Hobie 17 – Rigging, Tuning and Sailing Guide

by Dan Kulkoski

This guide will help get you and your Hobie 17 in the ballpark, but remember it is only a guide, there are many
ways to setup and sail a Hobie Cat fast.

General setup
3-8 mph 9-13 mph >13 (white caps) See note
Mast Rake 26’ 111/2” 26’ 111/2” - 27’ 1/4” 27’ 1/4” 1
Rudder Toe under 1 3/4” 1
1 /2” 2
1 1 1
Rudder Alignment /8” toe in /8” toe in /8” toe in
Batten Tension Fairly hard Fairly hard Fairly hard 3
Rig tension Real loose Slightly loose Slightly loose 1 Chain plate hole difference

Tell Tales – 2 sets a couple of inches behind the vertical panel. 1 third and 2 thirds up.
I also have one off the back, which should suck forward from time to time when going to weather.
Crossbars – If your boat takes on water, more than likely, it is getting in through your crossbar cups. Take the
cups off and seal the peg and screw holes with 3M 5200 before reassembling. I also put MarineTex on my
saddles, placing a piece of saran wrap between it and the crossbar. Assemble before the MarineTex sets up.
This gives me a good stiff boat. Periodically check bolts for tightness.
Note 1: To get this measurement, connect the halyard twist shackle to a 100’ tape measure, running it up and
lock the ring in at the top of the mast. Take your tape reading at the traveler track. I believe the boat should be
perfectly balanced with no helm. Mast rake and toe under go hand in hand to achieve neutral helm. Depending
on your weight (light skippers need less power, more mast rake) set your boat up, go sailing and play with your
mast rake. Keep notes so you can get repeatability.
Note 2: If you have too much weather helm or lee helm, adjust your rudder toe under. You might even have to
redrill.
Note 3: You can always flatten your sail afloat, but it’s real tough to make it more full (more power) afloat.
Punching your battens in will give the power needed to pound through choppy seas and you can still flatten the
sail using the downhaul, sheet tension and mast rotation, should the wind come up. One problem with tight
battens is the top one or two might not pop when you gybe in light air. I change these 2 out between H16 jib
style battens and H16 main style battens depending on the wind strength. Higher winds = stiffer battens.

Upwind sailing
3-8 mph 9-13 mph >13 (white caps) Note
Main sheet tension Light Tighter REAL TIGHT 1
Loose, diagonal Wrinkles out to Hand hurting
Downhaul (6:1 a must)
wrinkles in sail fairly tight tight
Out until you can
Traveler Center to 4” out Center to 4” out
keep boat flat
Dagger board Slightly in front
Mast rotation point
hole or slightly of Dagger board Shroud
toward
in front hole
Just behind Trapped as far Skippers tend to get
Sit on or in front
Skipper position crossbar or sitting forward as onto the wing too
of crossbar
forward on wing possible quickly

Hobie University, NAHCA Page 21 31 Mar 02

Outhaul: Downhaul your sail first, then set your outhaul or you will break your outhaul wire. Should be
about a fist width between the boom and the sail (if it hung down to the boom) at its deepest point. Put shock
cord between your boom and clew to keep it pulled forward.

Driving techniques: Keep wind flowing over the back side of sail. If the leeward tell tail goes forward at all
(stalls) – you lose!!! In light air I usually cleat and drive the boat. As the wind builds I tend to cleat and
uncleat the main sheet a lot, keeping the boat flat. I tend to sheet extra hard in high winds only uncleating
when I think I am about to stall the boat. To sheet extra tight, I put the tiller between my toes, bend my knees
and use both hands to pull the mainsheet in and then cleat. You can also go to a bigger lower block, but beware
it won’t pay out as fast on a tack.

Tacking Techniques: Have several in your tool kit. In light air, as I go under the boom, I stop and push it up
with my back. This guarantees that the boat won’t round up after the tack leaving me in irons. In higher winds,
from the wire, there are 2 common techniques. The cleat and dive method or the uncleat and place the
mainsheet in your tiller hand method. If you use the second method, as you push the tiller to start the tack, the
main automatically starts to pays out, you better hurry to the other side or your weight will pull the boat over on
top of you!!

Downwind
3-8 mph 9-13 mph >13 (white caps)
Sheet tension Let out a lot, wrapping it around the shroud
Downhaul Totally off Totally off Don’t touch
Traveler Out to hull Out to hull Out to hull
Mast rotation 110 degrees 110 degrees Don’t care
Dagger boards Both up One up Both down
Trying to stay as far Very high winds,
forward as possible sitting on the wing
Skipper position In front of crossbar Behind crossbar
without flipping. Lots gets you further
of skipper movement! back

Downwind I am a low and slow type of skipper on the H17, however in many conditions a high and fast track
seems work. Speed test with a friend and keep notes to see which track is fastest for you. Downwind you
need to have some type of wind indicator on your front bridle. I recommend cassette tape.

Driving techniques: Keep the cassette tape pointing slightly forward of 90 degrees. If a gust increases your
speed, dive lower keeping the tape pointing forward of 90 degree. As the gust passes you, head up keeping the
tape forward. Some times its pays to gibe keeping you in a gust longer.

Jibing Techniques: Be smooth, but quick. I set the tiller on the new side and with my back hand. Then I pull
the rudders using the tiller crossbar, while my front hand grabs the boom. As the wind crosses the transom, I
lean back pulling the boom over my head. Then with a quick spin I grab the tiller with the back hand moving
quickly forward. I don’t worry about the mainsheet until I am settled.

One last word of advice. Always wear your life jacket, but on a one man boat it’s even more important! I
have seen many a skipper get separated from their boat, even in light air (they usually slip off the front going
down wind and when they come up the boat has sailed over them and is gone).

Hobie University, NAHCA Page 22 31 Mar 02