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PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:47 am 
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Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 2:40 pm
Posts: 165
Location: Coushatta, LA
OK, I took my Hobie Wave down to Biloxi for some Mississippi Sound sailing. The plan was for me to sail to Ship Island (12 miles off the Mississippi Gulf Coast) and the wife and kid would take the ferry to the island (the island is sort of a tourist spot with nice beaches and an old fort).
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My father-in-law decided to come along too. I parked the truck as close to the beach as I could and together we carried the Wave 150 yards to the water - Wave is light and this was no problem (+1 for Wave). As we were leaving, my wife happened to drive by and snap a picture.
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This was to be my first salt water sailing - could not sleep the night before. I was worried about the weather forecast, too much wind, not enough wind, too much chop, etc. Winds were ESE 15-25. This made for a close reach out to the island. We were sailing heavy - I am 225 lbs, my father in law is heavier than I am. We made the island with an average speed of 6.5 mph. The waves were gnarly - most of them were 3 footish but we had plenty of 5 footers. The Hobie took the waves like a champion! It was a rough ride for sure. Once we were in the wave-shelter of the island and the water got flat, it was sailing heaven and we were hauling butt!

Previous to this, I had only taken my father-in-law sailing once. I had just started sailing and we were in my old sailing dinghy - a thunderstorm popped up and I flipped us. I think he was a little worried about my skippering abilities. Watching him on the Hobie was like watching a dog on a slippery kitchen floor. He was tense the whole time - but did not complain once. What a trooper.

We spent the rest of the day exploring the island with my wife and kid - they took the ferry out. This is me with the fort in the background.
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We left the island on a broad reach headed for Biloxi. We did an average of 8mph on the way back to mainland. There was much hauling butt and wave surfing on the way home. We hit a peak speed of 13.5 mph on this leg - quite nice for 500+ lbs on a Hobie Wave.

All in all I should do this kind of crap more often. Coastal wind is so nice - no sudden gusts or crazy 45 degree wind shifts like you get in lake sailing. The Wave is a great boat - it handled rough conditions with ease, it feels great to sail. What a great trip.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 12:12 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 7:58 pm
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Location: Indianapolis, IN
YOU DE MANN!!!

With winds like that, it could have been dicey; but having 500 lbs to hold the boat down, would make it steady as a rock. Good choice to bring him along!

So you made out in about 2 hours, and back in 1.5? That's great too. Barely time for the sharks to know you're there.

How long were you on the island? Overnight? That seems like it would be a fantastic camping expedition.

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2006 Hobie Wave 7358
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:02 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 2:40 pm
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Location: Coushatta, LA
Yea, thats about right on the travel times. Only about 4 hours of total sailing - however my muscles told me it was more like 20 hours of sailing.

No sharks, freaking tons of dolphins. I guess I forgot that part of the story. The little guys swim right with you - they wanted to drag race the Wave and I would have smoked them if I didnt have my father-in-law along :P

It was only a day trip to the island. This island is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore and is property of the National Park Service. They do not allow camping on West Ship (where I went) after some yahoos burnt down the lighthouse back in the 70's or 80's. Camping is, however, allowed on East Ship, Cat, and Horn Islands (most of which are visible on my map above). It would indeed be a fantastic camping trip.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:01 am 
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Location: Irvine, California
Yes, I have noticed the dolphins (and sea lions, for that matter) seem to like/be attracted to my WAVE as well, One time I had a pod of about 50 dolphin frolick around my boat for a good ten minutes. Maybe because one is so visible to them, sitting so close to the water. Plus, obviously, no engine noise.

Ocean sailing is a great workout (especially solo), I read threads of you guys here flying a hull in the harbor and on lakes. I have flown in both the harbor and on the ocean and I can tell you that it's (4) times the work, excitement and challenge to do it out on the ocean over the waves.

After 2 or 3 hours of flying on the ocean in good wind I am exhausted and putty. I tend to limp, all hunched over with aches in muscles I didn't even know I had that night. Come morning, though, I feel great and ready to do it all over again.

Great core workout. I am even starting to get abs.

Congrats on your adventure! :!: :!:

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"HOBIE....
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I just sailed my WAVE out the Marina !"
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:53 am 
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Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:51 am
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Hey, I have a Nacra 20 and I am always looking for someone to sail with. Bring your boat and lets go. Go to my web site and then email me. www.sailinglouisiana.com .

I will be in gulf port all week.....and I hope to sail every day.

Sailing is not just a sport, it is an obsession !!


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PostPosted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 2:33 pm 
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Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:00 pm
Posts: 130
Location: South Florida
Not knowing the area or visibility during your trip, what did you use for navigation? I would be concerned about missing the island if I didn't have clear line of sight to it.

Charlie


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 12:27 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 2:40 pm
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Location: Coushatta, LA
I took a GPS AND a magnetic compass (incase GPS failed). Navagation could not have been easier. I was sailing close reached out and all I had to do was point due South - after a few miles I saw the Fort and navagated by eye. Sailing home was even easier - I could see the huge condo building I was stayin at even from the island 13 miles out, I just sailed to it.

However, I kept the GPS on the whole time and it never failed and was totally accurate.

Due South out, and North back home - reaches both ways.


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