Tacking with the Hobie Cat 16

Some claim that a catamaran can’t tack. That’s not true — you just need to know how to do it.

We explain how in this first article of a series dedicated to twin-hulled boats.

Many sailors believe that a catamaran cannot tack. In reality, it can even tack from a standstill — you simply need the right technique.

Tacking

If you truly want to learn how to tack a catamaran, it’s best to practice on a Hobie Cat 16. It’s a versatile boat with no daggerboards, and that significantly affects how the maneuver is performed.

Other catamarans equipped with daggerboards generally tack very well without requiring particular adjustments.

Assuming that readers already know — at least in theory — what a tack is, let’s look at the differences between tacking a traditional dinghy and a catamaran like the Hobie Cat 16.

The three key elements that make a boat tack are:

• weight distribution
• sails
• rudder

Weight Distribution

To help a dinghy tack, you typically heel it to leeward. A catamaran, on the other hand, needs to pivot on the windward hull.

This means that both skipper and crew must remain on the windward side — the inside of the turn during the tack — until that side becomes the new leeward side.

The crew should only move across once the sails begin working on the new tack.
The rotation is essentially achieved by loading the inside hull and lightening the outside hull.

Sails

As most sailors know, the mainsail tends to turn the boat into the wind, while the jib helps bear away. On the Hobie Cat 16, however, the mainsail has a particularly large surface area.

You’ll need the mainsail during the first phase of the tack, while the catamaran is heading up into the wind. In the second phase, as the boat begins to bear away, you must anticipate the maneuver by getting the jib working as early as possible on the new tack, keeping it backed initially.

At this stage, the mainsail must be eased. Because it is powerful and strongly heads the boat up, it would otherwise prevent the boat from bearing away and exiting the “no-go zone” — the area where the wind is directly ahead and forward motion relies mainly on momentum.

During the tack sequence, the skipper must release the mainsheet from the cleat and help the sail cross to the new tack by physically guiding the boom across.

As the boat exits the no-go zone, the jib must begin working immediately on the new tack. This will start driving the boat forward.

Only then should you begin trimming in the mainsail again.

A common mistake among dinghy sailors transitioning to catamarans is underestimating the importance of easing the mainsail when head-to-wind and forgetting to keep the jib backed at the right moment.

The Rudder

Pushing the tiller toward leeward will gradually bring the Hobie Cat 16 head-to-wind, and it should remain there until the boat begins to bear away.

Only after passing through the no-go zone can the rudder be centered again.

If the rudder is applied too abruptly when heading up, the blade will act as a brake in the water, causing a loss of speed — and on a catamaran, maintaining speed is essential to successfully complete the tack.