ASSEMBLYMANUAL

WELCOME TO THE HOBIE FAMILYCongratulations on the purchase of your new TriFoiler and welcome to the HOBIE®

sailing family.

We offer this manual as a guide to increased safety and enjoyment of your newboat. The purpose of this publication is to provide easy, simple and accurate instruc-tions on how to get your TriFoiler ready for the water. Please read them carefully andfamiliarize yourself with the boat and all of the parts spread before you.

Whether you are a new sailor or a veteran of many years, we recommend that youread this thoroughly before your first sail and TRY IT OUR WAY FIRST! If you arenew to sailing, this manual alone is not intended to teach you how to sail. There aremany excellent books, videos and courses on the safe handling of sailboats. We sug-gest that you contact your local sailboat dealer, college or Coast Guard Auxiliary for recommendations.

Watch for overhead wires whenever you are rigging, launching, sailing or traileringwith the mast up. CONTACT OF THE MAST WITH POWER LINES COULD BEFATAL! Be certain that the rigging area and the area that you'll be sailing are free ofoverhead power lines. Report any such power lines to your local power authority andSAIL ELSEWHERE.

We take pride in presenting the TriFoiler to you and hope that you'll take as muchpride in owning her.

Fair winds and good sailing!

Hobie Cat

CONTENTS

2

This assembly manual takes you step-by-step through the setting up and sailing ofyour new HOBIE TriFoiler. This manual will help you understand each part in detail.For more information refer to the TriFoiler assembly video tape and your Hobie CatTriFoiler dealer.

Setting up your TriFoiler PAGE

TriFoiler terminology ........................ 3

Assembly from the box ................. 4-5

Knots to use ...................................... 4

Rigging the boat .......................... 6-12Trailer tie downs ............................. 6Main beams .................................... 6Bow wire ......................................... 6King post ......................................... 6Amas .............................................. 7Stepping the Masts ...................... 7-9

Compression strut ............ 8&9Backstay tension ............................ 9Shocks .......................................... 10Foils .............................................. 10Sensors ................................... 10-11Sails ......................................... 11-12Mast rotator .................................. 12Seat .............................................. 12

De-rigging ........................................ 13

Sailing your TriFoiler PAGE

Controls and operation ................. 13-16

Skills the pilot should have .......... 16-17

Boat handling .................................. 17-18

Tuning ............................................... 18-20

Do's and Don'ts .................................... 21

Pre-sail check lists ............................... 21

Safety tips ............................................. 22

3

Basic TriFoiler Terminology

MAST

SENSOR ARM

SENSOR

FOILMAIN HULL

FORESTAY

SAIL CLEW

RUDDER/FOIL

SAIL

BATTENS

AMA

SHOCKABSORBER

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

KNOTS TO USE

FIGURE 8 KNOT BOWLINE KNOT HALYARD KNOT CLEATING OFF A LINE

1. 2.

FIGURE 8 KNOT

AT END OF LINE

4

Assembling the TriFoiler from the Box

For shipping, the boat is disassembled.When removing the boat from the box, beaware that the forward foam block has a ply-wood sheet molded into it. The plywood is bolt-ed to the bow of the boat with a single screwwhich is the bow plate screw. Remove thisscrew to remove the foam block then replacethe screw for later use.

There are a few things you need to do to getto the point where the video assembly manualstarts. The video owners manual shows how toassemble the boat and explains some of thefeatures of the boat. It assumes that youalready know how to sail. It will say the samething as this paper owners manual, whichcame with the boat, but the video owners man-ual may be easier to follow. The video ownersmanual does a good job of showing how theboat is assembled once it is on the trailer.

Once the boat is removed from the box, thefirst thing to do is install the center portion ofthe main beam. Insure that the six control linesfeed through the holes and into the main hull.Be sure they move freely. Using the four largescrews, apply some sealant to the threads sothey may be removed at some later date. Usea large Phillips screwdriver to snug the fourscrews.

