That must be one small bottle! It doesn't look like it has head room for more than one or two playing cards.

now that you mention it, the picture is deceiving.

The whole area is a recessed alcove off the back of my garage.

Here's a pic that tries to give all the associated dimensions.

Back to the 5.2 discussion. I am considering selling my 5.2 because I would like to start racing with my son, starting with the Hobie MidWinters. However, they don't allow any non-hobie boats to enter. Funny how that works. Anyway, I am considering selling the Nacra for a Hobie 16. I know some of you Nacra sailors are fanning your faces right now trying to maintain consciousness, but the Hobie 16 would allow me to race more. I feel the Nacra 5.2 is a better and faster boat, but I would have to race open or handicap and I am not THAT good of a sailor. Anyone want to trade? Send me a PM.

-Rob

Is there a pic? I get an error...


Clayton

Rob: I know Brad is trying to build the H-16 class in Div. 15, so he'll probably dislike this, but...

You don't need an H-16 to race more....particularly in the Gulf Coast area. According to the HCA schedule, MWE is the only Hobie sanctioned regatta in Div. 15 this whole year. Are the PCCC(?) fall and spring series races Hobie only?

Fact is, at most regattas in the FL panhandle, AL, MS, LA area, you'll be racing on Portsmouth even if you're on a H-16. I did about 8 regattas/year in our area the last couple of years, and, except for the Hobie-only MWE, the H-16s did not get their own fleet in any of them.

Besides, you don't have to be THAT good to race Portsmouth any more than you do in one-design. You'll face great, good, medium, and poor competition in either. It's just more a matter of sailing your boat to it's rating better than your opponent as opposed to racing boat for boat.

Whichever boat you have, I hope to meet you at person at the MWE in March and sail against you at Slip To Ship!

Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mi'sippi
HCA # 4310

A lot of open / handicap racing is in place for new racers who managed to grab whatever boat was available. A perception that the open class is full of hotshots is a misnomer. Most of the hotshots are in the one design classes (like H16, F18, etc.).

That being said, I think you will learn and improve more quickly in a one design class. It's very difficult to sail an odd-ball boat in an odd-ball fleet and have any basis for comparison. Besides, you'll find that most everyone - even the 'hotshots' are very willing to help you get up to speed whether you are sailing in open class or in a one design fleet. With only a few excepted examples, our community is not big enough for people to be snobish about performance.

Good points...
Midwinters is the only hobie only regatta that I know of in this area. All the PCCC series are open and they are extremely helpful in making me a better sailor. I usually crew for Scott on the H20. He may be out of town for midwinters so I am looking at alternatives.
The reason I was looking at the H16 was for something to compare. I know my 5.2 is a little faster than the H16. There are more than a few sailors who will still beat me with their H16s, and that definately makes them better sailors than me. My issue is that if I beat them, I won't really know if it was because I sailed better or was it that my boat was better in the particular conditions. My son does fine on the 5.2 so except for trying to get in the Midwinters, I will have no problem with the 5.2. I'm actually considering doing RTI on it but I would have to rig a spinnaker or pray for more wind than last year.

-Rob V.
Panama City
Nacra 5.2

OK... let me try this pic.

I don't know why they are not uploading.

For reference, here is a picture of my crew. This was taken when I first bought the boat... the rear trap is not routed through the rear beam anymore.

-Rob V.

My first RTI was done at the helm of a 5.2 without a spinnaker.

Rob. Is there a fleet of one design racers in your driving area? Do they go racing in sufficient numbers and often enough for you to want to join them? If the answer is yes and yes... great.

If not, Your 5.2 looks like its in great shape and its a very nice sailing boat. You may not need to change rides... Perhaps a charter or loan from a friend will get you to the Midwinters.

With proper racing sails, your boat should be equal to a Hobie 18 on the water and much faster then a Hobie 16. Now if your sails are as old as the boat...

Rob:

That is what I do with the 17. With changes I made it is not class legal. Will have to do the same with the Mystere 4.3. May be moving to the Tampa Area. Is that close to you?

Doug Snell

What you need is a garage.....

You'd face the same issues if you were racing an H-16 against other H-16s in this area. I routinely race against H-16s that vary from late 70's to 2005 models, and there's a significant difference in the boats. In addition, there are H-16s/sailors who do better upwind vs. down, heavy wind vs. light, etc.

And what Jake said about the one-design hot-shots definiely applies to the Hobie MWE.....those guys from MI, NY, DE, etc. don't drive all the way to the FL panhandle just to fool around. (Please don't look at my results!)

I guess my point is that in this area you're not likely to be racing with a ton of other boats just like yours, even on an H-16. But you are likely to improve your skills (and have fun!) at the regattas, so just do it!

P.S. Both my son and daughter started racing with me when they were about 10 years old.

Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mi'sippi

Wow, you guys are just full of good news. I really didn't want to sell it anyway. I just did a bottom job on it, so it would hurt to trade it. So... since I am not selling it, I need to start looking for some decent sails. My jib is good, but I have two mains that are fair condition at best. Any ideas on an economic way of getting some decent used sails without sitting around waiting for one to pop up on ebay?

-Rob V.

Look in the classifieds here on catsailor and post here:
http://www.hobiecat.com/community/viewforum.php?f=10&sid=af81751ebace039df87c0a60fcd6ff88

You can also post and look in the classified section on www.thebeachcats.com

Doug