Awesome, now I just need some warm weather.

Where can I find more information on the Gunpowder Regatta and the RHYC? I checked out the web site and see that the RHYC race is from the Chester River Yacht Club to the RHYC. How is that race? We sail on the open bay where I live. Does the river get good wind? I just have to get my friend on board for this and find out which of our boats to use when we can race. He might boot me from his team though due to weight, haha.

Also, for lacing the tramp: would 'Vectran Cored Double Braid' be a good option in either 3/16" or 1/4"? Any advantage to thicker lacing?

Hi Md,

The Gunpowder Regatta will be hosted by Hobie Fleet 54 at the Gunpowder ST Park/Hammermill Area(@ the Concession Bldg) and has a "Open" Fleet Class start on May 2-3rd. This is really, really close to you. (I'll be racing my TheMightyHobie18 there if I'm not on Race Commitee)

That's the "Down the River Race" on Friday June 19th. Rock Hall Yacht Club's Annual One-Design Regatta follows on Sat/Sun, June 20th-21st at RHYC. The Down the River race is a "Hoot", it's a "Run What You Brung" format ... there are traditional Chesapeake Log Canoes, Catamarans, Lightnings, Windmills, Comets, Lasers ...etc I wouldn't be surprised if someone uses an Opti! It's just a really fun race down a the river with lots of turns and a party afterwards at RHYC. I can 't say that it is a windy race as it is usually light to med winds, but it is a fun race. Then you can race Sat/Sun at RHYC in the area that's is nice and wide w/ good breezes and flat water where the Chester River widens out and the Corsica River along with Langford Cove joins in. Minimal power boat traffic.

As you both have Nacras you'll be racing in the "Open" Class on the Chesapeake Bay. Have you checked out the "Open" Class web site? If not, goto www.sailcrac.com there you will find lots of information. There is also the West River Sailing Assoc, they race on the West River just below Annapolis, Roger Holmes and Kieth Chapman organize those races. (I think their website is linked to the sailCrac website)

There will be several other "Open" Class Races in July, Cambridge YC's (July 20-21st)on the Choptank River and Corsica River YC's (July 25-26th) on the Chester River @ Conquest Beach/Spaniard Point. Both are very nice venues w/ camping so they are reasonably cheap and are fun times.

Some of the guys are using 1/8" spectra/vectra/dynema non-stretch line. I do something a little different since I hate re-tensioning my tramp all the time ... I use 1/2" bungie cord (availible at Fawcett's Marine Supply in Annapolis)... this keeps the tramp tight all the time, it makes it in fact self-adjusting/retracting. (But you need really strong bungie!!!) I believe that the average tightness of my tramp is greater then if I used non-stretch line (as the tramp stretchs if the line doesn't too) over the course of a day's racing. (Besides I want to be socializing after racing not tightening a tramp for the next days racing) Try either and decide for yourself.

Got to run off to a computor class to improve my skills

HarryMurphey
TheMightyHobie18/#9458, Fleet54/Div11
P19MX/#86, CRAC/Open Clas
RHYC Catamaran Fleet Captain

If you don't care about a stiff (and therefore fast) boat then you can use bungie. Its certainly more comfortable. However a drum-tight tramp contributes to the platform stiffness and a stiffer boat, is a faster boat.

Yes, I agree the tighter the tramp, the faster the boat...

But there are two components to a tramp system: the tramp itself and the line used for lacings ... the tramp stretchs and the line can too or can not if you use non-stretch lines like spectra/vectra/dynema etc

Now my TheMightyHobie18 has a solid vinyl tramp laced w/ 1/2" bungie, my P19MX has a nylon mesh tramp laced w/ 1/8" spectra, Ok.

I've started the day racing on the P19 and by mid-day the tramp is sagging ... now in theory the line didn't stretch so the tramp must have stretched. Either way the result is a loose tramp which is not "fast"

Now I've raced my TheMightyHobie18 laced w/ 1/2" Bungie Cord and at the end of the day my tramp is still tight ... in fact it is so tight that it meets on the centerline. You can not get a tramp any tighter then that.

So it's been my observation that while you can initially get a tramp slighly tighter with non-stretch spectre if you average the tramp tightness over a period of time/races the 1/2" Bungie keeps the tramp on average tighter as it self-adjusts. And most people do not re-tighten their tramps every day after racing. Also remember I'm talking about 1/2" "Mongo" Bungie not some 1/4" or even the 3/8" that people tried years ago.

Now my TheMightyHobie18 keeps up w/ every other TheMightyHobie18 in Div11 and points with them as well .....

There are usually more then one solution to any problem .... some people pinch/point and go slow, some people foot and go fast ...

By the way, I like your dog ... he has that Pirate look, Grrrrr ...

Harry Murphey

Oh, I forgot the most important thing ... "the Idiot on the stick" ...and that's me. I'm what slows the boat down !!!! by making poor decision on the race course.