You will find many of the parts in the rearcompartment of the main hull. Use the samePhillips screwdriver to install the forestay plate.One 5/16 Phillips head screw holds this plateon. Please use sealant on this screw.

In the pouch in the rear compartment you willfind: Two drain plugs for the amas with gas-kets, Two black plastic hooks for the blue foilretraction lines after they are threaded throughthe beam, Two telltales to be put on theforestays, a small tube of Super Glue to fix theknot in the sensor bow line and a grey line withTwo brass hooks to be threaded through themain beam for the mast rotation.

Using shackles, attach the forestays to theforestay plate.

There are Four control lines that need to beconnected from the center beam to the outerbeams. All are color coded, ie, red to red andgreen to green. Position the outer beams withthe inner ends propped up near the centerbeam. Port and starboard beams can be iden-tified by the bow wire casting. This casting isnear the outer end of each beam and has fourholes. This casting is on the forward side ofeach beam.

1) The red line is already installed in eachbeam. Connect the shackle on the pulley tothe red rope with the loop on the end that iscoming out of the end of the outer beam. Afterthese connections are made, wrap the hogrings and the shackles with tape on all lines.The tape will prevent the lines or the shackleon the pulleys from getting caught on anythinginside the beam.

2) There are two holes on the forward sideof the beam. The boat comes with a smallwhite feeder line in these holes and this feederline will be used to pull the blue lines and thegrey lines through that part of the beam. Theblue line exits out of the top hole in the beam

push the bolt through the casting and through therudder with a shim on each side of the rudder.

Now the boat is to the point where you see it inthe video owners manual and you can finish rig-ging it with the assistance of those instructions.

and the grey line exits out of the lower hole onthe beam. After the blue lines are threaded,put one of the black plastic hooks on the outerend of each.

3) There is only one piece of grey line. It goesfrom the front of one mast to the front of theother mast. The first step with the grey line is tofeed it through the center main beam. Run itunder all the pulleys. The grey line exits out theinner lower hole on the forward side of eachbeam and then it is tied to the brass snap hooks,one on each end. The length of this line is some-what critical. When both masts are pointedstraight ahead, the grey line should be pulledtight. Adjust this after the masts are stepped.

4) The green l ine is already threadedthrough the center beam. Connect the shackleon the pulleys to the loop on the green linescoming out of the end of the outer beams.

Take the king post out of the rear compart-ment and install it into the socket in the top ofthe main beam.

Install the rudder into the rudder casting.Remove the bolt from the casting and be care-ful not to lose the two plastic shims. Carefully

Red, Green and Blue lines lead back to the cockpit

Grey line leads thru the beamGrey line ties to brass

hook

Blue line hasblack plastichook on end

Green line passesthru small block &end inside beam

Red line exitssmall block and hasblack plastic hook

on end

Red line exitssmall block and hasblack plastic hook

on end

Green line passesthru small block &end inside beam

Blue line hasblack plastichook on end

Grey line ties to brasshook

5

The first time the boat is rigged it is veryimportant to adjust and fix the length of thesensor bow line. After the boat is completelyrigged for the first time, use the followinginstructions to fix the length of the sensor bowline.

Install the sensor arm, the shock absorber andthe sensor retraction line and completely retractthe sensor with the sensor retraction line. Clipthe brass hook of the sensor bow line to the padeye, low on the mast, and tie a couple of hitchesin the grey line. Adjust the length of the line sothe sensor has a positive angle of attack (noseup). When the sensor is completely retractedthere should be a little slack in the line, but theline will be quite snug when the sensor is down.When the length is fixed, apply a little SuperGlue to the knot (a small tube is in the pouch inthe back) to prevent the knot from coming out. Ifthe line stretches and becomes too long, put aknot in the line to shorten it.

