Any tips for me to handle my TheMightyHobie18 alone? As someones has noticed I'm a new user on the site. Thank you for all who has answered my previous questions...

Anyhow, my thing is that I have an older Hobie 18 Magnum located in family summer cottage outside Helsinki (Finland). It was bought to us by my father about 10 years ago. I rented it for a friend of mine few year ago and now I got it back and I have some plans to start to sail with it. I don't have much crew options since I don't have a boatplace in "public areas". Anyhow few are around. My girlfriend a sporty scubadiver, no sailing background, my mother used to sail with cats back in 70's, my sister who almost born in a boat but she's not so in to it now a days and her boyfriend who is more into anything which goes with engine. So I have this beautiful cat and I don't have the money to buy a smaller one (there ain't so much cat sailors in finland so used ones are rare, new ones costs too much)and my crew like to sail, but they don't have the same burning feeling like I do. So all the tips for sailing a bigger cat alone are more than wellcome. By the way, like i early mentioned, I have sailed multihulls for a long time but not so much with "beach cats" and I weight about 80 kg.

Nicholas:

I thought I replied, but I couldn't see my post, so I'll try again.

You didn't tell me your size; you should be fairly athletic to be able to handle your H18M by yourself. Not a Lance Armstrong, but fairly athletic. I'm 57 and weigh about 170 lbs. I can easily tighten my main with one hand while holding the tiller. I solo much of the time; as you get older you find the women in your life can't be bothered with getting wet or enjoying the excitement of flying a hull.

Then I make it easy on myself by hoisting the mainsail before I pull the trailer down to the beach and back the trailer into the water (never put the stern of the boat to the wind) and anchor it (to the windward bow) while I return the trailer and the tractor.

I check all the lines and fittings; put the daggerboards in the wells (do not lower them yet); make sure I have my lifejacket on; normally carry a radio, GPS, compass, paddle, and cooler full of beverages.

If the winds are over 15k., I won't go out without a buddy, we'll try to double up whenever we can. When it's over 22, we put three bodies on board.

I'll furl the jib if I'm caught out there in something over 18k. I'll return the boat slowly to the beach if I'm alone, and make sure I drag it up enough to take everything down safely.

Safety is the key: I've had to get my boat back over a few times (Yes, you will get hit with a gust someday) and I couldn't have done it without a righting pole. Don't even think of trying to do it without it unless you're about 250 lbs.

I think it's fun...

Wyatt
www.wnycatamaran.org

I currently have an old Hobie 18 that I often sail alone. I have found that it is fairly easy to sail and pretty forgiving.

However, I have not yet had to right the boat solo. My wife and I (combined 310 lbs) can barely right with the two of us. I am sure that I would not be able to right the boat solo, so I am conservative in sailing when sailing solo.

If you get a water ballast bag, you would be able to right solo.

Also, it is a rather heavy boat and difficult to move around the beach by yourself, but can be done.

Gordon:

I'm not crazy about the water ballast bag; I think it's complicated and it's design goes back at least twenty-five years. It's rather expensive, too, so why not add a few more bucks and put the righting pole on it?

Wyatt

Where can I get some ideas to install a righting pole on a Nacra 5.2?
-Rob
Panama City
Nacra 5.2

Ricks Power Righting Pole

I don't believe Hobie Gary is still making his Solo-Right poles. I have one of those that I used to use on my TheMightyHobie18. That one only works for cats with boards, Ricks will work on any cat.

Rob:

I originally bought a righting pole system through Calvert Sails, but because I had a Hobie 18 Magnum, I did not want to compromise my trampoline (you have to drill into the front crossbar and mount a windsurfing universal mount), I made my own. If you look at it, you can really figure it out. The hard part is finding an old windsurfing mast that you can cut.

My daughter has a Hobie 16 and we installed one that was purchased through Rick's, but I think everything comes from Murray's Marine. Same price either way. This is still kind of new, so everyone keeps tinkering with different installations. The latest one we installed used lines in the corner of the posts instead of eye straps like I have on mine.

If you have a Nacra, you can easily mount the righting system that is available commercially. If you have access to a windsurfing mast (not easy to come by), write me and I'll show you what I did.

Wyatt