"Steven Shelikoff" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 14:53:20 GMT, "Don White"
wrote:


"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

A friend had one many years ago. He was an expert, but he invited me out
a
few times and I had no trouble making the thing go, stop, but not roll
over.
Great little boats. Well....OK...I did roll it over once, but he wanted
me
to learn how far the thing could be pushed before that would happen.

Did you ever 'pitchpole' one? That might scare the little ones.

It might. But you can sail one for years and never pitchpole or even
capize it if you don't want to. The only reason it will pitchpole or
capsize is if you're sailing it at the limit, trying to go as fast as
possible and have as much excitement and fun as possible. If you have
little ones on board, just don't do that. Unless you're in very high
winds (like over 30kts, which you shouldn't be anyway) if you don't
sheet in the main tight, you'll always keep both pontoons in the water.

Steve

Exactly. You don't have to sail like someone doing a Pepsi commercial,
trying to fly over waves. And as far as scaring the little ones, if they're
not swimming like porpoises by age 3 or 4, they have no business being in a
boat as open as a Hobie Cat or Sunfish anyway. I don't care if they've got a
PFD and 2 bodyguards from an Olympic swim team. Their confidence has to be
automatic and absolute.

On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 17:10:21 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


"Steven Shelikoff" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 14:53:20 GMT, "Don White"
wrote:


"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

A friend had one many years ago. He was an expert, but he invited me out
a
few times and I had no trouble making the thing go, stop, but not roll
over.
Great little boats. Well....OK...I did roll it over once, but he wanted
me
to learn how far the thing could be pushed before that would happen.

Did you ever 'pitchpole' one? That might scare the little ones.

It might. But you can sail one for years and never pitchpole or even
capize it if you don't want to. The only reason it will pitchpole or
capsize is if you're sailing it at the limit, trying to go as fast as
possible and have as much excitement and fun as possible. If you have
little ones on board, just don't do that. Unless you're in very high
winds (like over 30kts, which you shouldn't be anyway) if you don't
sheet in the main tight, you'll always keep both pontoons in the water.

Steve

Exactly. You don't have to sail like someone doing a Pepsi commercial,
trying to fly over waves. And as far as scaring the little ones, if they're
not swimming like porpoises by age 3 or 4, they have no business being in a
boat as open as a Hobie Cat or Sunfish anyway. I don't care if they've got a
PFD and 2 bodyguards from an Olympic swim team. Their confidence has to be
automatic and absolute.

Totally agree with you Doug.

Later,

Tom

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 17:10:21 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


"Steven Shelikoff" wrote in message
. ..
On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 14:53:20 GMT, "Don White"
wrote:


"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

A friend had one many years ago. He was an expert, but he invited me
out
a
few times and I had no trouble making the thing go, stop, but not roll
over.
Great little boats. Well....OK...I did roll it over once, but he
wanted
me
to learn how far the thing could be pushed before that would happen.

Did you ever 'pitchpole' one? That might scare the little ones.

It might. But you can sail one for years and never pitchpole or even
capize it if you don't want to. The only reason it will pitchpole or
capsize is if you're sailing it at the limit, trying to go as fast as
possible and have as much excitement and fun as possible. If you have
little ones on board, just don't do that. Unless you're in very high
winds (like over 30kts, which you shouldn't be anyway) if you don't
sheet in the main tight, you'll always keep both pontoons in the water.

Steve

Exactly. You don't have to sail like someone doing a Pepsi commercial,
trying to fly over waves. And as far as scaring the little ones, if
they're
not swimming like porpoises by age 3 or 4, they have no business being in
a
boat as open as a Hobie Cat or Sunfish anyway. I don't care if they've got
a
PFD and 2 bodyguards from an Olympic swim team. Their confidence has to be
automatic and absolute.

Totally agree with you Doug.

Don't start with me Tom. I'll find you and beat you to death with a
chocolate bunny.

On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 18:41:46 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 17:10:21 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


"Steven Shelikoff" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 14:53:20 GMT, "Don White"
wrote:


"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

A friend had one many years ago. He was an expert, but he invited me
out
a
few times and I had no trouble making the thing go, stop, but not roll
over.
Great little boats. Well....OK...I did roll it over once, but he
wanted
me
to learn how far the thing could be pushed before that would happen.

Did you ever 'pitchpole' one? That might scare the little ones.

It might. But you can sail one for years and never pitchpole or even
capize it if you don't want to. The only reason it will pitchpole or
capsize is if you're sailing it at the limit, trying to go as fast as
possible and have as much excitement and fun as possible. If you have
little ones on board, just don't do that. Unless you're in very high
winds (like over 30kts, which you shouldn't be anyway) if you don't
sheet in the main tight, you'll always keep both pontoons in the water.

Steve

Exactly. You don't have to sail like someone doing a Pepsi commercial,
trying to fly over waves. And as far as scaring the little ones, if
they're
not swimming like porpoises by age 3 or 4, they have no business being in
a
boat as open as a Hobie Cat or Sunfish anyway. I don't care if they've got
a
PFD and 2 bodyguards from an Olympic swim team. Their confidence has to be
automatic and absolute.

Totally agree with you Doug.

Don't start with me Tom. I'll find you and beat you to death with a
chocolate bunny.

I guess you told me, huh?

Later,

Tom

.... But you can sail one for years and never pitchpole or even
capize it if you don't want to. The only reason it will pitchpole or
capsize is if you're sailing it at the limit, trying to go as fast as
possible and have as much excitement and fun as possible.

That's not true. It may be true of some catamarans, but not of the
classic Hobie 16, with it's low volume hulls, and it's *definitely* not
true of the old Hobie 14. I once pitchpoled a Hobie 14... over it's
sterns... in no wind at all, just sitting too far aft and not paying
close enough attention as the aft most part of the hulls snuck under water.

A Hobie 16 probably wouldn't capsize with both hulls planted, but it's
still possible in moderate conditions... I've seen one go over from a
motorboat wake that put the lee bow under...

... Unless you're in very high
winds (like over 30kts, which you shouldn't be anyway) if you don't
sheet in the main tight, you'll always keep both pontoons in the water.


30 knots??!?!?


Doug Kanter wrote:
Exactly. You don't have to sail like someone doing a Pepsi commercial,
trying to fly over waves. And as far as scaring the little ones, if they're
not swimming like porpoises by age 3 or 4, they have no business being in a
boat as open as a Hobie Cat or Sunfish anyway. I don't care if they've got a
PFD and 2 bodyguards from an Olympic swim team. Their confidence has to be
automatic and absolute.


Very good idea to get the kids as skilled & confident in the water as
possible. For one thing, it's very good exercise.

Capsizing is simply part of the sport of sailing small crew-ballasted
sailboats. It will happen... even if you only sail in fine weather, take
it calmly, never cleat the sheets, etc etc. There will always be the
risk of a sudden squall, unexpected wind shift, or the like. If one
cannot accept that, and learn capsize drills, then one should not be
sailing small boats.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King