6

Rigging the boat11)) Unhook all bungi cords

securing the parts to

the trailer.Beginning at the back of the boat: remove

the bungis between a) the rudder and the kingpost wire b) the rear end of each mast c) Theforestay d) the back end of each beam e) eachbow wire f) front end of the masts, beams andbooms and g) the bows of the amas. Do notremove the bungis that secure the mainbeam of the boat to the trailer until the boatis ready to be launched so the boat is moresecure during rigging.

2) Install the outer beams into

the center main beam.Lift each outer beam from the trailer and hold

it next to the center main beam (being carefulnot to spin the beam, twisting the controllines inside the beam). Pull the slack fromthe control lines so that excess line is insidethe beam. Insert each beam into the centermain beam. Push the beams in until their stain-

less tabs are seated in the stop indents.

33))33)) Attach the bow wire.Double check to make sure that the beam is

still seated on its stops. Stand behind thebeam and use your hip to bend the beamslightly forward. Put the pin in the hole thatputs the least amount of tension in the wire. (ieif the pin will fit in a hole without bending thebeam, flex the beam slightly forward and putthe pin in the next hole further outboard on thebeam.)

44)) Attach the king post wire.Hook each end of the king post wire onto the

hook at each end of the beam. Be sure thatthe king post wire is fed under the forestaywire since the forestay will need to go up whenthe mast is raised.

ad e f

bc

g

Do Not rotate the beam

Bow wire

Sensor retraction

King post wire

Pull slack from the lines

Foil retraction

RIGGING INSTRUCTIONS

7

55)) Attach the amas.Lift the ama from the trailer and move out to

the end of the beam. With the outboard side ofthe ama on your thighs, insert the pin on theoutboard end of the beam into the hole in theama casting. Align the holes on the inboardside of the ama with its beam fitting. Use yourindex finger to depress the button on the quickpin and insert it through the aligned holes.Repeat for the opposite side.

66)) Attach the mast base to the

bottom of each mast.While the masts are stil l on the trailer,

remove the mast bases from the cockpit andplace them onto the bottom of the masts.

There is a right and a left mast base. Makesure that the foil retraction lines and the hal-yard cleats are on the outward side of eachmast.

NOTE: For good mast rotation it is good tolubricate the mast pivot points. There are fouron each mast: the compression strut, theboom, the shock and the mast base socket. Alittle silicone lubricant is very helpful on thesepoints. The steel quick pins work better with alittle oil as well.

77)) Secure the port mast baseto the port ama.

Lift the port mast from the trailer and moveback to pull the mast from under the king postwire. Move it forward until the mast base isnear the amaand the top isforward of theboat. Set themast down.Align theholes betweenthe plasticmast basesocket andthe steel mastbase bracketon the ama.Insert thequick pin.

1100)) Raise the port mast.If the trailer is not hitched to a car, beware

that the tongue of the trailer may move as youpush the mast up.

Being sure that the forestay and the backstayare clear, starting near the top half of the mast,walk the port mast up hand-over-hand to theupright position. Watch to make sure that themast is not binding on anything when themast is going up or down. Once the mast isup it should only require a small amount ofpressure to keep it up. Walk back holding ten-sion on the backstay and hook the backstay tothe pad eye on the hull.

The port mast should be secure and held inplace by the forestay, backstay and port boom.

1111)) Attach the compressionstrut to the port mast.

8

88)) Attach the port boom to theport mast.

Slide theplastic blockon the frontend of theport boomover the pinon the portmast. Besure that thecurved por-t ion of theboom isdown. Theplastic blockis as shown in the picture. The 1/2" bolt is inthe upper half of the block. A detent ball in theplastic block will engage into a groove in thepin on the mast. This ball will hold the boomonto the mast and would require a quick jerk toremove the boom from the mast.

99)) Attach the rear end of theboom to the king post.

Connect thecarbine hook,hanging fromthe king post,through thehole in thecleat on theend of the portboom.

WARNING!! Watch for overheadpower lines. Never rig, trailer or sailthe boat near overhead power lines.Mast contact with a power line couldbe fatal.