Harry

Maybe ya need to lay off all those meatballs, and the tramp might not stretch so much.

Tawd

p.s. My bet is on your knots slipping or setting in.

And I was thinking about making some meatballs for you guys for the Down the Bay race ... no meatballs for you, Todd

I think the beer has a bigger impact on my wieght ..... (maybe I just need to drink more Wild Turkey 101).

Could be the knots ..... but how do you get around that? You have to untie them to re-tighten the tramp ... you tie them again, race the boat ... and the knot "set-in again. Seems like a vicious circle.

My TheMightyHobie18 tramp sounds like a big base drum .... buum, buum, buum .... remember I pull and stretch the bungie a fair amount .... in effect "Pre-loading" the tramp.

Harry Murphey
Harry

I've tightened my new tramp twice.

1st time when I put it on.

2nd time after I had sailed it for a couple hours and it had "settled in".

Its been tight as a drum ever since.

Yep Harry,
Mine is like Thadeus said, put it on, tighten in the summer sun and that's usually it for a long,long time.
Sounds like something is up with your tramp.
I was just trying to help you out and you cut me out of the meatball loop.Thanks,buddy.

Todd,

I do except bribes ... the currency is cold, bottled and preferably a LAGER ....

What are you guys using for lacing lines??? Material/size???

I found basically the same thing but it would take me approximently 3-4 times to stretch out the tramp and get it to be tight enough that it would not stretch any more. I know I'm not as big or strong as either of you ... maybe I just don't get it as tight the first time. I have a new tramp for the TheMightyHobie18 but I still need to purchase the lacing line. I'll look at using non-stretch spectra, I'll compare the costs, the 1/2" bungie is getting expensive and I can only get it at Fawcetts (near the city dock in Annapolis). What I do like about the 1/8" spectra is you can double lace the tramp ... lacing in both directions. The 1/2" bungie fills the grommet so you can only lace it once.

What do you use to tighten the tramp? I've used one of those tramp tightening tools you twist and I've used a "boot hook" you use to pull on your cowboy boots. With both I used two pair of needlenosed visegrips to clamp the line at a grommet so I could lace some more (or rest my sore hands).

Oh, the Chesapeake Cruising Multi's are thinking of doing the Down the Bay Race instead of the Annapolis-St Micheals Race on Memorial Day Weekend. They are taking a survey as we speak.

Harry

1/8" amsteel and a hook with a handle,like a boot hook I guess.Pull ,pinch,move to the next lace.

Harry I think our tramp lacing styles are a bit different. Ours lace up at the sides and the back. Does yours go down the middle? Those are a bitch to tighten.

On mine I just put a glove on and use my giant meatpaw to tighten her up. No tool required.

In a message with Dazz, he recommended lacing each hook to the tramp individually. Do you guy do that and maybe have pictures? And would there be any detriment to using 3/16" line over 1/8"?

I think my just laces on the back and up one side for tension.

Yes and No ...

The Hobie laces up the middle and across the back ... it can be a b_tch. I have to lace it on the ground crawling around or pull the boat halfway off the trailer and rest the sterns on sawhorses. That's why I "whimp" out and use the bungie maybe .... lace once, stretching the bungie a good bit and I'm done for 3-4yrs (and the 1/2" bungie is much easier on the hands)

The P-19MX has a Sunrise Tramp on it that is constructed on a diagonal bias. It only laces across the back, SWEET!!! The original "factory" tramp laced down the portside and across the back. I highly recommend Sunrise Products ... very high quality and the diagonal biased design laces up nice and tight w/ no wrinkles ... they supply alot of tramps to larger multi's also. I can lace/tighten the tramp while the boat is on the trailer standing up.

So the TheMightyHobie18 is a little tougher to lace or tighten .... the P19 is easier.

But my hands ache either way just thinking about lacing/tighting tramps ....

Harry Murphey

MD,

1/8" spectra/vectra/amsteel/dynema has a rated breaking strength of 2200-2500lbs. You don't need anything greater ... in fact it could use it as "standing rigging" anything bigger is just overkill and added wieght to the boat

Harry

Nice! If Todd doesn't want them then my team will take-them-there-meatballs...stop posting and get cookin'!

I remember a post about a method to tighten the tramp lacing on an H-16. It involved putting a line around the rails and twisting with a piece of wood to bow the side rails in. That allowed you to pull the center lace tight and then release the tension on the rope. Maybe someone has done this or read that post and knows more about it.

Howard

No Rails.

I'm sure I'll be corrected here by a Hobie history buff, but they raised the tramp on rails on the H16 when they realized that they'd but in the water a good deal of time on that boat.

'Where we're going, we don't need__________.' (from back to the future). Fill it in with whatever you want, rails, gas, sails, grass, motors, tales, rotors, etc.

The other Todd

Quick question. I just rigged up the shock cord to hold the daggers in place. Does anyone have problems with the rear of the board cutting into the shock cord?

I probably just have to sand that edge smoother?