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PostPosted: Sun Sep 15, 2013 3:20 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2013 5:25 pm
Posts: 387
Location: Jaco, Costa Rica
Pete, I think your getting way out of line here. As they would say, your digging deeper into do do, with your comments. I don't understand why your attacking Tony, he's been very gentleman like with his comments. Nobody here is looking for a semantic argument or personal attacks. Let's just share in experiences and help each other by suggesting fixes. Yet, let's not mislead anyone, thus the forum to correct and help each other out.

Corrected upon Keith's comments next.

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Tandem Island- 2013
2 - Sports - 2014


Last edited by CR Yaker on Sun Sep 15, 2013 7:33 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 15, 2013 7:00 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:14 pm
Posts: 3323
Location: South Florida
I think Pete simply was relating his experience when he lost his rudder, which he pointed out early was not a Hobie design. Now, he did not say initially that it was not an AI/TI, and some, myself included, thought it was. I don't think he had any intention of disparaging Hobie--he was simply relating his experience and concluding that a motor backup would have been very helpful. There are AI/TI owners who have expressed the same opinion on this forum. For example, http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=49014

Pete has posted 32 times on this forum. He clearly is thinking of getting a Hobie. Whether he gets a Hobie or not is his business, and it does not reflect on us Hobie owners one way or the other. Hobie does not require proof-of-ownership to post on these forums. Let's cut Pete some slack and move on.

Keith

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"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

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PostPosted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 1:29 am 
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Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2013 4:26 pm
Posts: 36
Much appreciated Keith.

The purchase of a TI is take a family member along as my wood craft much as I love it is strictly a solo undertaking and would be woefully if not dangerously low in the water with double occupancy.
You wouldn't think it from the waterline length but its quite narrow and fine ended. At any rate Ive followed tri-hull kayak derived sail craft since the later 90s with the Trika and Fulmar being the first commercially produced craft of this sort. I think Windrider arose the same time if not a couple years later. What's engaging about the Hobie line is the success it struck sidestepping some of the pitfalls of the first two anyway. Perhaps some will recall the pedal drive reminiscent of a bicycle on the Fulmar for example.

At anyrate my thanks.

Pete


Last edited by Petewp61 on Mon Sep 16, 2013 1:52 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 1:44 am 
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Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2013 4:26 pm
Posts: 36
Tony Stott,

No more private messages please Im done with the arguments here and Im moving on. Enough is enough.

Pete


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 2:48 am 
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Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2012 11:20 pm
Posts: 273
Location: London UK
Petewp61 wrote:
I went sailing the other day. My wind forecast app rightly told me winds from 15 to 20 knots were expected and so I planned accordingly. Winds were light at first as I meandered along at 4-4.5 mph but true to forecast the winds built up till I was beginning to surf in the direction of my exiting the harbor into open LI Sound.

Then I lost all directional control - 2 miles from land I was careening now out into oblivion with no response from my rudder inputs and looking back found it planing on the water. I should mention at this point this rudder is my own fabrication NOT HOBIES. Its also the second time my fabricating has failed me but this was particularly perilous...

The waves were now building and the wind was due NW - EXACTLY the direction I needed to go. I put all my strength into paddling (no mirage ) as hard as I could and found to my dismay speeds ranging from 0 to 1.5 mph with 0.5 being the norm. I paddled into exhaustion then took a break only to find myself being blown back out the harbor. So I stayed at it and stayed at it and stayed at it and finally came to terms with the fact I was not able to make it back to the boat ramp. I would have to go where the wind blew me without venturing into the opens sound. That the sky was now blue-purple looking like lightening (but none forecasted) only added to my anxiety.

I texted my wife telling her I might not be home tonight as the craft was disabled and i was drifting and paddling to a far away beach miles from my car. The cool air temps made the idea dreadful. I didn't know exactly what could be needed to fix the rudder once on land so that was my worst case scenario. I had ideas about lashing it to the craft where the bolts sheared. As the waves built to 3 feet breaking over my port side my ideas of sailing in this water with a Jimmyrigged rudder became foolhardy at best. Disasterous is was more like it .

I scanned my upcoming but still distant landfall as I crept at a seemingly speedy 2.5mph. I took breaks often as I was dispirited and exhausted. I wanted firm land so bad now. I to my wife I was safe but possibly not coming home tonight. I eyed a park but it had a rocky shoreline, then a residential area with beachfront property. I saw sand and that was all it took.

I finally made landfall after getting port slapped continuously with the 3 footers and never felt better for it. I was startled to learn I had virtually no upper body strength to lift myself from the craft. It was a shaky grunting maneuver that caught the homeowners attention who'd seen my drama play out.

"I saw you struggling" was her first words - thankfully - it wasn't going to be a pissing ground contest. I was still below the high tide line ;).

Surveying the damage finally revealed my awful circumstances. My rudder broke free partially but acted as a hydro-brake by laying a flat ninety degrees to my travel. It fluttered and veered but ever remained as a monumental drag that sapped me dry.

I slowly put my salvation to work...

Ok I have money in my car, ill call a taxi - lo and behold the home owner (renter I came to learn) said it was fine for me to beach my craft over night.

Free at last.

Safety review: wisdom learned wasn't new but it was reaffirmed - even a shakedown test cruise can go horribly awry. Always carry exposure wear for that unplanned forced beaching that leaves you cold wet and alone till rescue - self or otherwise. I always have a space blanket, etc, but not this time. I was too too optimistic and careless as a result.

Lesson number 2: I am SO getting an outboard. This could have happened with me ten miles being the closest land - easily. Not only would have the outboard afforded me better speed it would have allowed far better steering and I could have power sailed. Paddling alone with sail up was miserable to liability prone. With sail lowered I moved just as awful. If you have no rudder control and its fluttering sailing his not an option. A motor would have had the needed muscle I so dearly wanted.

You have no idea how warm and inviting even the simple smells of home are when you realize you ain't gonna make it.

Pete


Here you go

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0KXGP9N-rk[/youtube]

cc

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