Curve is down

King post

Boom supports mast!

Port mast is secure

Compression strut

12) Secure the starboard mastto the starboard ama.

Use the same procedure as the port mast.

13) Attach the starboard mastto the compression strut.

Move the top of the starboard mast closer tothe port side so that the compression strut willreach. The starboard mast will be at its limit ofarticulation at this point.

Get the threads started onto the starboardmast. As you spin the compression strut ontothe starboard mast it will partially unthreaditself from the port mast. The starboard sideshould bottom out while there are plenty ofthreads still engaged on the port mast.

When de-rigging, simply unscrew it from thestarboard mast and then unscrew it from theport mast.

9

Always put the compression strut onto theport mast first. The compression strut screwsonto each mast. (The threads on the port mastare a little longer.)

Lift the compression strut from the trailer. Liftone end to insert the threaded pin on the portmast into the hole on the end. Screw the com-pression strut all the way onto the port mast.Let the compression strut hang from the portmast and prepare the starboard mast.

NOTE: The compression strut can be installed before orafter the port mast goes up.

14a) Raise the starboard mastand compression strut.

Walk the mast up. Holding tension on thebackstay, walk backto the cockpit andhook the backstay tothe pad eye on thehull. Make sure thatthe lashings are com-pletely extended.Use a small amountof force to get thehook onto the padeye. The mast shouldbe secure at thispoint. Now is a goodtime to double checkthe rig before you completely tighten it. Makesure that the compression strut is engagedonto the pins at each end. Make sure that allthe wires are straight and not kinked. Makesure that the outer beams are completelyengaged into the center main beam.

14b) Backstay TensionWe are using a 3:1 purchase system on the

starboard backstay. This will allow you to com-fortably hook up the backstay and tighten thewhole rig.

After checking the rig, tighten the system allthe way until the cleat bottoms out on thestainless steel hook. Cleat the line and tie abunch of hitches in the rope to use up theexcess line.

Compression strut

Compression strut

1155)) Detach the port boom fromthe king post.

Detach the port boom from the king post.Temporari ly hook the outhaul to the port shroud. The port mast will not rotate fullywith the boom connected to the king post.

16) Install both shockabsorbers.

The body of the shock goes down and theshaft protrudes from the top. Attach the topportion to the mast first and then the bottom ofthe shock to the fitting on the deck of the ama.

17) Install the foils.The foils curve under the boat and the air

dams are on the leading surface. Keep most ofthe foil inside the cover to protect the foil whileinstalling it. Remove the pin from the foil plate.Align the holes of the foil plate with the holeson the ama and install the pin. Now connectThree hooks; 1) Connect the brass hook to thewire thimble next to the mast base. 2) Connectthe brass hook to the short bridle rope on thefoil. 3) Connect the plastic hook on the bluerope exiting out of the beam to the blue rope

exiting near the mast base. These three con-nections are necessary to retract the foils.

18) Raise the foil and removethe cover.

Pull the blue line and cleat it into the jamcleat on the beam, then cleat it into the camcleat in the cockpit for safety. Remove thecover.

NOTE: You may want to leave the covers in place until youare ready to launch the boat to further protect the foils.

19) Install the sensors.Remove the sensors from the cockpit. Place

the hole, located in the back end of the sensorarm, over the small stainless steel pin in thedeck of the ama. Then align the horizontal holein the sensor arm with the holes in the amaand insert the black aluminum pin. Secure thepin with the bungi cord by looping the end overthe opposite end of the pin.

20a) Hook up the sensorretraction line.

Uncoil the grey line from the mast. Hook thelooped end of the grey line to the black plastichook on the red line (coming out of the end ofthe main beam). The grey line runs over thesmall block on the mast then out to the end ofthe sensor arm. Hook the plastic hook to thepad eye on top of the sensor arm.

