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Raising the mainsail of a Hobie can be more difficult than need be.
Several factors can cause the mainsail to be difficult to hoist:
Dirty luff ropes and luff tracks. These can be cleaned with soapy water
and a scrub brush. If you want to use a lubricant, keep away from oils and
waxes that can attract dirt. Use a dry silicone spray. Most all Hobie sails
now have a Teflon threaded bolt (luff) rope to ease the hoisting effort.
Battens and sail shape. The battens stiffen the airfoil shape of your sail.
Over tensioning of the battens can cause a couple of problems. Luff protector
caps can be forced against the mast and cause drag when hoisting. The battens
also force the sail shape into a curve. The luff curve (seen when laying
the sail out on the ground, as a large arch) is typical to Hobie Cat main
sails. The sails "airfoil" shape is mostly created by the miss-matched mast
bend and luff curve of the sail. The luff curve is more than the likely
mast bend and when the mast is straight (while hoisting) the difference
is dramatic. This luff curve going up the straight mast can cause significant
drag and hoisting problems when done incorrectly.
Hoist Technique:
Keep the batten tension to a minimum. Hoist the sail slowly, while feeding
into the mast opening. When the sail gets about 3/4's of the way up, begin
aggressively feeding at the bottom opening and reduce the amount of halyard
effort. If the halyard is pulled tight when the sail is not being fed into
and up the track, you will have problems. The sail luff will pull taunt
and the curve shape will bind in the (straight) mast track. Lower the sail
slightly and begin feeding again.
The best way to feed the sail is to stand in front of the mast and reach
around either side to "sandwich" the sail between two hands (above the feeder
opening) and push the sail up the track. Pull with the halyard, only the
slack created, then feed again. If the sail binds, lower slightly and begin
feeding again. This technique can be done by one person, but is certainly
easier with two working together. It is VERY important that the person on
the halyard only pulls the slack up the mast and does not get ahead of the
feeder.
Locking the Hobie 14/16 halyard:
Once the sail is fully hoisted (be sure that the sail is fully inserted
into the feeder). Pull the halyard forward of the mast by 3-4 feet. Hold
the halyard on the centerline of the mast. Pull hard and hold the tension
while bringing the halyard into the mast. Release the halyard tension and
see that the sail remains fully hoisted. This seats a small bead, in the
halyard, under a two finger prong "hook" and the top of the mast. If the
sail slips down when downhaul tension is added, repeat the final hoist technique
again. Be sure the bead is clear to pass the hook befor pulling tension
on the halyard.
Locking the Hobie 17/18/20/21 Halyard:
It is best to simulate the halyard locking with the mast down so you clearly
understand the system. Then, depending on how old the boat is, be sure the
hook does not have the old "flopper" stainless piece hanging on the hook.
This old device caused difficulty in raising and hooking but would make
it easier to release and lower. Also, be sure that the knot tied to the
ring is very low profile. A long bowline knot will hit the mast head before
the ring gets to the hook. If the ring has a small loop at the top... The
line should be passed through the loop and a small knot tied. The knot (when
ring and shackle are afixed to the sail) should be facing the mast. This
tilts the ring closer to the mast. Then (before attaching halyard shackle
to the sail) spin the haylard 3 or 4 times clockwise (looking down on the
shackle). This "pre-loads" the halyard line and causes the ring to swing
back towards the hook. Keep the boat into the wind and hoist. Should lock
easily. To release... fully release the downhaul and outhaul. Partially
feed the sail up the luff track. Hoist with the halyard to the top till
it stops, hold... rotate the aft of the mast base to starboard, hold the
mast rotated, ease the halyard a few feet before releasing the mast. Lower
the sail. |
