat is an older tahiti style, or at least that is what i hear.

but before i write a book ill get to the point.
im used to sailling a kestrel 16, its an hp dingey with a spinnaker, handicap is 96 or 92 i think, so its a fairly fast boat. and what i want to know from you guys is what should i avoid doing with this new hobie cat!
what should i expect and what should i learn how to do? ive been sailling for almost 9 years so im pretty experianced but from what i hear nothing can prepare you for a hobie cat! lol
please give some kind of input guys!
thanks
Jason

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current boats.
FB el toro
kestrel
hobie 16 with SUPER TURBO SAIL

ok since its been a week and u guys have nothing to say ill ask a more general question.
how do i keep the boat level in a puff, in a normal boat you simply turn into the wind, but im sure if i was up on one pontoon and i did this i would surely tip the boat over...
so how do i keep the boat down in a puff? do i simply ease the sail?

_________________
current boats.
FB el toro
kestrel
hobie 16 with SUPER TURBO SAIL

You can ease the main, let the main traveler out, head up, or a combination of these three.

The three biggest differnces (in general) from sailing a mono are
1) Everything happens faster
2) Tacking is harder (lots of info on this throughout the forum)
3) You go fastest when one hull is just out of the water

_________________
Nick

Current Boat
In the market
Previous boats owned
'74 Pearson 30
'84 H16
'82 H18 Magnum
St. Louis, MO

really everyone has been telling me you go faster when you have both hulls in the water....
the traveler idea seems the best for me, and the way my hobie is set up.

anyways heres my hobie with the monster head sail

http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=9/25821372691.jpg&s=x1

Jason

_________________
current boats.
FB el toro
kestrel
hobie 16 with SUPER TURBO SAIL

Hey Jason,
I guess that you have not sailed your boat yet, so let me fill you in with a few things. I have a turbo 14 and love to sail it. I usually sail it with my daughters. The 14 with a jib sail has a tendency to put a hull under the water and flip your boat when you are at speed. To avoid this, you will need to keep your crew's weight towards the rear of the boat. When sailing at speed. The boat is fastest when you are skimming one hull on the water. Two hulls in the water create drag, and if you fly a hull the sail becomes inefficient and you slow down. Just keep the one hull skimming the water.

The over-sized jib sail is a bad idea, because a jib sail will push your hull under water when at speed. I have the appropriate size jib sail and I have to be careful as to how I set it. I usually run it a bit loose, as this helps to keep the front of the hull from getting burried. Visit my site:

http://pirates.dwebz.net

Download the Nissan video from the video section and you will see what an extreme pitchpole looks like.

Tacking is a skill that only comes with practice. Sheet in your main and gain some speed, turn into the wind and release your main sail. Grab the mast, bring it across and push it to the front until you boat crosses the wind. Move to the windward side, release your jib sail and cleat it on the other side. Sheet in an continue in a new direction.

If you end up in irons (stalled), continue holding and pushing the mast to the front and reverse your rudders. Do this the moment that you realize that you boat has stopped. This will allow you to complete the tack. Straighten your rudders and continue in the new direction.

It take practice!

Good luck and enjoy sailing your boat!
Danny