How should I deploy and secure (repeat) sail while at sea?

So let’s assume I am not sailing my Adventure off a gently sloping tropical beach through gentle surf for a half day of sail-only play where the worst that can happen is the boat and I get blown back on the beach.. Instead let’s assume I am in a loaded kayak touring, fishing, and or diving miles from anything like an easy take-out in cold seas where loss of way for too long could result in getting blown out to sea or onto some inhospitable rocks.

Now I want to put up the Hobie sail. How do you rig the boat to string the main line through the nice Harken block installed on the stern handle padeye? Some kind of permanent running line loop to pull the main sail line back, through, and then forward?

Now I want or have to take the sail down. Use the main line to pull the running line back through the stern Harken block and back forward where it is tied off to form a loop?

What about the cooler, crate, fishing rods, or other stuff bungeed down behind the seat: how and where would you route a permanent running loop to make it possible to put the sail up and take it down on the water?

Is there a best practice to rig the sail for repeated deployments and take-downs far from land?

Thanks.

Okay. So I will:

1. Rig a bow-area loop into which I put the sail-furled-around mast with the butt in a paddle bungee, somehow outboard enough not to interfere with pedaling.

2. Add a couple of ball bungee tie-downs to tightly furl the sail around the mast.

3. Figure out how to put up and take down the mast, including furling and unfurling the sail, without pulling the main sheet out of the stern Harken block - or my reach.

New question 1: Do you remove the little whisker batten before furling the sail?

New question 2: So now I am pedaling along with the Turbo fins, happily fishing here and there, mast bungeed in to starboard (my right), and paddle bungeed in to port (my left). Now I want to stop fishing and sail for a while, do I have to stow my fishing rods in the hull, or maybe get those ram rod mounts that swivel down so the rods (bungeeed and leashed) are laying back parallel to the water?

Thanks for your thoughts and comments.

Happy Independence Day!

Rigging thoughts for my Hobie Adventure so far:

1. Keep lurking in online forums, read articles, etc. – try not to reinvent the wheel. Thanks to RoadRunner, OffRoad, the Hobie, KFS, and TopKayaker forums, and others for rigging ideas.

2. The boat needs many more padeyes to accommodate leashes and lines. So far want to put padeyes (1 & 2) inside each mesh pocket for tool leashes, add two padeyes (3 & 4) using the fasteners for the forward Scotty rod holders (add a second identical setup on port side to mirror factory installed holder (5 & 6)).

3. Also add cleats with eyes: one below the mast bungee holder to leash the Mirage drive (1), one in front of each forward rod holder (2 & 3), and one on the bow deck (4) (among other things to hook the bottom-of-mast- bungee loop to help stow and transport the mast on the starboard while on the water).

4. Already added a swiveling Harken block to the stern boat handle padeye for the main sail line to run through.. Add a piece of main sail sheet hardware (?block? faireye?) to run the line from the stern Harken block outboard to starboard / right to let the line run free of whatever is in the behind-set well. Add a Harken block forward so main sail line can run through it and back to hand to trim the sail. Maybe a cam cleat handy to secure the main sail line once the trim is acceptable.

5. Going to need a longer mail sail line / sheet to make this rig work and allow the sail to be deployed / taken down for stowing without the need to re-string the line through the stern block(s). Going to leave a knotted tag end at the sail attachment grommet to loop over the furled sail and secure on the factory –installed plastic hook, as suggested by RoadRunner.

6. Going to pass on the use of a snap attachment of the sheet / line at the sail grommet and the use of ball-bungees to hold the sail furled for now.

AlohaDan and others: Lots of stuff? Yep, trying to figure out how to keep the boat shipshape with all the gear. Appreciate any thoughts about work-arounds or do-withouts that get the job done. My plan is to expect the boat to go over at the most awkward time with the most gear deployed.

Scotty flush mounts port and starboard, with mounting hardware used to support either 2 padeyes or 2 eyebolts or a combo of one each: one to keep whatever mounting board / rod holder(s) leashed (very short leash(es)) and one to keep rod(s) leashed (longer leash)(es)). Probably install a second flush mount or use a double rod holder mounting board to allow a combo of rod holder and a second holder for sonar /gps on the starboard /right side, and a combo of rod holder and manual downrigger on port / left.

I will be trolling conventional, spinning, and fly outfits in various combinations from time-to-time, including the use of a manual downrigger if that looks to be most effective. Sometimes will stow everything to surf launch /land, float, pedal, or sail without trying to fish. And all the variations in between.

Each mesh pocket (factory-installed port and starboard) set up with internal or over drainage slot padeye to leash tools such as: Boga grip, needlenose pliers, hook remover, hook hone, line cutter / nipper, etc..

Cleat with eye below mast bungee loop T-hardware: to secure bow line and short in-use leash to Mirage drive. Cleat with eye on bow deck to, among other things as previously posted, hook the bottom-of-mast- bungee loop over to help stow and transport the mast on the starboard while on the water.

Thanks for your input as I try to puzzle this all out

Thanks for the narrative in your quest for better sail handling. My wife and I just took delivery of two Adventures and sail kits over the weekend. Love the sail, but I also want it out of the way when the air is light or attempting to head directly to windward. I'll keep following your journal.

7-6-06

Transducer mount:

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/bb/in ... pic=3665.0

Anyone with experience re the Scotty triple rod mount? Intrigued by its integrated lure and tool holder.

Thanks.

7-6-06

Getting Eagle Cuda sonar/gps with NMEA 0183 port. Anybody using the NMEA stuff to upload / download maps and routes, etc.? Where can I find plain English how-to help?

Thanks.

posted July 06, 2006 11:12 PMJuly 06, 2006 08:12 PM

diverden: Thanks for your helpful thoughts, especially the reminder to take some on-the-water time to figure out where to locate what.

I will take a long look at ram mounts.

I will check and post my take on the nav light laws in California. My gut says if you are underway, such as sailing, you need the full set. Additionally, a white-only light indicates to power boats that you are at anchor - which is fine if you are but maybe not so good if you are actually moving. I think I want all the respect and visibility I can get on the water in dim or no light conditions (I am actually looking at a mast-top white LED, also).

Heavy? Maybe. Pare it down later with more experience? Again, maybe. Not having what you need a couple days into a week long solo kayak tour - not priceless.

Keep the critiques coming!

Thanks again.

7-6-06

The California Department of Boating safety course site indicates that “unpoweredâ€