I'm happy as a clam singlehanding my N20 up to about 15 kts. Above that, and it gets a bit too much work for me.

Doublehanding with my regular crew (weight about 370 lbs), we're happy in 12-20 mph, but then the wind gets really gusty (typically in our area), and it's a lot more work.

As JW and others said, sailing and racing are different. I've been out in nasty stuff racing and had a good time (because we weren't losing), but then again, it's my boat, and I don't like breaking stuff. Given the choice, I have opted out of races where conditions were constantly above 25 mph...too much risk of injury/damage.

Jake's got a point too. After the fourth or fifth time righting a boat in heavy air, you're really getting tired.

Hogsbreath 2004 was a good example. After the third time righting the boat (in about 30 mph wind), I was pretty tired. I didn't know if I'd be able to do it another three times if necessary... Of course, we also bent the spreader, so that clinched our decision to retire.

PTP,

Great question, thanks. You know, from all the stories I've heard about how life begins at 35kts, I was beginning to suspect I was a bit of a wimp.

My experience is all on a 16ft solo-rightable cat with a fair amount of sail for its weight. I like heavier winds than most Isotope sailors - for me 15kts is a blast. I know several sailors, who don't like risking a capsize, that won't sail in 15kts. As a fleet, we're organizing a capsize/recovery clinic this spring.

Last year, at CatFest on Lake Norman, there were 5 Isotopes sailing - 4 singlehanded and one 2-up. On Sunday, when the wind rose to 15kts sustained, One of the sailors furled his jib. Two others went to shore and came back out 2-up on one boat. The wind continued to build and near 20kts, One of the singlehanded and one of the 2-up boats went in. I had to trap hard and spill air in the gusts but didn't shorten sail while racing. I did furl my jib going back to shore afterwards though.

A couple of years ago, also on Lake Norman, my wife and I were sailing 2-up in building wind. Flying a hull downwind in about 25kts, a gust picked up the transoms (despite both of us hiking hard as far back as we could) and spun us around. The boat stayed upright (barely) but the near-pitchpole cost us the race. When the wind hit 30kts shortly after finishing, we bagged it and headed for the nearest cove. At that point, survival was our prime concern. Mercifully, the race committee abandoned racing for the day as well.

So, I guess my singlehanded limit is about 20kts and 2-up with good crew would be near 25 (assuming, as others point out, that other conditions such as temperature and available rescue are favorable).

Regards,
Eric

have you ever seen a Tornado flying a hull upwind with only a jib and two on trap?

No I have not had the pleasure.
BUT, I have been out in conditions with our T, where we had to lower the main. Going upwind with just the jib was well night impossible as far as we was able to find out (please, do share the trick).

Sorry, dont mean to bash you, but to sail in 100 knots windspeed on a dinghy sounds impossible to me. I have been out in 40 knots, and that was really scary. Have also been out in conditions where we almost capsized backwards while beating double trapped and feathering. Later, the mast came down, so it was blowing pretty hard, but it was most definately not 100knots or even 50.

No, but...in 45 knots gusting to 60, four guys trapped out, plus me driving my H16 under reefed main with jib. Reach out from the beach, tack, reach back, smile, give thanks for no injuries and nothing broken.

I don't actually believe that it is possible to truly 'sail upwind' on a T with just a jib. I've tried it on at least 3 occasions and the closest you can get is a reach when it's blowing. Most notably we had to do it at the UK Olympic trials in 1983 when we lost our main halyard lock (wind strength 5-6) and on that occasion we single trapped on a reach back to the beach occasionally lifting a hull, but because there was no support from the main via the leech, we destroyed the mast before we hit the beach .

You physically can't double trap ANY cat under jib only and expect to keep your mast - sorry, that's just the way it is.

Wait! I need clarification! You had four men plus you -- five men -- on a Hobie 16, with four of them trapped out? I think I must be misunderstanding something here.

Undo the bungees under the tramp and swing all the trap wires to one side. The fun part was when preparing to tack coming to the realization that all four would have to make a running leap around the forestay to get to the other side. Testosterone had not allowed us to plan that far in advance

yeah....I'm going to call b.s. on the 100knot suggestion...anything sticking out of the water would be tumbling away. Having begun to stick my head up beyond a motorcycle fairing at 125mph, I can attest to the fact that youre certainly not going to be doing anything related to "sailing" at those wind speeds. Flying, maybe. Sailing, no. I can't imagine that you could keep a catamaran or dingy upright in anything above 45 - 50knots sails or no sails.

