Hobie Cat Forums

For those of you running spinnakers, how do you have the bridles for the pole attached to the bows? Drill another hole in the existing tang, add a whole separate tang, something else entirely?

I'm hoping to *finally* finish getting my reacher rigged up this weekend - I just need to get the bridles rigged and i'm good to go!

Thanks,
Steve

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1990 Hobie 18SX #2077

I put a extra hole in the bridle bracket. I also added a small eye strap to the bow, inside lip, a couple inches back from the front.

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DVL 1989 H-18 Worlds Boat, Magnum Wings & Spinnaker

dale.vanlopik"at"att"dot"net

Extra hole in the bridle bracket for me. Remember to induce bend in the pole when you rig it, if not it will wiggle like a noodle under the pull of a spin.

I also placed extra eye straps on inner lip near the bow. Bridles run from tip of pole to these eye straps. I put D shakles to the bridles at the bow plates bridles and run the lines from the mid-pole snuffer to them. Also, as stated pre bend the spin pole. Be sure to do this after rig tension is set. When flying the spin be sure to travel out the main and sheet in as this acts as a backstay. Have fun! Jim.

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ADDICTION
1989 HOBIE 18 SE/sx wings
HOBIE ALTER SIGNATURE MODEL

Thanks for the help guys. I'll post some pictures of the rig when I'm done.

Steve

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1990 Hobie 18SX #2077

Idea ...

Replace the clevis pin and ring that attaches the bridle wire to the bow tang w/ a "bell shackle" .... just face it forward ...

I've done that already to ALL my clevis pins that hold the rig up ... use a shackle w/ a "captive" pin, so you can't lose the pin accidently ....

For my towing set-up I have a bridle made up that I tie to the front crossbar and have "snap" shackles that I hook onto the bridle shackles to hold the towing bridle up and prevent my boat from getting sideways to the towing boat (and the tow line)

I had a "incident" while doing a "long distance" race where I pulled the clevis ring out w/ the mainsheet for the port shroud when we tacked .... the pin dropped out and the shroud was just hanging/swinging in the wind ... luckly we discovered it before we tacked back ... and dropped the rig !!!! I had (5) spare clevis pins w/ rings along w rigging tool/knife attached to my lifejacket ... Sue dropped the first two clevis pins overboard ... w/ less then a 1/4 mile to go before a riprock protected shoreline, she got the third one in ... I was getting nervous!!! ... and we were able to tack away !!!! ... safely ...

Hence ... the bell shackles w/ captive pins ...

Oh ... for towing in a line (of boats) ... I tie the next boat behind me to the towline where the towing bridle (I use (2) 20 "docklines w/ loops sliced into them for my bridle) is attached by tieing a loop in the towline using a bowline knot ... I attach the next towline to that loop ... this means there is NO EXTRA LOAD on my boat ...

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HarryMurphey
H-18 mag/ #9458
Fleet 54 Div 11

Interesting thought on the bell shackles... I guess the only problem would be that you can't take the pole down without dropping the rig, too?

If you're worried about loosing pins, you can also wrap them all in electrical tape (such that the tape is both holding the pin in and preventing anything from snagging). Get the good stuff from Lowes/Home Depot that comes in the little plastic case and is available in a bunch of colors, not the cheap "economy" tape- it won't last and will leave a nasty residue everywhere... the shroud covers are nice too, but not as cheap as a role of E-tape

What do you guys do about wind vanes? I like my telo cat, but it's going to be in the way once the pole is there.

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1990 Hobie 18SX #2077

Old cassette tape or yarn. I have some vanes for the shrouds but they do not read the air correctly from there, cassette tape works the best.

FWIW, the later H18s came with additional holes in the bridle tangs, presumably for attaching spinaker bridle lines, so I think adding a hole to the bridle tangs for this purpose would not be an issue.

sm

Maybe the extra hole was added for the SX model .... or does the SX model have an extra set of bridle tangs mounted on the boat (I've never checked that detail ...)

For my P19MX w/ spin I mounted SS eyebolts at the bow to attach the spinpole bridles to .... I use 1/8" spectra/vectra and just tie it on ... I mark the line w/ a permenate marker after a few sails w/ the chute because as the spectra is loaded the first few time it elongates as the braid tightens down ... it does not stretch ... but the effect is the same ... the line lengthens slightly

Note, that the eyebolt idea will not work on the H18 unless you can make the first 4" approximently, SOLID vs hollow as the H18 is constructed. The NACRA's and Prindles are "solid" for the first 4" approx .... the gunwale mounted "eyestrap" works on the H18 ....

W/ the spinacker ... I have to lose the telocat and sail by the jib "tales" ... but I do have an ol' cassete tape that I use for bridle "tales" ... (cassete tape does not absorb water) .... it a Bob Marley tape ... RASTAVIBRATION !!!! ....
.... Hey Mon !!!! ..... (I can feel the Caribbean breezes and taste the Rum Punch!!!!)

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HarryMurphey
H-18 mag/ #9458
Fleet 54 Div 11

at the bridle connector on the hulls, up front... replace the clevis pin with a 1/4 inch (same diameter as the required pin..) ... shackle... and put the loop part of the shake to the front of the boat... the "pin" of the shackle replaces the original clevis pin.

to the front of the spin pole.. run your line to the shackle.
I went to L36.com and learned to splice dyneema... made a eye spilce and did a larks head w/the loop.. .around the curve of the shackle... other end of the dyneema ties off w/truckers hitch at the end of the spin pole.

now... to support the middle of the spin pole I did the same thing with the line. But instead of a shackle... I drilled a small hole in the lip of the deck.

I took one of those Hobie 16 shround anchor bars with the threaded hole in it... and put it up under the lip where I drilled the hole....

then i fed an eye spliced dyneema through the hole in the shround anchor bar... did another larks head... brought the dyneema out the hole and tied it off to the spin pole....

everythings' great... rest of the spin is setup like a modern F18... inverted camcleat on the mast, etc, etc....

I use VHS tape (it's bigger than cassette tape) tied to each bridle as a wind incidator... replace as needed.....

cheers, Rob.

Speaking of wind vanes, I'm surprised that no one mentions using a Davis Windex S10 vane at the top of the mast. I did this install on my comptip by drilling/tapping mount holes in the SS mast hook. The 'tacking tabs' are pretty much useless as the mast rotates them out of position relative to the wind, but I get a great indication of where the true/apparent wind is up top. I also use cassette tape about 6' up the shrouds. Used together you can see if there's any wind shear top to bottom.

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Chris
'88 H18SE Arís

I used bell shackles on mine, worked great.

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2001 Nacra 20
84 H16 108123

I have a 1999 h18SX and there are no extra spin bridal holes on my bridal tangs. I also run the bell shackle. Easy to set up and non destructive.

I also run spectra for my bridals so it's actually super easy to remove the spin pole if you want to, but where's the fun in that

Adam

Back to the windvane question, I'm addicted to my Telo-cat and attached the female mount to the end of my spin pole to allow me to mount the vane. I then use a foam ball with a slit in it that fits over the sharp edges and then duct tape it all up to prevent tearing the spin.

Tom
1988 H18M Windraider