Hobie Cat Forums

Okay you will have to bear with me I am new to sailing and live in Oklahoma where its not common and people look at me funny when I have it out lol, but I took my holder out to the water for the first time ever today managed to sail about a mile and back but truthfully idk if its even rigged right the boat seems fantastic and I only gave $100 for it the sail is beautiful im guessing all the ropes (sheets) i think are all there everything seems there to my knowledge but like I said i know nothing so please someone help me idk if everything is there idk if im sailing it right or anything I know nothing of the sailing world except it seems very addicting and part of my future hobbies thank you for anything you can help me with i can also post pictures if you need me to and if its even possible.

Here's a start...

http://static.hobiecat.com/web_uploads/2011/10/04/Holder12Manual.pdf

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Yeah I reviewed the manual on there I went out again today for about a 5 hour trip I think I got the hang of it my only problem is learning to sail back against the wind.

Try to find a place to launch where you sail into the wind off the beach, and then with the wind back home!

Seriously, my first time out I just practiced going straight out to a point on the horizen and straight back, out to a different point, and back, etc. for the whole day. It was a challenge for me, and I learned a ton about how to trim sails in every direction, how to tack, etc. Plus it gave me confidence that I could go anywhere and get back. I had a breeze blowing toward shore and learned that any direction I could go OUT in, I could get back in. With the breeze blowing away from shore, I can imagine it is more difficult as there are points you can GET directly to, but need to tack your way back from.

Second day, I tacked more and went much farther out.

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Steve
1979 Hobie 16 "Orange Crusher"

Sheet the sail in tighter and hike harder!
Seriously, that is the trick to going upwind. Don't be afraid to pull the sail in all the way and if the breeze is up, hook your feet under the hiking strap and lean out to keep the boat flat. Let the sheet out in the puffs so the boat doesn't heel too much. If it does, the rudder will come out of the water and the boat will spin into the wind (broach).

I sailed a Holder 12 a long time ago when I was young. They are a great little boat, excellent for learning.

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I think one of the problems is I'm sailing on a lake kinda in a cove blocked with some trees. And can someone explain tacking etc I'm not sure what the terms are and mean I'm sorry I'm new at all this. And the closes place that offers lessons is about 300-400 miles away in the next state

Many of us probably could explain these terms and concepts in a convoluted way, but really, if you want to get an understanding of the fundamental principles of sailing, I'd suggest you just bite the bullet and buy an introductory book on sailing. There are several of them available and they will list all the boat parts, terms, etc and explain the concepts of sail trim, going upwind & downwind etc with pictures and diagrams that you can use for reference as you learn. Do a little self-educating and then come back here with specific questions if you have them.

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Invitation to Sailing by Alan Brown. Cheap paperback that you can probably check out of your local library.

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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16