Downhaul and outhaul settings on a catamaran The fundamentals

[@GearreportdotCom]

Gotta love videos like this that correct big misconceptions of mine. I really didn't "get" the logic of when to adjust the downhaul or how to set it for different modes of sailing. Thanks!

[@JoyriderTV]

I'm going to do a series of clarifying things like this - keeping it as simple as possible. Next maybe we'll look at the traveller.

[@GearreportdotCom]

@@JoyriderTV Please do. I often don't know if I should bring it to towards center to give more room to play the main sheet, or push it out a bit and have less sheet.

[@JamesDonatelli]

This video is perfect timing. On my last sail I realized I may have been over tensioning something(s), possibly my downhaul which was preventing the mast from turning smoothly. I think I may have been over-tightening the jib halyard which also can contribute to mast bend. On my last sail the mast would not rotate and I had to use my hands to get it to rotate. I am about to go for a sunset sail to play with the tension of these items. And I will now be sure to do a pre flight check for mast rotation.

[@JoyriderTV]

could be too much jib sheet if it's windy - that could backwind the mainsail or the mast, could be too much jib halyard, could be a bent mast - if it's just happening on one tack.

[@JamesDonatelli]

@@JoyriderTV Hey Joe, I just discovered the problem and solution to my mast rotation pivot problem! My boat is a 1989 Hobie 16 and it has had several owners over the years. My boat was fitted with 4 shrouds, the two extras were likely added at some point to provide extra level of safety when coastal sailing in the Atlantic ocean far away from the home beach. Apparently, one of the shrouds had to be replaced at one point in time and it was replaced alone and not as a set. As a result, the replacement was a different length shroud, a substantial 2" shorter. (I just learned that Hobie has shortened the shroud lengths two times since the original Hobie design to give the newer model Hobie's more mast rake, which requires shorter shrouds.) I did not know about the 2" difference in the lengths of my port and starboard shrouds, so when I reassembled my boat for the new season, I set the pins in the same holes (port and starboard) of the shroud hole stay adjusters, this caused an imbalance in the rig tension and twist between port and starboard... causing the mast to not pivot properly and allowing the boat to tack well to starboard but not to port. While this is unique because this Hobie has 4 shrouds, I learned many things from this experience. Lessons learned... 1) always replace shrouds as a matched pair and if a person has an older boat, be sure to check the length of the shrouds you currently have. If you choose to go with a different shroud length, it can affect the length needed for the forestay. 2) The newer shorter 18'-11" shrouds are now the Hobie 16 standard and work great on Hobie 16's newer than 1984 when the mast bases were updated by Hobie to allow for more mast rake. I did need to add a bit more forestay length from the existing 17'-6" forestay to 18'-3" to balance the rig. I did this by installing a new 18'-3" Aussie Jib system forestay. 3) I learned that the halyard rigging on the Euro Hobie's is different than my USA rigged boat and I found the Euro setup to be more user friendly. The Euro system has the jib halyard cam cleat and cleat on the starboard side of the mast. As a right hander, It is much easier to make adjustments to the halyard on the water. I made the switch to the Euro style, and installed that jib halyard cleats on the starboard side, when I installed an Aussie Jib system. And moved the main halyard to a cleat on the port side of the mast. It works so much nicer than my older jib system! I would not have made these changes if my current rigging was in good shape, but since it was time to replace my shrouds and forestay anyway, I decided to replace the shrouds and forestay with the current Hobie 16 specs... (the shorter 18'-11") shrouds, (a longer 18"-3") forestay, and the Aussie Jib system. Thank you Joe for your videos! They helped me see how Euro boats and USA Hobie's can be fitted differently. If any of your viewers need info on updating their older Hobie 16's, I can send you pics or videos, to be used on show us your Hobie, that might be of help.

[@irvingbee5842]

Living the dream Joe, Vasaliki here we come 👍

[@JoyriderTV]

🤩🤩🤩

[@M_Pashby]

On older 16’s and those not equipped with the 6:1 downhaul kit (like my ‘83 Blue Hawaii), I’ve found that sheeting the main in tight helps pull the downhaul on more, also adding a micro block to the ring on the gooseneck helps reduce the friction when pulling it on. I don’t adjust once on the water unless there is a significant change in conditions. Thank you for your videos, they have made me a much more confident skipper!

[@JoyriderTV]

Great tip there. I do remember the days before the 6:1 and we did the same.

[@TheeTyroneShoelaces]

Much appreciated. I literally bought a sailboat solely because I watched all your videos. So I only know what you’ve taught us. Keep em coming!

[@JoyriderTV]

No pressure then! I'm very glad that the videos have been helping. More coming up!

[@greatpix]

Brings me back to the days when I had my new NACRA 5.8 in the early '80s. At the time the only boat that could go as fast was the SuperCat 20, but I still managed to go faster, unless someone bought a spinnaker for their boat. I sailed out of Long Beach, CA and Dana Point. Long Beach was also called Hurricane Alley, for good reason.

[@JoyriderTV]

🥫

[@chrisbeauchamp5563]

Your videos are fantastic. Having just brought a cat I'm hanging off every word. Thanks from Western Aus

[@JoyriderTV]

Great, good choice to buy a cat! Jib positions coming up later today!

[@TomKirkman1]

I know guys that could use a video on jib clew position per wind strength. Many do not understand how it changes whether the sheet pull falls more on the foot or more on the leech and how that affects the performance of the sail in varying wind conditions.

