This is only my second post but I've been lurking for a long time. Last year I bought a Hobie 20 so I could see what a beach cat was all about. I must say I can't believe how fast this cat is. The acceleration is impressive too. Chip at wirlwind made a square top main sail for me and it feels much better than the one that came with the boat. Now I have to work making the boat a little easier to sail. I think what I'd like to do is mount a jib track from a F-18 and go with a self tacking jib.Just wonder if anyone has done anything similar. Chip says he can make a jib for me know problem.
racer23 wrote: This is only my second post but I've been lurking for a long time. Last year I bought a Hobie 20 so I could see what a beach cat was all about. I must say I can't believe how fast this cat is. The acceleration is impressive too.
Welcome to TheBeachcats.com if I didn't catch you the first time you posted.
Wow, you've taken a boat that was already a handful for experienced cat sailors and souped up the engine! With stock sails the Hobie 20 can double trap in 10 mph winds, your new sails will take some handling, make sure you fit a really strong downhaul, 8 or even 16 to one. I went to squarehead Whirlwinds on my Hobie 18 and it took a couple of seasons to understand how to trim them.
If you don't have them, install leech tell-tails starting at the square top and between every batten so you can tell when you have stalled (oversheeted) the main, it will help a lot.
____________
Damon Linkous
MPO....save the money on the slef tacker unless; your doing some serious course racing, or just don't want to deal with resetting the jib on a tack or jib...
Edited by JohnES on Aug 28, 2012 - 02:41 PM.
DamonLinkous wrote: I went to squarehead Whirlwinds on my Hobie 18 and it took a couple of seasons to understand how to trim them.
Damon, would you please elaborate on this?
I'm thinking about a squarehead sail myself.