Hobie Cat
Les Hobie Cats sont de petits catamarans de compétition, principalement utilisés pour la régate ainsi que le loisir. Il existe différents modèles, d'une longueur de 14 à 21 pieds, d'une largeur de 6.8 à 8.5 pieds, et d'une hauteur de 20 à 33 pieds. Le modèle le plus populaire, le Hobie 16, est vendu depuis plus de 30 ans. Il mesure 5.05 m de long, 2.43 m de large, et est haut de 7.92m La surface de sa voilure est proche de 20.25 m², elle dépend du style et de la configuration de la voile utilisée. Son poids total est d'environ 145 kg. Les Hobie Cats sont connus pour être à la fois performants et abordables.
Ces bateaux sont considérés par beaucoup comme trop puissants, en raison de leur légereté, de leur aérodynamisme et de la surface de leur voile. Mais nombreux sont ceux qui veulent un Hobie 16 pour ces raisons : on peut ainsi atteindre une vitesse de plus de 20 nœuds grâce à la stabilité du bateau sur une seule des deux coques, ce qui réduit les frottements avec l'eau. L'ensemble du bateau est prévu pour résister à des conditions climatiques extrêmes.
Ressaler un Hobie 16 est une compétence requise par fort vent. Le ressalage est la technique utilisée pour redresser le bateau lorsque celui-ci a une coque dans l'eau, l'autre à la verticale et la voile à la surface de l'eau. En passant le bout de ressalage au-dessus de la coque supérieure, on peut redresser le bateau dans sa position normale. Etrangement, il est plus difficile pour de nombreuses personnes de redresser un catamaran lorsqu'il n'y a pas de vent ! Le plus dur est d'arriver à sortir la voile de l'eau qui la recouvre.
Plus rarement, le catamaran peut également chapoter, c'est à dire se retrouver le mât à l'envers sous l'eau.
Afin d'éviter ces désagréments, on peut utiliser la technique du "trapèze" pour équilibrer la force du vent dans la voile.
Historique
A faire: Ajouter l'historique
Modèles notables et actuels
Catamarans thermoformés : Bravo, Wave, Getaway
Cette série de catamarans est réalisées dans du plasitique thermoformé. Elle est destinée aux débutants.
Le Bravo, d'une longueur de 12 pieds, est le plus petit. Il est prévu pour accueillir un seul navigateur, mais peut éventuellement embarquer un équipier. The relatively narrow beam (53") compared to the 19' mast leads to considerable heeling, or tipping of the boat compared to other catamarans. The Bravo has the distinction of being able to furl the sail around the mast.
The Wave is intended for two to sail, but is easily handled by one with its 13' length, 7' beam, and 20' mast. This boat has proved extremely popular with beach resorts for being rugged, easy to sail, and can be simply pulled up onto the beach to store.
The Getaway is marketed as "the social boat" and is designed with room for more people that Hobie Cat's other boats (it is intended to carry up to 6 adults). The boat has a trampoline both forward and aft of the mast, and is the only rotomolded Hobie to come stock with a jib and have an available trapeze. At 16'7", the Getaway is the same length as the Hobie 16; the beam is 7'8" and the mast is 25' tall.
Hobie 14
Hobie 16
The 16 is the most popular Hobie Cat, both for recreational purposes and as a one-design racer. The boat is 16'7" long, 7'11" wide, and has a mast 26'6" tall, but only weighs 320 pounds. As with the 14, it is intended to be sailed from the beach through the surf, and to be surfed back in on the waves to the beach. Instead of daggerboards or centerboards, the 16 has asymmetrical hulls which act like foils and keep the boat from crabbing, or slipping sideways from the force of the wind. Both jib and main sails are fully battened and total 218 square feet. A trapeze is usually used by the crew (and skipper too in higher winds) to keep the boat from heeling too much.
One notable flaw is the tendency for the boat to 'pitchpole' when running downwind; the sail plan and distribution of the floatation of the hulls is such that it can push the bows down far enough to dip them under the water, stopping the front of the boat and leading to a cartwheel or sommersault and subsequest capsize of the boat. Sailors compensate for this by putting their weight as far aft as they can while running downwind. Because of the curved contour of the hulls, in lighter air where pitchpoling isn't a threat, the boat can be steered in much the same fashion as a sailboard: as the crew shifts weight fore and aft, the boat tends to turn into or away from the wind. In this manner, the skipper can "trim" the rudders to minimize the force that must be exerted on the tiller extension.
Hobie 17
This boat comes in two 'trim packages': the Sport has a jib and a small boomlett that is not attached to the mast and is intended for recreational use by two people, while the SE has only the main sail, a full boom, and is designed to be raced by one person. It is 17' long, 8' wide, has a 27' 7" mast and 168 square feet (15.6 m²) of sail area (200 ft² or 18.6 m² with the jib). Both models have swinging centerboards and 'wings', which are steel extrusions from the hull with vinyl or mesh covers that can be used as seats, backrests, or provide more leverage when trapezing. Both the wings and centerboards can be seen in the picture.
The uni-rig or catboat sail plan allows the 17SE to 'point' well, or sail nearer to straight upwind than many other boats.
FX-One
The FX-One is an import from the France-based Hobie Cat Europe company. Similar to the 17, this boat is designed for single-handed racing. With the optional spinnaker, this boat is eligible for the Formula 17 multihull class. Relatively uncommon in North America, the FX-One is 17' long, 8' 4" wide, with a 27' 9" mast and 172 square feet (16.0 m²) of sail area (much more with the spinnaker), and weighs in at 326 pounds (148 kg) with the Formula 17 set-up.
Hobie 18
The 18 is of a similar hull design to the newer Hobie 17, with the primary difference being the extra foot of length and an extra sail, making this a two person boat. When configured for the Hobie 18 class, the boat is equipped with a main sail and jib. Optionally the Hobie 18 may be equipped with wing seats (similar to the 17). New "Hobie 18s" are no longer sold by Hobie but a large and enthusiastic group of sailors still ply the waters.
Tiger
The Tiger, another Hobie Cat Europe import, is Hobie Cat's entry into the Formula 18 multihull class. A two-person, light, high-floatation, wave-piercing platform with main, jib, and spinnaker sails, the Tiger has been very popular and successful both in class racing and Formula 18. At 18' long, 8' 6" wide, with a 29' 6" mast and 227 square feet of sail area (452 square feet with the spinnaker), the Tiger is considered 'underpowered' without the spinnaker up, and thus controllable in high winds.
Miracle 20
In contrast to the Tiger, the Miracle 20 is considered 'overpowered' with 250 square feet of sail area and takes advantage of light winds. The 20 is 19' 6" long, 8' 6" wide, with a 31' mast, and displaces 420 pounds.
Hobie 21SC
The 21SC (for Sport Cruiser) was Hobie Cat's first 'family boat'. Intended for casual sailing, this boat has a front trampoline, wings, an outboard motor-mount, and a built-in cooler. Though larger than the Getaway at 21' long, 8' 6" wide, with a 29' mast and 222 square feet of sail, the 21SC was quickly displaced by the more rugged, cheaper Getaway and has been phased out by Hobie Cat.
TriFoiler
The TriFoiler is the most unusual of Hobie Cat's boats. This trimaran has 2 sails (one on each ama) and hydrofoils that lift the hulls out of the water at speed. At 22' long, 19' wide, with two 18' masts, the TriFoiler is the biggest multihull ever produced by Hobie Cat. Unfortunately, the TriFoilers high price-tag, fragility, and limited use (only truly useful in high winds with low waves) lead Hobie Cat to discontinue production as of 2005.
