Hobie Cat Forums

Use of fixed 50' line....(old jib sheet actually), you have to be there to see it work.....

Sure, we only do that when we have at least 6 able bodies around,
as we have to make sure the H18 is stable and under control as we wheel it.
One set of cat trax at the front cross bar, one set at the rear cross bar.
Would not have posted this idea if we had not done it many times...
and I repeat that we do this on a hard and level surface.
Yes, alternative surfaces could be dangerous and backward.

SRM, can you email me off line re your ride on a Wave...?

later

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1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

I still don't see the point of raising the mast this way. Seems like way too much effort and complication. If you have six able-bodied sailors around, then you have one person go to the back of the mast to hold it up while two people hop up on the tramp and raise the mast. Then one guy goes forward and pins the forestay. The other three sit back and slug brews.

PM sent regarding Wave sailing.

sm

A number of cat sailors in our group are north of 70, and their backs complain when they lift anything heavy.....heavier than a six pack....another couple of years, and I'll be there...

But you are right, there are many different ways to drink a beer.

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1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

I'm mast up all season so I use a 6-foot step ladder and a "come-along". The ladder gives me something to rest the mast on while I'm pinning the hinge and it really helps get the lifting process started (I broke a hinge a while back muscling it up from the beam so I'm pretty paranoid about keeping the mast in line and find the ladder really helps). I hook the come-along to the front of my trailer, run it under the bridle wires and then clip a line on the other end to wrap around the raised mast (in the sail entry gap). I find the come-along simplifies the final step of getting the forestay pinned.

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Irie, mon....
'82 Hobie 18 SE with '85 Nationals Prism (White) sails
'73 Laser HID# 3463

Heres what I did:

I went to a local steel fabricator and had them make a super sturdy "mast" that would bolt to the trailer.

This was accomplished by welding 3 pieces of steel together. A 1/4" thick 3"X3" square tube 8' high steel square tube to 2 pieces of 12" X 12" triangular 1/4" steel welded to each side that would overlap the trailer tounge(3" wide). There were (4) 1/2" holes drilled in the base of the triangle to run bolts through to "sandwich" the trailer tounge beam.

Using "U" bolts around the 3" mast, I bolted a rubber keel roller to the very top and cheap boat winch down further on the mast. You want to choose a keel roller that is at least 4" of flat surface with a bracket to do this. Will explain why below.

To raise the mast, I use (2) of the trapeeze wires 1 from each pair. The other 2 trapeze wires are connected to a strap on the sides to keep the mast from tipping. The eyelet at the end of the trapeeze wires connects to the nylon strap loop on the boat winch. A spare or worn shackle works great for this. With the boat winch you can tighten the mast up to get any tension on the forestay. Once the mast is secured I just remove the shackle that seperates the nylon winch strap from the trapeze wires and they swing free ready for their nylon cords. The wide keel roller is because if you use the trapeeze wires to raise the mast, the grips might at some point traverse the roller and a wide wide one they will just turn flat and rotate over the rubber wheel. The the time they go over the roller, the mast is almost raised anyway with not a lot of force. Caution: Make sure the catararan is secure on the trailer and does not move forward as when you first raise the mast the angle is pushing the boat forward as much as raising the mast upward.

On the back of the trailer, right behind the H18 rear cross bar, I bolted (2) dock post brackets to the each side of the rear trailer frame. The galvanized tube slides in and out of the brackets which you can use for your "rear mast holder". Mine is about 4' high so you get a good starting angle on the mast raising. You can make it higher, but its just more clumsy to pull out of the holders. Mine is just 2 pipes with a cross piece clamped between and a notch for the mast. After the mast is raised you just pull it out of the brackets to launch the boat.

The system was very safe and secure. But ironicaly, I ended up buying a season pass at our marina so I just leave the mast up all summer.