Nice quick easy wind indicator with a baby BOB for hunter 170

Jun 18, 2016
26
Macgregor 26X Petoskey
i have put a few more hours in sailing Betty and its all coming together. Started on smaller lakes and swirling winds due to landscape. Then went to a larger lake more open and consistent winds. Lake Charlevoix in northern Michigan. We had great runs and heeled up a bit but nothing out of control. Very comfortable and just letting out the main or turning up wind brings it right back down if you want. Used both jib and main, jib easily over powers the main when tacking and you have to get the main trimmed quick to keep from spinning around.

I also installed a baby BOB on the mast, and I happen to think I could attached a ribbon to it as wind indicator off the tail end. I used it a few times and refined it. I realized if I moved the tape forward I could have a directional indicator and an approximate 45 degree mark as well.
On the top of the BOB I measured about 6 inches forward from the tip of the tail on the midline and put in tow holes one on each side of the mid seam. I didn’t want to drill the seam so I spanned across it. Then using self taping screws and 3m sealer I screwed on an eye strap. Then I tied a single tail of surveyors tape. Its bright light weight and stands up to sun well and is cheap to replace. Then on the bottom of the BOB I measured the same distance forward from the tip on the bottom seam and drew a dot. I drew from that dot two lines at 45 degrees pointing aft. Now when the wind blows the tape it give me a pretty good read on how clos to 45 I am sailing. Also I put strips of surveyors tape on the shrouds about the mid point up the main. They give me an idea of the wind angle on the sail and to trim I start by matching the angle of the tape on the shroud and tweak in from there. It a quick reference for me as I’m new and getting used to sail trimming on the 170.

It a blast to sail and easy.. I am very happy I bought my 170. Betty is her name.
 
Aug 22, 2017
1,609
Hunter 26.5 West Palm Beach
... Used both jib and main, jib easily over powers the main when tacking and you have to get the main trimmed quick to keep from spinning around...
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I'm not understanding why it requires effort for you to trim the main back in after a tack. I normally come about in my 170 with little or no back winding of the jib, then let the jib sheet fly free while holding the main sheet in the same position where it was when I was on the original tack. It's the jib that I trim in after getting going again on the new tack. Are you doing things differently?

I'm glad to hear that Betty is serving you well. I agree that they are fun little boats.
 
Jun 18, 2016
26
Macgregor 26X Petoskey
When I get through the tack I should have said let the main out to offset the jib pushing the bow over. I would do a , I think, normal tack and when we came through the wind leave the jib backwinded for just a shot while. But as the main swings over we release the jib and sheet in on the new side. When doing that the bow would just keep going on over and almost spin us down wind. Until I let out the main sheet to power it up and balance it off. I must be going to far through the tack before I head onto the new course?
 
May 1, 2011
4,190
Pearson 37 Lusby MD
Tacking from close-hauled is about a 90 degree turn, depending on the boat. You need to identify something on the horizon that's 90 degrees from your current heading, and use that as a point upon which to cease the turn. Good luck!
 
Aug 22, 2017
1,609
Hunter 26.5 West Palm Beach
I grew up sailing on heavy old iron-keeled wooden boats that needed a lot of backwind to get them around on a tack. The first time I sailed on a J-24, I tried the same trick & spun us way too far off the wind. I quickly came to learn that low mass fiberglas boats don't benefit from a lot of backwind. If I have the 170 in a gentle breeze, I give a quick little bit of backwind when coming about. If I am in a breeze that is medium to frisky, then I don't really backwind at all. I just let the jib go when the sheet starts to slack.

If you aren't having issues with the bow getting around past head to wind, you may just need to lay off the backwinding of the jib & let the main fill in a little before sheeting in the jib tight on the new leeward side. It's worth a try.
 
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Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
The telltales on the mast stays (shrouds) are your best indicator of wind force just before you turn as they will keep your eyes focused on the horizon. Like any action sport “look in the direction you want to go”. I use 6-8 inch long pieces of yarn as they flutter in the lightest of breezes. Lots of people use gizmos on their mast heads which have them looking up rather than at the surface of the water where all the real clues are, but kudos to your MCQUIVER spirit on rigging the telltales on the BOB

If I can be so bold to suggest something to try, when you tack, get the boat moving in a straight line with main and jib trimmed so they don’t flutter, turn up into the eye of the wind and once head on into the wind, still moving forward, release the loaded jib halyard. KEEP STEERING THE BOAT around onto the new tack with your forward momentum and don’t trim the main until things are under control, or maybe not at all, then trim the jib on your new heading. Letting the jib flog a little is OK until you get the timing down, one less thing to think about during the turn. Now gybing that’s a whole new adventure!!!!
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
7,999
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
If I can be so bold to suggest something to try, when you tack, get the boat moving in a straight line with main and jib trimmed so they don’t flutter, turn up into the eye of the wind and once head on into the wind, still moving forward, release the loaded jib halyard. KEEP STEERING THE BOAT around onto the new tack with your forward momentum and don’t trim the main until things are under control, or maybe not at all, then trim the jib on your new heading. Letting the jib flog a little is OK until you get the timing down, one less thing to think about during the turn. Now gybing that’s a whole new adventure!!!!
I will kindly suggest that your method for tacking is less than ideal. I'm sure you meant to say SHEET because releasing the halyard to tack the boat is a bad idea.:banghead: If course, we all know it is the sheet that controls the sail when tacking.

Also... it is common practice to allow the jib to backwind a bit to help push the bow through the "no sail" zone... When the boom and mainsail come across on their own you can throw off the old sheet completely and quickly strip in the new side. Letting the sail flog is never a good idea when it can be avoided. The mainsail will generally take care of itself on a tack..... but adjusting the angle of attack as boat speed increases after the turn is necessary. That's why travelers are so handy.
 
Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
Yep my bad - SHEET not halyard. My tip was intended to help correct the original post "spinning around" comment. Sounded like the tack was overturned resulting in the requirement to adjust the main.

My focus while learning the handling characteristics of any boat is the old KISS method. I was just suggesting a simple approach where you go into the maneuver with enough boat speed to complete it and keep the focus on steering the boat onto the new course where the main doesn't need adjusting and THEN deal with the headsail. After a few successful attempts you can add in backwinding and trimming where required as you now know how much to turn the boat to get onto the new tack.
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
7,999
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
If you try it the way I suggested... it's a piece of cake. No traveler, right? You cleat the mainsheet.... start the turn... don't release the jib until the boom comes across on its own... cleat the new sheet, set your new course then start trimming. Jib first using the tell tales, then steer by the tell tales while trimming the main.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
As a dealer I offered Hobie Bobs if customers feared going over after lessons were given as part of the sale. If they wanted a wind indicator, I use to have the base going out sideways and carefully bent upward to accomodate the wind vane which cleared the Hobie Bob. I reminded after use to remove the base so birds could not sit and poop on the boat