Ouch. Did it for the first time today. Ended up with some nasty rope burn and had to friendly couple in a canoe help me right it.

What I am wondering, though I'm sure I've read it somewhere, is it safe to assume that cats are most prone to pitchpole when sailing on a beam reach or a close reach?

It was blowing about 15kts and I was aft on the trampoline, sailing somewhere between a beam reach and a close reach. Wasn't even flying a hull and the stb hull burried and over I went.

I found my boat was much more prone to stuff a bow than it was to fly a hull. I was able to fly a hull when sailing close hauled, upwind, but just barely and even then it was wanting to burry a hull. Is this normal, or am I doing something wrong and trying to sail it like a monohull?


Any pointers?

If your mast is raked too far forward you may be more prone to pitchpole.

Hi,

It is normal, that you will not be able to pitchpole, if you are close hauled. Most dangerous courses are between beam and broad reach. In general the more aft and the stronger the apparent wind is, the higher the chance to pitch pole.

Cheers,

Klaus

all cats will do it if pushed hard enough

some cats are more prone to it than others

basically it depends on how much hull volume there is forward of the main beam

hobie 16's are 1 of the most likely to pitchpole due to their small hull volume forward of the main beam

search youtube for pitchpole

IMO the Hobie 16 is so much fun because of its tendancy to pitchpole. It is an overpowered boat with not too much hull volume giving it a very twitchy personality, which includdes pitchpoline. A recipe for exciting sailing.

You do not have to pitchpole but to sail a 16 hard it needs constant helm control. Of all the cats I have owned and sailed I have found the 16 the most exciting because it has to be sailed. Pitchpoling is fun!!

All of the above but first try adjusting mast rake back two holes. cool:

It's part of the game. Learn to anticipate and bear away.

Don't loosen the jib too much and only ease the traveller, don't ease the main.

An eased jib and main will push the nose down.

Gill

?
On my Dart 18, easing the jib, was efficent to avoid a pitchpole. On H16 and other non spi boats, you cannot drop the traveller because it is max out on a broad reach... at least I think that is the way I sailed my Dart.

Cheers,

Klaus

As a long time H16 crew in my youth when we still had reaching legs, popping the jib allowed the bow to come up without loosing too much velocity. If I could keep the leeward bow flirtin' w/ disaster better then the next boat, we made time and occasionally a boat.