.... 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