Stepping the rig

Yea, first time experience with a Hobie, so not very familiar with them. Anyway, I measured all my shrouds and bridle, etc.. and they are at spec lengths.

I stepped the rig and the standing rig has lots of play. Lots of slack in her. I am meeting all specs lengths. Am I missing something?


I'm wondering is this the way a HOBIE CAT is? Should the standing rig be tight or with lots of slack?



Thankyou

Well, I took all the adjusters out of the standing rigging, and now I have a nice taut rig.

Then, I read what Matt wrote about grabbing the rigging with a fist and being able to turn in 90 degrees.

So, my question now, is if I'm just looking to pleasure sail this boat ( no racing - I have no jib ) is it more advantageous to have a taut rig or a slack rig?

Another thing, this mast got lots of rake in her - this is normal?

Whats a dog bone?

Thankyou

The H14 likes lots of slack, should be about to grab the shroud and turn your fist 90 degrees, if you are in a lot of slop and light winds I would tighten it up a bit just to keep it from flopping around. A dog bone is used for trapeze. Your harness hooks into it. Look on page 9 for the styles of harnesses and page 10 for the styles of dog bones. Of course this is page 9 and 10 of the 2006 Hobie Parts and Accessories Catalog. http://www.hobiecat.com/sailing/accessories.html
also try to get by and see your dealer, if there's one close, or a Hobie fleet.

Thanks,
Brad Stephens
www.sunjammers.com <---- online store coming soon!!
Hobie Division 15 Chairman
Authorized Hobie/Vanguard/Hunter Dealer
[email protected]
850-235-2281
Panama City Beach, FL

I agree that the boat likes slack. However, imo and experience, 45 degrees is the max you should be able to turn the stays. The world champion reconmends 120 with the trapeze. This is why I now use a lot less:

Pushing my boat out one day. Generally I just push on the crossbar, maybe with a hand on the mast. I don't have wheels (I wish I did, to keep my really nice gelcoat job looking good on the bottom), so this requires a lot of effort on the beach. I go to push, one hand on the crossbar and one hand on the mast. The mast get pushed right out of the step. I should have grabbed it and lowered into the sand, but instead tried to put it back in the step (I have stepped more boat masts than most of you have ever seen, but they weigh A LOT less than a Hobie mast does). In the process, the mast started falling over. I had to jump on it to save it, ripping a $700 drysuit in the process (on the downhaul cleat), and somehow bending my tiller extension (which still works but is pretty old and needs to be replaced).

How to avoid this in the future:
1) Carry more rig tension, I had the reconmended 120 degrees of play, imo this is too little. The boat sails fine with more like 45 degrees of play. (in conditions ranging from no trapezing (6-8kts) to need more leverage on the trap (25kts), all in a day of sailing)
2) I have brand new mast step casting (the parts that connect the mast to the boat). These allow for much higher rake, and the mast is less secure in the aft section, so can come out of the socket backwards. Don't push on the mast!

Try 90 degrees. If you feel this is too much slack, tighten the rig up. This rig is VERY loose compared with the monohulls I sail and many other cats.