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Art And Science Of Sailing


Jake

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The Art and Science of Sailing
(my first "glob" ever, so bear with me folks)

 

One of my hobbies that I should continue upon arrival back to my native land is sailing. Either windsurfing or "flying on a Hobie Cat", they are both a way to get a free ride off Mother Nature. For those of you that have never experience slicing through the water just using the wind and the surf, the Philippines have many beach resorts that offer rentals and sailing instructions.

 

I will try to briefly describe my 30+ years of sailing a Hobie Cat 16 footer. Unless you have questions about basic sailing, here is my way of having a great time, especially during inclement weather conditions. Hobie Cats are catamarans designed for speed and more speed. The profile (side view) is banana shaped with the two pontoons separated by a large trampoline. Usually a two man crew but can accomodate 4-6 adults for slow cruising. However, sailing solo is the ultimate ride, enabling the catamaran to "fly" at great distances. The leeward hull is the only one gliding through the water, while the windward hull is "flying" above the water. Sitting on the windward hull for counterbalance, you're trimming both the main and jib sails and handling the tiller to steer the leeward rudder blade, as it cuts through the water like a fast barracuda.

 

Can you picture yourself sitting on the windward hull, just at the "point of no return"? Beyond that angle (about 60 degrees), the trampoline now acting like a sail will accelerate the process of flipping the boat over. No big deal -- sailing catamarans is half swimming, half sailing anyway. Once you get a taste how fast you're going, out racing other skippers or flying the longest distance, it becomes very addictive. Believe me.......

 

My next blog is a little more advance sailing or taking more risk. For example, rather than sitting on the windward hull I would be standing with support of a trapeze wire, extending the full length of my body for counter balance. I consider myself a radical skipper with only a handful of us in San Diego, CA that would actually "play" out in the surf line. I paid dearly for that. More to come on my next blog.......

 

Anyway, here is a 6 minute video on the Hobie 16:https://youtu.be/39YCsV1o49o

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Jollygoodfellow

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Welcome to the globs blogs Jake,interesting,not sure if my heavy body would suit sailing.

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Jake,

My life long SS Buddy! Looks like there's room for my couch and TV on that large trampoline! Ha ha ha ha! Yup, that's me alright, a couch potatoe Art & Science of ......... alright!

When I was in Junior High School in San Diego, I hand built 24" model sailboats and catamarans made of pine or sheet metal in shop class and entered their annual 24" model yacht regatta in Mission Bay and won about 10 1st place trophies in 3 yrs in my 7th, 8th and 9th grade at Gompers Junior High School! It was an exciting event as a young teenager back in those days in San Diego, but I never really got into the actual Art of Sailing, I was too busy chasing after those teenyboppers!

:mocking: :541:

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You would be surprise Boss Man how powerful those massive sails can be. Over the years, I have taught my family and friends how to sail solo in just one afternoon. Their final test is actually dumpin' the boat (flip over) on purpose. That way, they would know how to recover, while I'm sitting on the beach, drinking my beer and laughing through my binoculars. Yeah Art, the art of sailing (my way) is to go out on Taal Lake, sailing naked with your "coconuts"

flappin' in the breeze....he, he.

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Jake, I love sea kayaking, never been on a Hobie Cat although they are very popular here. The Colombia Gorge is a world wide destination for sailboards and Hobie Cats bout three hours from us.

If ever you guys visit we can rent one I would love to learn. Bring your own drysuit though. ;^)

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Oooh yeah, The Gorge where the winds are "ohfuckitsnukin". Almost ate the big one, suffering from severe hypothermia while windsurfing. I didn't have a smaller sail but went out anyway and got spanked. Couldn't get back up on the board because the winds and swells were just too much. About half a mile down stream is when I finally touched ground. Thank god, I had a hot thermos of Kailua and coffee in my car. In spite of that, I would love to visit the Gorge again. It's god's country up there. Probably one afternoon, I will have you sailing solo on a Hobie. The next afternoon, maybe this Filipino could learn how to kay-yak, yak.

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