Hobie Cat Forums

Went out yesterday on Morton Bay with my TI on my own, and my mate Graham had his AI, winds were 25 Knots with three foot chop,we went quite well until we head into the southerly and a run out tide, we hardly made any ground, our sails both of them were reduced by a third, after a couple of hours we head'd back in, even though I had my sail furled by a third I still managed to clock 20.2Klm per hour.{was Impressed by that} and frequently achieving 18/19 klmph.
had there been no chop I feel it would have gone faster{ also when the wind was on my port side steering became an Issue, I think the retro fit will fix that,my rivet's on the aka nuckle joints are looking like they will be an upcoming problem.

Two of my sailing videos reached over 2,000 hits this week. Cool!!!

I have managed to sail upwind on more than 20 knots winds. Here, in the south-east of Gran Canaria, (Canary islands) the wind gusts are too high. It bangs the sail and make difficult sailing on high winds unless I sail about a mile or more off-shore. But even close to coast I manage to sail upwind (that's what I do here from minute 2:00 to minute 3:55 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m04PS9XDqFI), but, obviously if I feel too much pressure when managing the rudder, then unfurl some sail.

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http://www.youtube.com/user/educavendish?feature=mhee

Great Video!!!

Great Fun but try trampolines and hike out.

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2010 Hibiscus Adventure Island

I have learned to reef the sail if the wind drives the leeward ama below the surface for more than a second. The drag on the ama drops and the reefed sail still drives my TI nicely.
The same kind of results by tacking rather than driving into the wind. Your track is longer but with higher speed, you get there sooner.

I'm in West Australia and it is prety regularly windy here in the summer with a strong afternoon sea breeze. I have often been out in 15 to 20 knots sailing solo. But the wildest trip was down in the south west at Denmark when my son and i had sailed 15 km out across an open bay and before we could get back it had picked up to 30+ knots and gusting much harder to 40 knots.

Running with the wind behind we were nose diving through the chopp and had to both sit as far back to keep from spearing in, as waves lifted the tail up and the nose went down. It was quite a ride.

With the sail furled about half way, it was not quite such a wild ride but I think we were actually going a lot faster. Needing to beat across the wind and slightly up wind, I found it far easier to jibe, to go about with the wind behind, then round up into the wind rather than tack into the wind as it was so strong we would almost be stopped and pushed back as the nose came into the wind.

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Geordie
West Ausie

Recent experience has me doubting this Tidalwave.
On a long windward return trip our friends in their TI went much wider in their tacks whilst we sailed as closehauled as we could in our TI. They were a barely visible speck in the distance and looked to be way in front and yet on their return tack we both met up at virtually the same point at the same time.
I'm wondering if this can be explained scientifically? Something along the lines of energy can't be created or destroyed... etc.?
A question for those with a lot more sailing experience than me (my sailing has only ever been in Hobie's kayaks):
Is it better to tack wider, faster and further.. or ...closer to the wind, slower, but shorter?
With identical boats, is the result we experienced a given?

Well if the end result is the same, I'd rather cover more distance at a higher speed (= more fun).

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Ha, brings back memories. I was racing a 25 foot sistership in the Adelaide-Port Lincoln race... we pointed as high as we could comfortably do without reducing the drive from the sails. My opponent eased his sails and picked up about 20% speed, but couldn't point as high. Fifty miles on, we saw a stern light really close up front (like 20 metres away!), and yup, it was my mate, who had of course needed to tack to get back to my track. Yes I think he had more fun, and certainly a more comfortable ride into the bargain. (Incidentally, we were never more than 50 metres apart for the remaining 100 nautical miles of the race, but I just pipped him...)

Good story Tony.

In a true flat water race, you may be able to tell the difference, but in the real world of tides/swells/structure/weather/traffic, I suspect holding your course close-hauled would yield the best results. Certainly, it's safer and less stressful.

I've never raced a regatta, but it's obvious that every time you tack, you introduce a new set of variables (and potential mistakes). Any one of those could cost you time. Holding steady seems the "smart" thing to do.

But - if the tide and swell seriously favor the faster upwind tack, it might pay off to take a few of those turns.

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"You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality."
- Ayn Rand

If the wind direction stays constant, in theory you never have to tack more than once to reach your destination.
If you can reach your destination by sailing close hauled in a straight line, you do gain the advantage of never having to tack, but regattas are always laid out so that at least one leg is dead upwind, meaning you have to do that one tack whether you sail close hauled or take a wider course.
Also, in the everyday world it's very unusual to be able to reach your destination by sailing close hauled in a single straight line. Either your destination will be further upwind, in which case you need to tack, or it will be further off the wind, in which case you don't need to be sailing close hauled.

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In the real world, I can cheat w my mirage drives too.

Guys, remember that on a failed tack you can always reverse the rudder and let the wind and current finish the tack for you. Backing the rest of the way around. The more the wind speed the faster it works.

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“Remember life is short- eat dessert first.”
The world is 70% water – So that means we should spend 70% more time sailing than mowing lawns!
Larry

NOHUHU--I thought that was the purpose of the pedal drive.

Keith

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I sail: S FL, Key Largo, Everglades, 10,000 Islands, Cape Romano, Cedar Key

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein