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Not quite a launch day, but a noteable milestone


BillBrush

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Yesterday the weather was perfect for taking out my little Sea Snark, and I was in need of some wave therapy so I decided I was heading to the lake.  My son (7) has never been brave enough to go out on the boat with me, but yesterday he decided it was time.  No panic attacks, no second thoughts, he just jumped in and was ready to go.  We shoved off, and he LOVED it.  He says he's ready to solo now.  ;D  He was feeling like pretty hot stuff since I let him take the tiller while I pulled the sail up a bit higher .

Anyway it's not a home built boat, except for all the rigging, I'll throw some pics in.

I am a proud Dad.

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The Snarks are horrendously under-powered, but that's one of the things I think makes them a great beginners boat.  Combine that with a hull design that plows through the waves instead of going over them,  and that's completely unsinkable, and it comes out to be a very forgiving boat.  I've never come close to turtling mine, except last Monday when I was coming into the dock and the main sheet caught on a cleat, turned the whole boat broadside and heeled it over till the rail was almost under.  Big fun.  :o

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My aging Snark gave me my first "shipwreck."  Went camping overnight on a nearby island (pre-cell phone).  Next day was too windy for safety, but I launched anyway, picturing my parents calling the Coast Guard if I didn't come home that day.  Boat turtled near shore, gear floating everywhere, aged sail shredded.  Sodden as rat dragged all to beach.  Spent the rest of that day waving my neon tent at passing motorboats hoping for a lift.  One finally took me and my boat and gear aboard, delivered me to my home beach at sunset where my father sat waiting.  "Let's go home," he said.  After that, he gave me his Sunfish.

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I had a snark sunchaser II until recently when I sold it and bought the Hobie 18. I never once capsized the little boat but I actually "submarined" it once. Went out with 4 adults in the 12' boat including myself. It actually performed very well until I was heading in after about 6 hours of sailing around the islands. We were on a run and sailing wing on wing. The crew was a bit pushed forward in the boat due to the tiller taking up so much room. The combination of weight too far forward and the force of the sails pushing the bow under caused the bow to dig in and I'm pretty sure the boat was completely underwater. A quick jerk of the tiller changed my course and brought the boat bobbing back up.

My wife bailed it out underway and we all made it in safe and with a good laugh. I miss the Sunchaser but Hobie has introduced a whole new world of sailing to me (and delayed the launch of my weekender).

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