Hobie Cat Racing — One

Sailing ships seem to always suggest adventure. I believe Mobi Dick — another NW room gem — was the first book I read about the sea. It was not an easy read. I did not realize the theme of the book was revenge, but I liked the adventure.

My early dreams about sailing imagined “learning the ropes,” and “manning the helm.” I would have loved to know what it felt like to skipper a square-rigger like that.

Square riggers are not as exciting as schooners though. Schooners are more practical too. I’ve read many exciting tales about battling the sea in them. I might have dreamed of a yacht like that if price were no object.

I first noticed ads about Hobie Cats in the sailing magazines I was reading. (Magazines like that served as the internet back in the day.) Hobie Cats seemed like they were built for adventure. I felt an uncontrollable urge to try my hand in one.

Hobie Cats were created by Hobie Alter in the 1960s. He was a surfboard builder who wanted to try surfing a boat. The first one was the Hobie 14, with a single sail. The Hobie 16 went on the market in 1969. I bought mine in 1970.

The picture shows both crew members suspended by a “trapeze” cable. That is so they can get their weight as far to windward as possible. That’s required for them to be able to set the sails for maximum power without capsizing. The record speed for Hobie 16s is 24 knots (about 28 mph).

The hull speed of a conventional boat that is 16 feet long is a little over 5 knots. It is 17 knots for a boat that is 160 feet long. The Hobie 16 easily exceeds 20 knots. In other words, a Hobie 16 could sail circles around your 160-foot yacht. The secret is the long narrow hulls of Hobies.

All that speed in a highly maneuverable sailboat should lead to exciting racing that challenges your sailing skills. Hobies don’t disappoint. You and your crew mate must continually make fast, precise moves if you hope to win. Strategy, and knowing how to use the rules to your advantage are important too.

You really have to see a Hobie Cat race — preferably as a crew member — to appreciate what it’s like. I’ve picked out a couple of videos from YouTube to give you some idea of that. The first one shows a good race in 20-knot winds. (Click the “YouTube” button in the lower-right corner of the video if you have trouble seeing it here.)

The second one is a trial run at the 2014 World Championship in 30-knot winds. It shows how wild things can get. I don’t see how they could win an actual race though. They simply don’t know how to right a Hobie Cat after a capsize in high wind. They also manage to get their Hobie to turn turtle (go completely upside down), but they recover from that pretty well.