Here is one example of what can happen when you try to tow another small craft with your cat. See this url:
http://tinyurl.com/2ftdGARY
From: GARY
Date: Tue Sep 3, 2002 3:21 pm
Subject: Rough time on TheMightyHobie18 going solo to Catalina
I met Brad at the boatyard and asked him to put his story in print so
that I could post it. I don't think that he has found the time to
subscribe to our group yet. So here is his story:
Gary you asked me to write a story about my trip. Do what you like with
it (edit or re-word if you like). I hope your readers learn something,
like I did.
Friday August 27 ,2002 I was preparing for a catalina trip. This will
be the third attempt. on my previous attempts failure has always been to
scheduling or some other non sail related problem. Well this trip was no
different my crewman canceled on me. I've decided to go it solo, leave
on Saturday morning and come home on Monday. Explaining my trip to Gary
Friesen and taking some sailing tips I feel confident. Gary invites me
for afternoon sail on his boat, what a wonderful experience.
Saturday August 28, 2002 8:00 am. I'm adding the last of the camping
gear and food. Partly cloudy. warm. visibility 5 miles, "note to myself
humid and high cirrusclouds" very light winds. All looks good.
9:30 am CAST OFF.. all fine. I decided to tow my one man outrigger
canoe (similar to a surf ski). to do some up close exploration of the
island. Very slow going in the harbor.
10:30 am Finally The harbor mouth. Heading 180. light winds but
building.
12:00 noon Approx. 3-4 miles off the Pt. Vicente lighthouse. Winds
now 10-15. Seas 1 - 3 ft. One last check of my equipment. A small pod of
Dolphins show up to say hello. Beautiful. onto the final leg.
2:00 pm Approx. 5-6 miles from Santa Catalina Winds 15-20 Seas 2- 4
ft and very short. Time for the wet suit. Now things get interesting.
Driving down wind coming up behind a wave the cargo tramp acted just
like a reverse hydo foil pushing both bows completely under approx. 1 ft
of green water over the tramp. At this point i have to re- stow most of
my gear since the cargo net is broken. Ihave lost my food and my
extra-dry clothes. Ten minutes later a wave hits the outrigger canoe the
canoe nosedives the tow line goes taught and "BAMM" the cross member the
canoe snaps in the process peeling the fiberglass off the forward
section of the canoe. So at this point I decide to try to tack up wind
to get a good line on trying to pick up the canoe. WRONG as i tacked the
the clew of the main sail came un attached from the boom. Seas still
building. I immediately furled the jib and pulled up the rudders. The
sail was hard over against the shrouds. I leaned some how without
falling off the boat and grabbed the bottom batten of the sail and just
started pulling. small cut on hand after a few minutes seemed like an
eternity managed to get the boat in irons. grabbed the boom and
miraculously on the first time re-pinned the main. huge breath of air.
3:30 pm Approx. 2-3 miles from the island closer to the North End. Wind
25+ Seas 5-6 ft. very short and steep. Decide that turning back and
heading home was more prudent than trying to fine shelter on the island
minus dry gear. Course 000 due north "home". The next hour i had my
hands full. White caps breaking completely across hulls and tramp. Wind
is picking up water making very difficult to see. the wind was coming
underneath the tramp blowing it up at times. That got my attention. The
boat was hitting the swells so hard i thought it was going to break. the
hulls were make the most awful sounds of stress.
5:00 pm approx. 5 miles offshore from Redondo Beach. Winds 10-15
dropping quickly. Seas 2-4 ft. The cold sets in. no dry gear no food and
now no sun. Sea sick. The dolphins show up to guide me home. a small
pod of dolphin stayed with me for at least an hour. I felt much better.
Now feeling confident I would make it home.
9:00 pm "safe" Marina del Rey. had to paddle the boat the 1/4 mile in
the harbor no wind.
11:00 pm I called the Sheriff to inform them that I had lost my
canoe at sea. Just in case somebody found it they wouldn't think that
there was a person attached to it. They didn't care not even asked me my
name.
I hope my experience will maybe keep somebody out of trouble. I think to
my self, what did i learn. 1. forward cargo nets are a bad idea in seas
the added weight almost pichpoled me. 2. Never tow anything. It not only
slows you down. increases the possibility of things going wrong. In
addition makes it very difficult to tack. 3. Have some sort of locking
pin for the clew of the main sail a quick pin is not sufficient. 4.
Don't panic.
I have been around the water my entire life. Competitive surfing, member
of world class outrigger canoe team, ex U.S. Coast Guard stationed at
Channel Island Harbor and The Point Bridge. I have been Hobie sailing
only for about 3 years but I go year around and usually more than twice
a week. If anybody has any input. I am willing to learn
