Hobie Cat Forums

I just moved back from Florida where there were unlimited beaches to launch a cat from to Indiana where every lake has a concrete ramp but no sandy beach adjacent to it. Does anyone have any tips on launching from a concrete ramp?

I see two difficulties in launching from a concrete ramp vs launching from a sandy beach.
(1) Do I raise the sails before I back the boat into the water or do I raise the sails once in the water?
(2) Leaving the boat while I park the trailer. I almost always sail with another person but it still seems like it would be tricky to have one guy park the car while the other holds onto the boat at the ramp. If the sails are up, it will want to take off. It seems like it would be hard to point the boat into the wind at a ramp because it usually is really slick and the water depth drops quickly beyond the ramp.

All of this would be a nightmare at a busy boat ramp. The lake that I'm considering isn't too busy so that shouldn't be a big problem.

Does anyone have any suggestions or tips?

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-Zach
Hobie 16 for sale
West Lafayette, IN (school)
Melbourne, FL (summer)

Maybe I just need some cat trax...

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-Zach
Hobie 16 for sale
West Lafayette, IN (school)
Melbourne, FL (summer)

I launch from the ramp all the time. I get the main ready to raise and then raise the sail from the dock. I have a H18 so the jib is roller furler. Sometimes some ramps have a shallow area next to them and the crew can stand in the water and hold the boat while you put the trailer away and the same for taking the boat out.

There are some tricks to sailing off a dock, but it just takes some practice.

I would not back down the ramp with the sails up if there is any wind, just asking for trouble.

I sail from ramps, and there's usually a place on one side or the other where you can tether your boat, point it into the wind and raise your sails. Some ramps even have a wooden dock off to the side where you can gear up. I agree, don't put your sails up til you're in the water.

It will depend on the ramp, the wind, any docks, other boats... ...you can always carry a paddle and paddle to the sandy beach to raise the sail. Don't forget about the wind and any current if you intend to paddle...

We've been launching from ramps more and more each season.
Tiger, two persons.

We fully hoist all the sails and take it down the ramp on the beach wheels.
Direction of the boat depends on the wind. When I say we, I mean about 6-10 Tigers.

One person floats the boat and keeps the bows pointed into the wind. The other walks the beach wheels up the ramp.

Jump on and take off.

Like Hammond said, it depends.

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2003 Tiger - Don Atchley

...more then one

That is so cool! That would make an impression at the ramp for sure!

Yes, the USA is very motor boat centered. When I moved to Tri-Cities, Wa there were several boat ramps I could launch from then pull my boat onto shore to raise the main. Now with all the 'improvements' (mostly ramp side docks on both sides of the ramp), I have only one launch area left and it now has a dock on one side, but fortuneately the other side is still open (for now).

Sounds like I just need to back her down into the water and raise the sails once she's in the water. Depending on docks, wind, and current conditions I will set up differently.

If I were doing this with someone else who was confident in their sailing abilities, this would be much easier. This Hobie is new to me and I am fairly confident but I will be taking mostly inexperienced crew that don't know a mast from a boom. Maybe I'll raise the sails in the parking lot with my crew just to make sure everything is right and to teach them how it all works before we get out on the water.

I had to call off our launch this past weekend because the wind was directly onshore to the ramp and I had visions of us getting smashed against the concrete and rocks when we push off.

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-Zach
Hobie 16 for sale
West Lafayette, IN (school)
Melbourne, FL (summer)

Raising the sails in the parking lot is a crap shoot at best and the potential for a real disaster in the making. Your boat should be pointed to within 10 degrees (or less) of the wind when you raise the sails.

I figure as long as the wind direction is steady and I point it into the wind, it should be fine. I did it this weekend before I called it off and never did I feel like the boat was being pushed around at all by the wind.

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-Zach
Hobie 16 for sale
West Lafayette, IN (school)
Melbourne, FL (summer)

PurdueZach- Pay your money and take your chances. I'm sure you keep the hull strapped down till you are in the water. Good luck and 'may the gust be with you'.

One tip, like others have stated, raising the sails in the parking lot can be trouble. I have watched a boat fly a hull while strapped to the trailer, I watched a boat fly a hull not strapped to the trailer, the driver saw what the boat was doing, stomped on the brakes and then I saw a boat pitchpole onto a car while flying off a trailer. You get the picture. Once the sail is up, you are sailing.

I launch from a ramp, I strongly recommend not raising the sail until the boat is off the trailer. If I was using the cat-trax I will raise the sails. The difference is that on the cat-trax I can turn the boat into the wind at a moments notice.

I have bigger problems with landing the boat than launching it. With no beach to sail it up, getting it completely stopped with a steep bottom can be a challenge.

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2001 Nacra 20
84 H16 108123