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Hobie Wave Tuning Guide - Bob Curry
The HOBIE WAVE Tuning Guide
by Bob Curry
This guide and all information contained within this document can be applied to both the HCA Wave and Formula Wave classes. As of this writing (December 2022), both class rules are very similar. Let’s get started!
RIP Rick White - 1937 - 2017
Received the sad news that Rick White, legendary catamaran sailor and promoter has died at 79 at Mariners Hospital in Tavernier, Florida among his favorite sailing grounds, the Florida Keys.
It's hard to overstate the good Rick did for beach catamaran sailing during his life. By the time I started sailing my first catamaran, the Hobie 18, in 1991 Rick White had literally "written the book" about how to sail it.
He is survived by his wife Mary Wells who shared these words on Facebook today.
Rick White, born April 4, 1937, passed away on January 11, 2017 at Mariners Hospital in Tavernier, Florida after a brief and unexpected battle with non-small-cell lung cancer.
He is best known in the multihull sailing world for his many racing championships, his books and his race-training seminars. But there is so much more
As a pre-teen he was a champion swimmer doing the butterfly stroke. And as a teenager he started driving trucks at age 14. His father told him to just blend in with the traffic, no faster or slower than the rest.
In high school he was an all-state football player being recruited by numerous colleges. He picked North Carolina, but he broke his neck during the first year, ending that potential career. After several years as a successful trucking company owner, he sold that and gave up the suits and ties to become a singer-songwriter-entertainer.
His greatest passion was motocross racing. And he even built a track that hosted many motocross championships.
Lived in Vail, Colorado for eight years, where he was an expert powder-hound skier besides being an entertainer. For one summer out there, he worked as a river raft guide on the Colorado River.
He was an airplane pilot (only crashed once) and for boats he had a 500-ton masters license. He worked for several years as a captain taking groups of people on week-long sailing tours of the Bahamas.
In recent years he has been spending his summers at Put-in-Bay, OH, and his winters in Key Largo, FL.
Rick is survived by his wife Mary Wells, his son David White of Key Largo, FL, his daughter Michelle Coyle of Barberton, OH, his brother William White of Plantation, FL.
Rest In Peace Rick White,
Damon Linkous
TheBeachcats.com
Steeplechase Catamaran Race 2016, Final Results
2016 Steeplechase Catamaran Race, December 10-11, Islamorada to Key Largo and Back.
The 32nd running of the Steeplechase was a challenge, and that’s just as it should be. This years event was won by the Team of Jamie Livingstone and Kenny Pierce on a Tornado in a fast total time for the two days of 7 hours, 48 minutes. Second was Ralph and Pat Cole on a Nacra 20 Carbon followed up by James Zelmer and Joe Velwave on a F18 (with a team name “Hobie 21”).
Special mention to the F18 team of David Reed and Mark Herendeen who, despite being demasted during day one, were able to recover and race the second day back from Key Largo. In the true spirit of endurance beachcat racing, other teams provided the needed parts and help to get them back on the water for Sunday’s start.
More pictures and info on the Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/thebeachcats/
Steeplechase 2016, Storm Threat Day One
Steeplechase Catamaran Distance Race, Islamorada Florida December 10-11 2016
Catamaran distance races are always exciting but the sailors planning to enter the 32nd running of this event had to consider very high predicted wind speeds and possible storms in the 120 mile path of the two day race.
Seven teams started the race Saturday morning, headed for the first day finish at Key Largo. This was an experienced bunch, with a variety of boats, two F18’s, a Nacra Carbon 20, Tornado, Nacra 6.0, Nacra 20OD, and a Hobie 21.
The actual conditions at the start were nice 12-18 winds from the SE but once the Magnificent Seven headed out the the winds greatly increased causing one team to turn back. A little later the team of David Reed and Mark Herendeen lost their mast due to a shroud failure. They were able to tie off to a crab pot and call for help and were rescued with no injuries.
