Mast Flotation

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K

Keowee Jim

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Sep 17, 2012
2
Catalina 16.5 Salem SC
I can't find anything posted since Nov. 2011 on mast flotation, but am new to this site. Should I get the Hobie Cat bulb (Precision) or the sail flotation panel. I retired on Lake Keowee in upstate SC. and am in good health, but not a quick as I once was. I also sail alone a lot and this is my first real boat without a keel, so... I sailed a Banshee a couple of time and found I could not right it alone. :confused:Any advice? Keowee Jim
 
KD3PC

KD3PC

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Sep 25, 2008
1,069
boatless rainbow Callao, VA
we used the old fashioned beach ball in a mesh bag when we did this kind of sailing...the problem with the panels are that YOU still have to get the sail out of the water, even when it is full of water...I found that the 2' diameter ball actually held the mast tip out of the water enough to leverage the sail to actually drain....let the boat do the work and you will be fine...there is no reason to muscle it...

I would think some of the exercise balls would offer more floatation than beach balls, but have not tried them.

all the best, and age has nothing to do with it. Keep doing it.
 
DavyBones

DavyBones

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Sep 7, 2012
16
Macgreggor Venture 21 SE MI (trailer'd)
Almost ever cat on my lake has the bulb, though it's a very weedy lake and a pain to right the mast once it's trapped in the weeds for anyone... or so I was told last weekend when I asked about them all. And where it's not weedy, its very muddy in the shallows. ;-) GL!

-bones-
 
Garrett Holcombe

Garrett Holcombe

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Aug 17, 2011
25
Catalina 22 Lake Allatoona, Canton, Georgia
If a mast bulb is going to give you piece of mind so you're able to enjoy sailing that much more, then I'd say it's worth the value and hit to the aesthetics. Sailing is about enjoyment and fun, so know your own limitations.

However, if you take a knockdown and then get hit broadside by a decent wake that bulb isn't going to stop the boat from going over further, or even to the point of death-rolling. They work well on catamarans because they're relatively light and the leverage of their longer masts (with the bulb on the end) keep them up. I'm not so sure that you'd get that same benefit from a Hobie bulb on the short mast of a heavier monohull daysailer. The resistance will only stop so much.
 
walt

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,518
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
This is a 15 foot "not self righting" boat being tested with the Hobie float



I put this on after getting the mast stuck in the mud (turtle) on a chilly late fall day. After putting on the float, I havent flipped this boat again while sailing but Im pretty sure Im not going to turtle again and the float makes it very easy to upright the boat. The float also insures that water cant get into the inner hull (which destroys the boats stability) due to the end of the mast sinking too much.

Most of the cats that use these have rotating masts that orient the float with the apparent wind but if your putting this on in the first place, that may not be important to you (didnt bother me much)..

 
sinnettc

sinnettc

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May 23, 2007
1,306
Catalina Capri 22 Albany, Oregon
I heard good things about the hobie floats when I was researching what to do with our 2004 Capri 16.5 (since sold). I've also heard that a milk jug or bleach bottle will do the same thing if tied to the masthead . I got the impression that the panels that attach to the sail don't work any better but adversely affect sail shape.

I filled the top of my mast with a pool noodle, which was a pain to do, but I really don't think it would have done me much good if I got knocked down. Maybe it would have slowed down how quickly the mast filled with water, slowing how quickly it would turtle, but that's probably about it. My guess is I'd have ended up sticking the mast in the mud anyway.

There's a Capri 16.5 Yahoo Group that you might want to join at groups.yahoo.com
 
K

Keowee Jim

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Sep 17, 2012
2
Catalina 16.5 Salem SC
Appreciate the responses!

I appreciate all the responses. I guess the bulb would be the best choice. Sticking the mast in the mud would be better than completely turning turtle. Our lake is between 50 and 120 feet in most places, so if Wayward Wind were to sink, there would probably be no recovering her.

I am concerned because I often sail alone and in the winter (50-60 degree temperatures) there are not too many boats around. I once upset a kayak on Friday after Thanksgiving. It was about 45 degrees. Luckily a relatively short swim to my neighbors dock. The water was a lot warmer than the air.

Thanks again.
 
sinnettc

sinnettc

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May 23, 2007
1,306
Catalina Capri 22 Albany, Oregon
I think with the bulb the boat shouldn't turtle and you should be able to right it by standing on the centerboard. If the cuddy is latched closed, which it should be, then the boat can't sink.

One thing you may want to think about, especially since you single-hand a lot, is either a fold down step low on the hull by the lower gudgeon, or a fold down ladder. In my experience it's nearly impossible to get in the boat once you're in the water without one or the other.

You can see both the step and the ladder I ended up installing on ours. The step worked for me but my wife needed the ladder.

 
caguy

caguy

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Sep 22, 2006
4,004
Catalina, Luger C-27, Adventure 30 Marina del Rey
When I had my Hobie 16 I made my mast float out of a block of foam from Lowes. I shaped it in to a large Viagra pill and painted it blue. On the Hobie we religously sealed the mast seams and pop rivets to prevent water from entering.
 
finding41

finding41

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Nov 23, 2011
2,023
MacGregor 26D London Ontario Canada
I rescued a PD Racer today that turtled during our 2nd annual club regatta. (safety boat) It had a lee board and it was on the high side so you couldn't reach it when it was on its side. There were two ribs that ran the length of the hull but were only raised about 1/4". The captain had a heck of a time trying to get it back up right. We had to help turn it over and dragged a full boat to the beach for emptying.
If it had a bulb on the mast it wouldn't have turned right over and filled with so much water. I suggested screwing a handle to the bottom to grab and help flip it back up.
 
walt

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,518
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
In the attached picture (which has a float holding up the end of the mast) you can see an access cover just in front of the mast and when I flipped this boat, the mast immediately sank enough for the water level to get to the access cover - which of course is not at all watertight. When the inner hull has water in it, the boat has almost no stability. Even if you get the mast back up with any sail at all, the boat will just go right back over.

I think the racing guys without floats are just good at getting the boat back upright very fast.



 
C

Crazy Dave Condon

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Jun 8, 2004
10,235
-na -NA Anywhere USA
As a dealer now retired, I put many of them on my daysailors which is a good investment from flipping over. Suggest that you do that and it is easy to install.

crazy dave condn
 
caguy

caguy

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Sep 22, 2006
4,004
Catalina, Luger C-27, Adventure 30 Marina del Rey
walt said:
I think the racing guys without floats are just good at getting the boat back upright very fast.
Click to expand
The operative word here is "fast". That's why I gave up the Hobie, just got too old and slow for it.
 
walt

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,518
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
That mast float saved my butt today.. Winds went from 5 to about 35 knots in about 5 minutes. I got knocked down with full sails up but no problem since the top of the mast floated.
 

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