Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 9:33 am

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Sailing out of a Harbor
PostPosted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:52 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Wed May 23, 2012 7:48 pm
Posts: 31
Location: Campbell CA
So, I am going to launch my Hobie 16 and sail out of the Santa Cruz Harbor. All my life I have only launched from the beach.

This should be a no brainer right? Any tips from the vets?

_________________
Patrick

Hobie 16
Hobie Getaway

Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 2:00 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:44 am
Posts: 53
Sailing in an out of the harbor is the easy part. If you are heading out or in directly upwind, you need to be confident that you can nail you tacks. If you do blow the tack and wind up on the harbor mouth breakwater you need to know how to reverse the rudders and back wind the main to get off the breakwater, swimming or paddling around may be an option.

The hard part is getting on board and away from the dock and then landing back at the dock, securing a line on the dock and getting off the boat. You either have to do a balance beam walk down a hull from the dock to the tramp or bring the boat along side and take off. Returning to the dock presents even more problems. Somehow you have to turn directly into the wind and coast right to the dock so that your crew can secure a line on the dock. A Hobie goes dead in the water and starts going backward very quickly. You first attempt will almost certainly under shoot and you will have to get under way without hitting the dock and try again. If you do over shoot, you now have a ding to repair. Lowering the main and paddling is an option.

Don't forget that you have to raise and lower the main from the tramp. Departing and returning from a dock can be done and it can be done single handed. It is almost inevitable that you will ram the dock and get to brush up on ding repair as part of the learning process. Having somebody on the dock with a boat hook as a back up, if possible for initial landing attempts would be awfully good insurance.

_________________
Bob


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 2:20 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Wed May 23, 2012 7:48 pm
Posts: 31
Location: Campbell CA
Bob123 wrote:
Sailing in an out of the harbor is the easy part. If you are heading out or in directly upwind, you need to be confident that you can nail you tacks. If you do blow the tack and wind up on the harbor mouth breakwater you need to know how to reverse the rudders and back wind the main to get off the breakwater, swimming or paddling around may be an option.

The hard part is getting on board and away from the dock and then landing back at the dock, securing a line on the dock and getting off the boat. You either have to do a balance beam walk down a hull from the dock to the tramp or bring the boat along side and take off. Returning to the dock presents even more problems. Somehow you have to turn directly into the wind and coast right to the dock so that your crew can secure a line on the dock. A Hobie goes dead in the water and starts going backward very quickly. You first attempt will almost certainly under shoot and you will have to get under way without hitting the dock and try again. If you do over shoot, you now have a ding to repair. Lowering the main and paddling is an option.

Don't forget that you have to raise and lower the main from the tramp. Departing and returning from a dock can be done and it can be done single handed. It is almost inevitable that you will ram the dock and get to brush up on ding repair as part of the learning process. Having somebody on the dock with a boat hook as a back up, if possible for initial landing attempts would be awfully good insurance.


Bob- great information, thanks for your input!

_________________
Patrick

Hobie 16
Hobie Getaway

Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 2:49 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2007 10:46 am
Posts: 1054
Location: eureka,california
Which side of the harbor are you launching out of?
Yacht club side there is a Dinghy ramp by the coast guard building pretty easy to use. We normally put the main up and roll down the ramp on beach wheels.
There is also a hoist that can be used.

Boat ramp side is a nice open ramp and is relatively easy to sail in and out of. Tack early before getting to close to the sides and if the dredge pipe is out stay away from it.

_________________
Rich Vilvens
F-18 5150
[email protected]
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/f-185150sailing/


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 3:02 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2007 11:23 am
Posts: 599
Location: Lake Norman NC
Really good paddle ready to go the good paddles will have a boat hook on the handle :lol:
Former Hobie Admiral Gary
A dock line or two is also good to have handy


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 4:38 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2008 3:58 pm
Posts: 184
Location: Punta Gorda, FL
Check the tide times before you go. An incoming tide and upwind can make it impossible to make any head way.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 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