Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Tue Mar 19, 2024 1:53 am

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Fri May 25, 2012 5:46 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 2:46 pm
Posts: 16
Location: San Antonio TX
What do you stow on your Bravo for a day on a lake? Spare parts? Extra line? A paddle? Cell phone? What?

And just out of curiosity, what's the longest you've stayed out on the water in your Bravo before coming back to shore?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri May 25, 2012 6:56 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2011 1:32 pm
Posts: 34
Location: Abaco, Bahamas
Paddle
Plastic zip-lock bags
Knife
Bic lighter & matches in zip-lock
GPS & VHF in zip-locks
TP in zip-lock
Water bottle
Nylon pullover anorak with hood
Some times small anchor & line
Some times snorkel/dive gear & spear
Longest time out around 5 hrs.

Front hatch is FULL!


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri May 25, 2012 7:02 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 12:07 pm
Posts: 1041
Location: Ontario, Canada
This really depends on personal preference. For me, it also depends on which lake I'm on, how cold the water is, and who is out on the water with me.

I sometimes don't even take a cell phone when I'm out on some of the smaller lakes with regular boat traffic.

I always take water and a snack. I also usually take extra sailing clothes in a dry bag. Depending on the wind, or water conditions, it's nice to have an extra layer of clothes, like a spray top, or a wet suit vest etc.

As far as how long I've been out on the Bravo. That really depends on the conditions. If the winds are strong, and it's really athletic to sail the boat on that day, I've gone for as little as an hour. If I'm at the cottage and just playing around, and can go out anytime, I'll regularly go for 15 minute sails. The longest I've gone was about 6 hours on a perfect day on a new lake with great scenery.

One thing that I added to my boat which really helps with taking gear is this small rope. I can fasten anything from a pair of shoes to a dry bag onto it, and it allows me to securely take a few more things than the small gear hatch would up front.

I don't keep anything in the back hatch other than a safety kit, and a mesh bag, just in case I need to secure small items when I'm out. I can also secure this bag to the line pictured below.

Here's a picture of the rope.

Image

Image

_________________
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri May 25, 2012 9:50 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 2:46 pm
Posts: 16
Location: San Antonio TX
Thanks augaug. Always good suggestions, and the photos are especially helpful for a newbie like me.

It looked like the small rope you use to secure stuff to the deck is tied around one of the foot straps. Any reason why you wouldn't use something sturdier, like the A-frame?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri May 25, 2012 10:02 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 2:46 pm
Posts: 16
Location: San Antonio TX
Thanks BrahmaBravo,

How and where do you secure the paddle and anchor?

Is there enough clearance between the water and the underside of the deck to (somehow) fasten a paddle or anchor under there?

What are the lighter and matches for?

Do you bring the GPS because you're sailing out of sight of the shore?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri May 25, 2012 10:36 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2011 1:32 pm
Posts: 34
Location: Abaco, Bahamas
I bungee strap the paddle to the two A-frame supports across the bow. I suppose it would fit under the boat, but I want it where I can get to it quick.

I don't take the anchor unless I plan to dive for conch or lobsters. When I do take it, I also tie it to one of the A-frame supports with a small rope similar to AugAug.

I don't take the GPS unless it is a high wind day and I want to check my speed. Or, sometimes to see how many miles I have sailed that day. I would never sail out of sight of land.

VHF and matches because I sail in a very remote area (often don't see anyone for hours). Cell phones don't work so I need the VHF to call for assistance if something goes wrong. So far, never needed it.

Same for matches...never know when I might get stuck on an island and need to dry out, cook a lobster or for a signal. Okay, I know, I'm paranoid!

Enjoy your Bravo. It's a blast, especially in high winds (20-25 mph), and if the water is warm (which it always is here).


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri May 25, 2012 10:44 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 12:07 pm
Posts: 1041
Location: Ontario, Canada
Haikubamboo wrote:
It looked like the small rope you use to secure stuff to the deck is tied around one of the foot straps. Any reason why you wouldn't use something sturdier, like the A-frame?


The hiking straps are plenty sturdy (they're strong enough to hold your weight and a passenger as you hang your weight over the side of the boat) and I wanted something that would keep things in the centre of the boat. Tying anything off of the A-frame down low would mean that whatever is tied off could drag in the water when you fly a hull. This location is also out of the way of anything related to sailing, like the rotating mast, furling line, sail etc, and even when flying a hull, or tipping, if you tie things correctly, the furthest they'll go is up on the outer hull, instead of into the water.

Haikubamboo wrote:
Is there enough clearance between the water and the underside of the deck to (somehow) fasten a paddle or anchor under there?


I wouldn't fasten anything on the underside of the boat. A large wave, or even a pitchpole (which on the Bravo, isn't a cartwheel type of tip, it's just the front end burying itself into the water causing the boat to rapidly slow down) could cause you to lose whatever is there. Plus there is no way to inspect it while you're sailing.

I used to think about taking a paddle but now I never do. It greatly depends on where you sail, but Canadian law only requires that you have a "manual propulsion device" which can include moving the rudder back and forth like the rear fin of a fish. The Bravo will move in almost NO wind, once you get used to sailing it, and if there is actually no wind, rocking the rudder back and forth can usually move you as far as you need to go. Sometimes I raise the rudder partway so that it gives me a longer sweep in the water.

Obviously that won't work in a high current area, but for all of my sailing, I have yet to find a need for a paddle on this boat.

I do know that some people take a kayak paddle, take it apart, and then strap one end to each side of the A-Frame. Here is a picture of someone who put both paddles on one side.

Image

_________________
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat May 26, 2012 3:25 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 2:46 pm
Posts: 16
Location: San Antonio TX
BrahmaBravo,

Thanks. I'm trying to imagine sailing in the ocean in a 25 mph wind (are the waves white-capped at that wind speed?), hours away from anyone, where you might have to spend the night on an uninhabited island cooking the lobster you caught that day. That's gotta be a special kind of fun. In my dreams, maybe.

AugAug,

Thanks. I can see fastening anything beneath the hull is not such a good idea. There's a pretty good chance it won't be there at the end of the day.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat May 26, 2012 7:29 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2011 1:32 pm
Posts: 34
Location: Abaco, Bahamas
I've never sailed in the open ocean and doubt that I will ever try it. All of my sailing is on the lagoon side of the fringing reef islands. As long as that side is the lee side of the wind,20-25 mph is not too bad...small swells with white caps, but nothing big. 20-25 mph from the opposite direction is not doable for me. I've found that when the swells get too big (2-3 ft), I cannot tack because when the bow hits the swell head on it stops the tack. So you have to gybe which is a little tricky in that kind of wind. I'm still learning (first sail ever was in December) and I'm not quite as agile as I use to be (I'm 72). One reason that I went with the Bravo was the furling sail. It can keep you out of a lot of trouble when you need it.
Have fun!


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2019 7:52 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2018 5:54 am
Posts: 4
I store an emergency paddle in my Bravo. 20$ on Amazon, collapsing. It does fit in the back hatch with a little wiggling. I drilled a hole on the inside of the hatch and tied the paddle to it so it can’t move forward inside the boat.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group