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SAFETY
IMPORTANT: READ BEFORE SAILING'
While sailing is generally a safe sport, carelessness 5. PRE-SAILING CHECK OUT
or lack of knowledge can be dangerous. A little When you're stepping the mast, tighten your
common sense and attention to a few precautions shackles with pliers. These can't vibrate loose if
go a long way toward protecting your safety in any- they're cinched down tightly. If one of these comes
thing you do, including sailing. loose while sailing; you risk damaging the boat or
even being hit by a falling mast.
1.LIFEVESTS
In the first place, don't sail without a Coast Guard 6. ELECTRICAL DANGER
approved life vest or jacket for each person on board. Watch for low overhead electrical wires whenever
A Type 1 PFD is an approved device designed to you are sailing or trailering with the mast up. The
turn an unconscious person in the water from a face mast sticks up there a long way and shock or
downward position to a vertical or slightly backward death could result if it should come in contact with
position, and to have more than 20 pounds of overhead wires. So look up when moving the boat
buoyancy, recommended for off-shore cruising and around and give any wires a wide berth.
acceptable for all size boats. If you're sailing in any
kind of a heavy sea or strong winds, you should The Hobie Ca~ will give you so many hours of
have your life jacket or vest on. Accidents do happen trouble-free sailing that the tendency is to forget
occasionally, even to the best of swimmers, and to look at any of the hardware until something wears
when they do, they usually happen quickly. Also out completely. Make it a habit to check the boat
remember to have an adequate paddle and righting out each time before you sail.
line on board at all times, along with one type 4
throwable flotation device. HOBIE CLASS ASSOCIATION
The Hobie Class Association was started by a group
2. OFF SHORE SAILING of Hobie owners who got together back in 1968
Don't sail far out to sea. Weather conditions can to organize some racing and other activities. Hobie
change rapidly and even if you're an experienced was the mainstay of the group promoting the acti-
sailor, old Mother Nature can sometimes get the best vities himself. At that time, it wasn't really a class
of you. You should never sail alone where you can't association but simply a group of owners wanting to
find shelter within a fairly close range or at least have fun with their new toys. Hobie would write brief
summon assistance. news letters from the factory announcing regattas as
they developed across the country. He published a
3. EQUIPMENT set of class rules rigidly restricting changes and
Know your equipment! The is built of modifications which can be made to the boat. As
quality materials and requires little maintenance, the class started to grow, people were hired to help
but for safety's sake, you should inspect it occa- administer the program. At that point, the association
sionally. Check the seals in your mast by pushing it became a little more formal: the groundwork for the
underwater and watching for air bubbles. If it is establishment of fleets was developed and the Hobie
leaking, have it resealed. A mast full of water makes Cat.Hotiine was initiated as a class newsletter.
righting a capsized boat awfully difficult. If you find
the hulls are taking on an appreciable amount of The Class Association was originally organized
water, check the foam plugs in the pylons by re- around one basic consideration: to extend each
moving the trampoline frame. If leakage continues, Hobie owner's enjoyment through organized, family
check the through-hull fittings (screws) and apply oriented activities. Innovations were made in racing
silicone rubber sealant, if necessary. procedures and the regatta structures. A policy of
including the whole family in the activities developed
4. WEAR AND TEAR to assure everyone would have fun at a Hobie
"Check your shroud anchor pins, rudder pins, tiller regatta. The Association continually strives to
arm connections, and tiller extension swivel. They develop better programs so owners may further
will become worn with continued use. A little preven- enjoy their Hobies.
tlve maintenance can prevent a failure on the water.
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