Catamaran Sail Plan Variation – Uni-Rig

I noticed in a recent Hobie 16 post that people were talking about soloing with only a mainsail. I solo about a quarter of the time, but I have always used the jib. I was afraid that there would be a lot of weather helm since the Prindle 18 was not designed to be a uni-rig. Has anyone tried the uni-rig with a prindle 18? Or hobie 16? What are your experiences with helm, boat handling?

I probably wouldn’t uni-rig anyhow because the prindle 18 is probably the hardest boat I have ever sailed to get through a tack in a chop.

I am interested because we are going to be building a blade F16, which is supposed to be able to sail as uni-rig or sloop.

Matt

Matt,
I sail my Nacra 5.2 solo with uni-rig alot. It sails just as well with or without the jib. I usually sail it uni-rig if I am by myself and the wind is over 10 knots, mainly because I am lazy, but also to reduce sail area. I don't know how the Prindle would handle uni-rigged in more wind. The Nacra has daggerboards so they help alot with tacking. I know the H16 would probably be a nightmare without the jib in heavy wind. You would have to jibe 270 degrees each time. If you are not racing, it would probably be a better way to sail solo in heavy wind.

-Rob V.
Panama City
Nacra 5.2

UNIRIGS rule!!

Mine was made that way ;-) the only thing I'd add would be a 'chute

You can learn to tack... make a big U-turn, sail thru the tack, and head further off initially when on the new tack, coming up to the course

sea ya
tami

I bet that's not what you meant - but I've never had to U-turn my Square to execute a tack. In fact, at Redfish Reach, I was able to leebow a Hobie 21 SC with a screecher, which probably would have hit the starboard hull somewhere around the main beam or a bit forward.

I've never had to u-turn on my Nacra but I have done it quite a bit on the H16. It was mostly out of laziness since we were just cruising around. My friend who I sail with on the H16 tacks it very well, but if we are doing one of our "unofficial" races around the bouys, I always try to get him into a tacking duel. He may not completely blow a tack, but sooner or later he will hit a slow one and with the daggerboards I very rarely blow a tack. I have to back out about once every 4 tacks when I sail the H16, but I am not the best skipper on that boat.
-Rob V.
Panama City
Nacra 5.2