Hobie Cat Forums

This question is mainly for Matt Miller, but I would appreciate a response from anyone with experience in the matter. I recently purchased a hobie bob mast float for my stock Hobie 17 (no jib). The mast has a comptip, and I see that the comptip must be drilled to install the support rod for the hobie bob. Before I start drilling a $700 mast component, I want to make sure it is the right thing to do. I normally leave my boat rigged with the mast up. I had several questions: (1) the hobie bob is heavier than I suspected it would be, even though it's only 5.5 lbs. With the mast up all the time, will the comptip support the bob without eventually bending or taking a set in some direction? (2) If I capsized the boat, how much extra righting weight will I need to compensate for the extra weight up at the masthead? (3) Will the impact of the bob hitting the water upon capsize break or damage the comptip? I normally sail singlehanded, and weigh about 165lbs.

I capsized my H17 SE last Sunday with a baby-bob on the tip. While I was tending to my little boy and arranging the main and the righting pole, the boat sat with the tamp bottom to a 10 knot wind. The tip never went under water. I felt I had achieved my objective (not turtling and giving me time to tend to things).

I store mast up as well. At about six months, no wear issues. (I restrict the mast so it can not rotate back and forth while stored) NOte: I did not strap/rivet it to the side of the mast, as the parts kit for the larger hobie bob suggests. I created a small mast tip weldment that bolts into the casting with four 10-32 bolts. It's pretty secure. Impact with the water and trailering were also of concern. When capsizing, it was so slow that I am no longer concerned. Trailering never caused any problems either.

Righting weight may be an issue for you. I think you will need a righting pole or a bag. At 175, the rope did not do the trick for me. I had to use the righting pole, which I highly recommend. The 17 requires a special installation due to the curvature of the tramp fore to aft (I am going to post pics of how I did it if I can get some instructions on how to embed a pic in a posting)

Best,

Dan
2002 H17SE / Sport

The Bob float is the only one we have set up to fit a 17, but as Dan P. did, a custom bracket can be made to fit the smaller Baby Bob.

Installed as instructed, the Bob should be plenty secure and not cause the mast issues in storage. If trailering, the float can be removed easily. I tested the Bob hardware by standing a mast upright and letting it fall over on the front lawn at Hobie...no sail...smack against the ground with no problems. The typical capsize is much slower and impact is with water...not hard ground.

How much additional weight to right? I am really not sure on that.

_________________
Matt Miller
Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Hobie Cat USA

I have no scientific evidence to back this up, but without a bob, I'm convinced that quite a bit of the righting weight is used just to get the mast tip out of the water and the sail up in the wind - with the bob, the boat starts that much closer to horizontal and the wind will start lifting the sail almost immediately.

Extra weight? If I had to guess, I'd say none.

*edit: I can right a 17 solo in dead calm conditions with just a rope at about 190lbs wet weight. With less weight, a skilled person can right in most winds that would cause a capsize in the first place. However, a bag or pole is nice for those over and necessary for those that are near, at or under minimum weight for the 17 (160 lbs?), or expect to capsize in very light winds.

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Tim
Unofficial Fleet 72 Communications Officer and Div 4 Webmaster
http://www.hobiefleet72.org
http://www.div4.hobieclass.com/

Dan:

What righting pole do you use? I tried getting the one from Rick White, but it would not fit my 17 as the tramp it to low. At least that is what the dealer said when he tried to install it for me.

Doug

Hi Doug,

I shopped a lot, comparing prices and quality. Turns out the best made unit was the least expensive when ordered from Surf City Catamarans in Santa Cruz, CA. It was around $210.

http://www.surfcitycatamarans.com/
Call (831)359-5918

Dan

I'm nudging this one back to the top. 3 years later..

I'm putting a Bob on my 17 Sport this winter, along with a righting pole ( I weigh 175, 56 years old-need all the help I can get).

Regarding the Bob...is there any need to go with the bigger Bob, as opposed to the smaller one?

I'm confused as to the way it connects. Sounds like with the smaller Bob, Dan P. had to manufacture a mount. Is this still the case?

thanks,

Dan L

I got a Baby Bob for my H17 after getting knocked down while sailing with my young daughter. The boat nearly turtled while I was helping my daughter and slacking the sail. I can't let that happen again.

Anyway ... Anyone who has made a bracket to attach a Baby Bob to a H17 - I would appreciate hearing/seeing how you made bracket.

I don't understand why all the desire to attach bobs to prevent turtles. I've turtled many times solo (about half the times I've flipped) on both H16 and H17Sport. Recovering from a turtle is no big deal. Actually some times I've purposely let the boat turtle, that way I can right the boat from the other side, standing on the leeward hull and get help from the wind. Also there is nothing more stable than a turtled cat, giving you plenty of time to get your @#*^ together (a fast pitchpole can get the blood pumping), loosen all lines, make sure the rudders aren't fouled, etc. Just make sure your mast is sealed, because if not it can get enough water in it that righting could become very difficult if not impossible.

Why mast floats?

Piece of mind.

It is harder to right from turtle.

People don't understand how to get them righted as it is. Righting from turtle can be a challenge for novices.

It takes longer once turtled and in some situations... that would be a real concern.

Waves are MUCH more than just stable upside down... you can not right them from Turtle without significant weight and technique (therefore floats are standard).

Some masts do leak when forced under water to full depth. Righting can then be impossible.

Shallow water or a lee shore can cause significant damage or at the least dirty the sails.

_________________
Matt Miller
Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Hobie Cat USA

Matt, all good points. I've been doing this for such a long time that sometimes I forget the other end of the learning curve. My wife had a bob on her Bravo, when asked I'd sometimes say it was a radar unit or even sonar for when the boat flipped

I am going to chip in also on the bracket question -- which no one has yet to take a stab at answering.

What's the deal? What's the bracket like for the 17? Like part # 30115?

And has anyone ever figured out how to mount a bob on a Tiger or FX?

Sometimes it is recreational or practice and not racing on these boats.

Are the masts really supposed to float enough not to require additional flotation?!

If not the bob, something else?

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Wave
FX-1
Do you want me to tell you for the 1,000,001 time! The Wave...

JJ- the FXone comes up pretty easily from turtle. With the wings on mine it seemed to turtle pretty quickly, so I've been there.

Thanks for response, Karl.

Search here produced a few nuggets: One guy used empty orange juice jugs tied to his 14 mast.

Hmmm, buoyancy bags.

_________________
Wave
FX-1
Do you want me to tell you for the 1,000,001 time! The Wave...

ok, finally getting my 'stuff' together to order my Bob. I have a 17 Sport.

do I need a Big Bob, or a Baby Bob,
and getting back to the original post on this thread, what is the best way to attach it to the mast?

I have a comp tip.

Dan L