Hobie Cat

[commander315]

How does sailing a Hobie compare to sailing something like a Sunfish?

 

[Topol_86]

Re: Hobie Cat

How does sailing a Hobie compare to sailing something like a Sunfish?

Never Sailed a sunfish, But I first learned to sail on a Hobie 16' when I was 10-12 yrs old. Remember being on a hughes 25' when I was YOUNG but my most memorable times were had on the Hobie. First time I ever solo'd a boat was on my Hobie, still have that boat to this day. EXCELLENT beginner boat, and if you push it, will keep you wanting to come back for more and more (ie throw it up on one pontoon when you're out on your own, you'll see what i'm talking about). It got to a point for me that I'd go out on a small craft advisory day and skip waves. (after spending over half an hour getting the boat offshore with 6' waves rolling in!) This was when I was "invincible" (14-16yrs old) Always wearing a life jacket and always clipped onto the trapeze wire with a harness on those adventures though. I'll sail that boat until it sinks below me. My $0.02

 

[Triton II]

Re: Hobie Cat

Hobie's are much faster, especially when reaching but don't tack well compared to a Sunfish. It's a very different style of sailing in a cat - both are fun but most people learn the basics in monohulls, although the Hobie is docile enough in light weather to be a good sail trainer. In heavier weather Hobies can be a handful, especially downwind and gybing. The Sunfish has a basic lateen rig which is OK, but it's no rocketship. There are heaps of both types all around the world so there's always someone to race in either class. Personally, if I were to start again (and lose 40 years ), I'd learn the basics and racing tactics in a Sunfish, then graduate to something faster... like a 420/470/505.

TII

 

[ghamby]

Re: Hobie Cat

No comparison. It's like a MG Midget to a GTO. The Sunfish is a great little boat.
It tacks on a dime.In a good breeze with a good hand at the helm she will plane. For any performance and comfort she's a single hander. A Sunfish is a flat water boat. It's nice for instruction. It's very simple to rig and sail. If you're just getting started or like it simple, it's a great boat.
A Hobie Cat is a hot rod. Lots of sail, not much weight. Screw up in a breeze
and she will throw you. It's a more complicated rig to set up. A Hobie tacks
differently. On a cat with a jib, you ease her up into the wind and let the jib
backwind until the main fills. Then release the jib and sheet home on the new
tack. With no jib, you ease up into the wind, sit as far aft as possible, backwind the main and reverse the helm so she backs onto the new tack. Failing that you jibe.
I've sailed a few cats, I own a H14 turbo. I love them, they are fast,wet,shallow draft and exciting.
Once you have learned to sail a monohull, you have learn a few tricks to sail a cat properly. I used to work on a rental beach and would watch people
who had mono hull experience take out a cat and sail backwards all day while they flapped the battens out of the main. GH