[@JoyriderTV]

Thanks Tom, great suggestion. I'll put it on the list.

[@stevenvachon9745]

@@JoyriderTV yes, and (I know you have done this before) while you are in that area of the boat, a review of the jib traveler position in relation to the main traveler, the tension and what the gap between does. 👍

[@kevinallan5297]

Another Grt vid Joe! Thx for this! Re downhaul “The harder it blows the tighter it goes” I read somewhere. Something we don’t talk enough about is how to control or slow the boat down in strong wind. These are key strategies here, I would also add mast rake to this (increase rake to increase control and get the boat flatter) using the jib halyard/ Aussie jib (I know you covered this before) and then obv keeping the different systems in balance. These more subtle strategies are also critical when racing. Keep up the Grt work Champ, greetings from South Africa 🇿🇦

[@JoyriderTV]

Thanks Kevin, i think this will be the first of a series of videos simplifying some topics that people might have found confusing.

[@jcowboy123]

Great informative video thx Joe

[@JoyriderTV]

Cheers `James, it's all about the calibration stickers!

[@williamschrade8719]

Great explanation Joe. Thank you!

[@JoyriderTV]

Glad it was helpful!

[@season2julian381]

Hi joe!!!

[@jamespamula5579]

The gooseneek on my Pringle 16. Is fixed.. there's a possibilities not supposed to be that way. I've had a couple of comments with you before. I am very new to catamarans but I'm loving it just trying to expand my knowledge in Arizona USA

[@JoyriderTV]

This is correct for the Prindle - in fact, it's probably only the H16 and 14 where the boom moves with the sail.

[@rawvisions7592]

Aaaah the intro is so good but helicopter sounds was actually funny haha great tutorial 🙏

[@JoyriderTV]

I'll keep the chopper for Show us your cat! Thanks

[@greatpix]

Here's an idea for a video, especially for those who keep their boats in storage yards or Cat Corners like Dana Point had. How to keep people from stealing hardware off your boat. Every time I wanted to go sailing I'd have to first go the the nearby marine hardware store to buy replacement parts. Nothing kills the fun of sailing like people messing with your boat and stealing stuff, which is why I ended up selling my boat after dealing with it for 3 years.

[@JoyriderTV]

Yes, that's a very sad problem. I don't know what recommendations i could make that aren't just stating the obvious.

[@Nishimachi_Photography]

Good video. I found it very useful as my Caper Cat isn't running a downhaul.... I might be getting one now 😁

[@JoyriderTV]

Thanks, I think you'll see an improvement in performance.

[@dirkrooman9191]

Hi Joe. Can you do a video on the traveller. Very instructif and informatif. 👍

[@JoyriderTV]

Sure thing! Next one in this series.

[@jasonshobbies]

Joe could you please add measurements as to where your scale is on the mast for the downhaul

[@september2489]

I join to this question. Joseph, what is approx. height of your scale? As for me I usually use downhaul somewhere between 2 and 3.

[@JoyriderTV]

yes i'll get those measurements, however, the positions will be effected by how much your sail is stretched.

[@JamesDonatelli]

Joe, where do you get your downhaul measurement stickers for the mast? They are different than the Hobie USA stickers. And I like yours better!!! The 1-4 scale makes more sense.

[@JoyriderTV]

Great question - these are the Total Joyrider calibration stickers. Check them out here totaljoyrider.com/pages/stickers

[@JamesDonatelli]

@@JoyriderTV so much better than the stock Hobie stickers!

[@mauriciodantas2324]

Hi Joe can you show how to make the down scale? What is the distance btw each number? Thanks !!!

[@JoyriderTV]

I'll go through this in Wednesday's Q+A. Short answer - it's not important the distance between numbers - it's for your reference so that you can work out which number to pull the sail down to.

[@mauriciodantas2324]

@@JoyriderTV thank you very much!

[@dannybullar5925]

Hey Joe I got a hobie Teddy but am mostly into laser racing and will hopefully be coming to wildwind later in the year and am wondering if I can do some racing with you so I can get more into catamaran sailing

[@JoyriderTV]

We race out here every week. All classes invited, so yes.

[@JABTV2008]

another great vid, Joe. I've installed a double block downhaul on my Hobie 18 where before was just a rope through a cringle. The original system has no snatch block, instead just a jam slot, whiich is inconvienient, but I'll change that shortly. Question: on my jib, there is a leech adjustment line. How does that affect the sail setting as opposed to moving the jibsheet cars forward or back?

[@JoyriderTV]

That leech line you want to have that so that it's just supporting the edge of the sail - no real tension wants to be in there. The jib car - move it forward to close the leech for lighter winds (never so tat the leech is tighter than the foot) Move it back for heavy wind to open the leech and slot and put more twist into the sail.

[@JABTV2008]

@@JoyriderTV Thanks very much for that Joe, very helpful. Keep up the great vids!

[@garyanderson8273]

Does a Hobie 16 ever run a boom vang?

[@JoyriderTV]

No, very early boats had a fitting for it but effectively the mainsheet is acting more like the kicker/vang and the traveller is more like the mainsheet.

[@sailingscruffy]

At 3:00 I just don't understand how the fastest is the easiest to sail . . .

[@JoyriderTV]

I'll talk about this in the Q+A - coming soon!