Hobie University, NAHCA
Page
22
31 Mar 02
Outhaul:
Downhaul your sail first, then set your outhaul or you will break your outhaul wire. Should be
about a fist width between the boom and the sail (if it hung down to the boom) at its deepest point. Put shock
cord between your boom and clew to keep it pulled forward.
Driving techniques:
Keep wind flowing over the back side of sail. If the leeward tell tail goes forward at all
(stalls) – you lose!!! In light air I usually cleat and drive the boat. As the wind builds I tend to cleat and
uncleat the main sheet a lot, keeping the boat flat. I tend to sheet extra hard in high winds only uncleating
when I think I am about to stall the boat. To sheet extra tight, I put the tiller between my toes, bend my knees
and use both hands to pull the mainsheet in and then cleat. You can also go to a bigger lower block, but beware
it won’t pay out as fast on a tack.
Tacking Techniques:
Have several in your tool kit. In light air, as I go under the boom, I stop and push it up
with my back. This guarantees that the boat won’t round up after the tack leaving me in irons. In higher winds,
from the wire, there are 2 common techniques. The cleat and dive method or the uncleat and place the
mainsheet in your tiller hand method. If you use the second method, as you push the tiller to start the tack, the
main automatically starts to pays out, you better hurry to the other side or your weight will pull the boat over on
top of you!!
Downwind
3-8 mph
9-13 mph
>13 (white caps)
Sheet tension
Let out a lot, wrapping it around the shroud
Downhaul
Totally off
Totally off
Don’t touch
Traveler
Out to hull
Out to hull
Out to hull
Mast rotation
110 degrees
110 degrees
Don’t care
Dagger boards
Both up
One up
Both down
Skipper position
In front of crossbar Behind crossbar
Trying to stay as far
forward as possible
without flipping. Lots
of skipper movement!
Very high winds,
sitting on the wing
gets you further
back
Downwind I am a low and slow type of skipper on the H17, however in many conditions a high and fast track
seems work. Speed test with a friend and keep notes to see which track is fastest for you. Downwind you
need to have some type of wind indicator on your front bridle. I recommend cassette tape.
Driving techniques:
Keep the cassette tape pointing slightly forward of 90 degrees. If a gust increases your
speed, dive lower keeping the tape pointing forward of 90 degree. As the gust passes you, head up keeping the
tape forward. Some times its pays to gibe keeping you in a gust longer.
Jibing Techniques:
Be smooth, but quick. I set the tiller on the new side and with my back hand. Then I pull
the rudders using the tiller crossbar, while my front hand grabs the boom. As the wind crosses the transom, I
lean back pulling the boom over my head. Then with a quick spin I grab the tiller with the back hand moving
quickly forward. I don’t worry about the mainsheet until I am settled.
One last word of advice.
Always wear your life jacket, but on a one man boat it’s even more important! I
have seen many a skipper get separated from their boat, even in light air (they usually slip off the front going
down wind and when they come up the boat has sailed over them and is gone).