Registration Open for Hiram's Haul
Notice of Race (NOR) and Online Registration are now available for the 2016 Hiram’s Haul.
https://www.sailseriespromotions.com/races/hirams-haul/
October 29-30, 2016
The 15th running of Hiram’s Haul is set for October 29-30, 2016. The catamaran race is a total 60 mile race running from Melbourne, Florida to Sebastian, Florida on Saturday and back to Melbourne on Sunday. Hiram’s Haul started in 1997 has been hosted by Performance Sail and Sport until last year when Sail Series Promotions USA took over as the Organizing Authority (AO)
Argentina Wins Olympic Gold in Mixed Multihulls 2016
Santiago Lange and Cecilia Carranza Saroli (ARG) have won gold after a heart-stopping Medal Race in the Nacra 17 Mixed Multihull. Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin (AUS) took silver and bronze goes to Thomas Zajac and Tanja Frank (AUT).
The Argentineans made hard work of the Medal Race, picking up a penalty early on to round the first mark at the back. But they fought back to third by the top of the final lap, only to incur another penalty for sailing too close to the Austrians. After dropping the gennaker and taking their 360 penalty turn, Lange and Saroli rallied to cross the finish in sixth place, just seven seconds ahead of the Italians.
It was a crucial seven seconds that gave gold to the Argentineans by a single point from Australia. The young Aussies crossed the finish behind the New Zealand team of Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders (NZL), but more importantly finished 10 seconds ahead of the Austrians who crossed for third place. Australia and Austria were tied on points, but silver goes to Waterhouse and Darmanin for their superior finish in the Medal Race.
It has been an extraordinary Games for Lange, at 54 the oldest competitor in the sailing at Rio 2016. He has had the pleasure of watching his sons, Yago and Klaus, represent the nation in the 49er skiff, and he has survived cancer in the past year.
Lange says the rigours of his sport helped to save his life and return to competition after he lost a lung to cancer just a year ago. His hectic schedule led to diagnosis of the disease, he said, while the experience of five Olympic campaigns, winning two medals along the way, was key in keeping him positive through his ordeal and returning for a sixth challenge.
Lange, with crewmate Carlos Espinola, won bronzes for Argentina at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 in the now discontinued two-person Tornado class event before combining with Cecilia Carranza Saroli (ARG) in 2014 in the Nacra 17 mixed class, a new addition to the Olympic sailing schedule at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
But plans were suddenly placed on hold in 2015 when Lange was diagnosed with cancer and eventually had his left lung removed. "The six months I was dealing with that, I was so positive," Lange said. "Now when I look back it was a good experience, difficult but I learned a lot. I was operated on in Barcelona and after five days I was cycling, in a month I was back sailing.
"I was very lucky to find it (the cancer). Probably if I wasn't travelling so much and wasn't so tired it wouldn't have been found. I see myself as very lucky.
"For sure my philosophy and what I learned through the sport helped me a lot. With sailing you learn to suffer in a certain way, to go through hard times and stand up and keep pushing."
Olympic Mixed Multihull Nacra 17 Day One
Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17, 2016 Olympics
Matias Buhler and Nathalie Brugger (SUI) emerged top of the rankings after two whacky opening races for the Nacra 17 on the notoriously tricky Pão de Açucar (Sugarloaf Mountain) race course. The Swiss are on equal points with Ben Saxton and Nicola Groves (GBR), with Santiago Lange and Cecilia Carranza Saroli (ARG) holding third overall.
With the fleet starting in 10 knots of breeze, the Mixed Multihull fleet shot up the track. But, the breeze was all over the place and no lead was ever safe. The Swiss emerged at the front at one point, only to be swallowed up by the pack at the halfway stage. But then Buhler and Brugger found their way through to the front once more, only to see their 200 metre lead disappear in the dying moments of the final leg. The fleet was closing fast and the top six boats all crossed the finish line within five seconds of each other. The Swiss beat Singapore by a whisker.