Well, just back from sailing. Started nice (10-15) but would you believe weather.com was correct for once? "Wind building to 20-25 by noon."
Great time in the beginning learning the spin but once we were headed back windward the wind hit over 20 with higher gusts. At that point it really stresses me out it ain't no fun no mo. I have a relatively heavy crew (total weight of crew= 400lbs) and I couldn't imagine trying to keep the boat stable with less weight. Even had to do some funky moves to try to beach the boat (wind straight onto shore)- ended up having to park somewhere else, take the jib down and then beached it).
As for sailing a cat with only a jib- I have found that heading up just doesn't work- center of effort too far forward.

BUT.. nothing broke!
(last time... brand new sail flew out of back of pickup... scary but only very very minor damage)

I prefer 10-12 when solo on the P-18. At 15+, I'm overloaded.

Biggest wind ever was on a Hobie 14 on Mission Bay, San Diego years ago. I was the teaching assistant for a beginning sail class and agreed to take some students for rides. Harbor Patrol told us it was blowing 30-35 with gusts to 42. Mostly flat, protected water and gybing (as tacking was impossible) was scary!

Took out a Laser a few hours later and really flew. I was overtaking the Whaler rescue boat while trying to ride the wake!

I think the sailing center ended up with two or three busted masts that day!

Sheldon

tell that to Brian Lewis...

I seem to remember Nigel stuck out off Florida with about 70mph during the last Worrell 1000. Everybody but about 3 boats headed for shore, Tommy Bahama and ~2 other teams just sheeted in and kept it rightside up. As he told it, there was no sailing, just the pointy end up rule. So if Nigel Pitt & Alex can't or won't try to even move their I-20 in 70mph, I'm pretty sure 100kts is not feasible for ANYONE, No matter what your Friend Claimed.

Much more than 25 mph sustained on a cat and the chances of a bad or expensive day really seem to increase. This photo is what happened to a friends Hobie 18 when they got hit by a 50mph plus squall on Galveston Bay:



He described the boat cart wheeling across the water when he tried to right it. Everyone made it safely back to shore, but they are quite wary about heading out when it is stormy weather. It may be blowing "only" 25 on the beach - but once you get out onto less protected waters a squall can hit rapidly with no where to run or hide.

Chris.

I'm not going out solo on my boat above 18. These days I'd rather crew in the bigger winds. I have had some of the best times of my life crewing on Hobie 16's when it was over 20. But we also stayed near shore: Block Island Sail '03, winds 20 to 25,blowing nearly onshore,seas 3-6'; Island Hop '?, crewed with our now commodore Sean Esten, similar winds,and some wild seas in places. I don't know how he kept us upright! One other factor you guys haven't mentioned, but which I discovered on this years Island Hop is really important. A good nights sleep the night before. You yutes may be able to go without. Lord knows I did when I was younger. But I'm not even taking my boat out with less than 7 hours of sleep from now on.

went out with my friend last weekend for first time on my new_used 5.8 winds 15 to20 boat went over right in front of dog beach in ft meyers fla friends shorts around his knees great laugh but furled the jib and sailed main for rest of day

Ok..
I admit only in Europe and Americia are there any strong winds.. We only see 5 knot of wind ever here.. The Southern Ocean is really a mill pond.. Any reports to the contary are media lies... The Sydney-Hobart 1998 was death free and any reports were a media promotion.. Out there it was really really boring sailing.. That the Perth Albany 80 was incident free... That all those homeowners who have over the years lost houses were insurance scammers..
Thank god!!

Oh come on!

Everybody knows you have strong winds in oz, and the Bass strait can be a killer. But sailing a dinghy/beachcat in 100 knots of wind is so outrageous to mosts sailors that you need to back up the statement before it is accepted.

As they say on 'that other forum':

- "pictures! or it didn't happen"

We were out there on our 18HT...
It was like a white wall coming toward to us.
capsized of course and drifted with 5 kn to leeward
I was at the masttop bodysurfing, to prevent that the boat accidently rises it self from the wind and capsizes again.

The mainsail was almost wrecked, but we managed to get back (upwind and in the dark) to our homeport without assistance.