"A really tricky day,” said Brugger. "Difficult with very shifty and gusty winds, so we had to improvise and keep the eyes open. We had some hard moments back in the fleet but we were always fighting and had a really good team spirit.”
Justin Liu (SIN) didn't even know how well he'd done until he came ashore. "That photo finish, we've no idea how we did, where did we finish?” he asked the press, delighted to discover he and crew Denise Lim had finished second. "The wind was everywhere, super crazy, we were near the back at one point, but we fought our way back.” Even with a 16th in the next race, the Singaporeans lie in eighth overall.
The British were consistent with scores of 3,5. Saxton was smiling but still not that sure about the secret to success other than, "Give it a go, do your best and hopefully by the end of six legs it will be good enough.
The four-time World Champions Billy Besson and Marie Riou (FRA) had a worrying first day and sit in 17th place in the 20-boat fleet. Besson is carrying a severe long-term back injury and is struggling even to walk any distance, so one can only imagine the pain he is suffering to compete on board the athletic Nacra 17.
Florida 300 Coverage
The Florida 300 starts Tuesday, May 17th from Islamorada in the Florida Keys. Race headquarters at the start is the Guy Harvey Outpost Islander Resort.
TheBeachcats.com will be posting stories and pictures each day along the way. The photos will be posted to the 2016 Florida 300 album at
http://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures?g2_itemId=109100
Videos will be posted to the Florida 300 Youtube channel
Also please these Facebook Pages to follow the race.
TheBeachcats.com on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/thebeachcats/
The Florida 300 Facebook Page.
https://www.facebook.com/sailseries/
Here is a quick list of the start and finish locations, the beach starts and landings can be quite a spectacle so come by and say hi and watch the show, get motivated and join the fun next year!
Start dates and locations: Starting time is 10:00am.
- Day One Start: Tuesday, May 17, 2016, Islamorada, FL - waters near the Islander resort, MM82.1 US‐1
- Day Two Start: Wednesday, May 18, 2016, Key Biscayne, FL - beach near the Silver Sands Resort
- Day Three Start: Thursday, May 19, 2016, Palm Beach Shores, FL - beach near the Seaspray Inn & Beach Resort
- Day Four Start: Friday, May 20, 2016, Vero Beach, FL - beach at South Beach Park
- Day Five Start: Saturday 21, 2016, Cocoa Beach, FL - beach near Best Western
Finish Dates and Locations: Finish times depend on weather and competition, usually between 2pm and 6pm.
- Day One Finish: Tuesday, May 17, 2016, Key Biscayne, FL - beach near the Silver Sands Resort
- Day Two Finish: Wednesday, May 18, 2016, Palm Beach Shores, FL - beach near the Seaspray Inn & Beach Resort
- Day Three Finish: Thursday, May 19, 2016, Vero Beach, FL - beach at South Beach Park
- Day Four Finish: Friday, May 20, 2016, Cocoa Beach, FL - beach near Best Western
- Day Five Finish: Saturday, May 21, 2016, Daytona Beach, FL - beach near The Mayan Inn
2016 Florida 300 Updated Notice of Race (NOR)
Florida 300 Updated Notice of Race has been published. Please read carefully and note the safety equipment, including Personal Locator Beacons (PLB's), required for each crew.
Also for those on the fence and want to "try out" distance racing on the Florida Coast or can't take the whole week. There are now TWO single leg events that can be entered. The Dogfight, raced from Vero Beach to Cocoa Beach, and the Space Coast Challenge raced from Cocoa Beach to Daytona Beach. These are two separate races so you can enter one or both to join the fun.
Florida 300 Early Registration Extended to March 20, 2016
NOTICE: 2016 Florida 300 Early Registration extended to March 20th.
There are a lot of exciting new features and sponsors for the race being finalized now, so the Florida 300 organizers have decided to push back the deadline.
This is to allow for some announcements that should be coming soon that could convince those on the fence to jump into the race.
Watch this space for further news.
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