Bridle

10

When de-rigging the boat, BE SURETHAT THE PORT BOOM IS CONNECTEDTO THE KING POST. Untie the knots in thebackstay purchase system and slacken thesystem all the way before unhooking thebackstay.

20b) Sensor Bow LineThe sensor bow line is the grey line which is

attached to the bow of the sensor. The brasshook on the end of the line hooks to the padeye on the mast. The pad eye is on the front ofthe mast and is located about 5” inches fromthe bottom of the mast.

This line is very important to the safeoperation of the boat (see page 5). Pleasebe sure it is operating correctly and the linelength is correct. The line length should beadjusted so that the sensor always has a posi-tive angle of attack (front end up). The line willhave some slack when the sensor is complete-ly retracted, but the line will be quite snugwhen the sensor is all the way down.

21) Raise the sails.Attach the halyard to the head of the sail.

Make sure the boat is turned into the wind.The first two-thirds of the sail should go upvery easily, but because this is a fully battenedsail with considerable luff curve it may catch inthe luff opening as the sail is raised. Hint: pushup on the sail and keep the sail bunched up inthe lower part of the track while it is going up.This will negate the effects of the luff curve andthe sail will go right up. While pushing up, it isnot necessary to feed the sail into the track. Ifyou do not push the sail up, the sail will notfeed in and it will jam.

22) Lock the halyard.Once the sail is all the way up, you will lock

the halyard by getting the locking ball underthe fork at the topof the mast. Firstmake sure thatthe ball is belowthe fork by pullingthe sail all the wayto the top. Thenplace the cablebetween the forksand pull the saildown by the footwhile easing the halyard out. The ball will getforced into the fork.

23) Remove the halyard andstow it.

Thread thebungi cord on themast through thethimble on theend of the halyardcable and secureit to the plastichook. Unhook therope halyard fromthe cable andstow the rope inthe back of themain hull.

24) Secure the downhaul.

Feed the lower part of the sail into the mast.Insert the tail end of the downhaul through thetack of the sail and then hook it to the peg onthe base of the mast. Pull the downhaul tightuntil all the wrinkles are gone from the luff ofthe sail and cleat it. Coil the excess line andsecure under the downhaul lines.

NOTE: The boat will be easier to handle on the beach dur-ing windy days if the downhaul is loosened while beached.

Fork

Downhaul

11

Peg

25) Attach the starboard boom.Lift the star-

board boomfrom the trail-er and installthe pin fromthe mast intothe hole in theplastic blockon the boom.Again, theplastic blockhas a detentball in it andwill require ashort, quickpush or pull toget the boomon or off.

26) Attach and tension the out-hauls.

Be sure the lines are straight and hook theouthaul hook to the clew of the sail. Tightenthe outhaul and cleat it in the jam cleat. Abungi cord will pull the excess line into theboom for storage.

27) Install the sail link.Note the stickers that identify the port and

starboard ends of the sail link. While on thetrailer, the starboard side is to rear. The padeye near the center of the sail link should beup. Lift the sail link from the trailer and rotate itcounter-clockwise to attach the ends to thebooms. Note that the pad eye is about 5” to thestarboard of center line.

Be sure that the stainless tabs on the boomsare horizontal and not vertical before attachingthe sail link. If the booms are reversed, con-necting the sail link will damage it by prevent-ing normal rotation. Be sure that the connect-ing pin inserts as shown above.

28) Position the mast rotatorbars.

Lower the mast rotator bar to the forward-pointing, horizontal position and attach thegrey rotation line. Attach the rear rotationinducer line (green) to the eye strap located onthe rear lower mast base.

29) Install the seat.The smaller ID tube goes down and forward.

Install the forward tube and install the rear tubein the corresponding slot in the rear support.For example, if the forward tube is in the sec-ond slot from the front, the rear tube will be thesecond slot from the front. The seat shouldhave good tension in it.

Now the boat is ready.When you are ready to launch, remove the

trailer tie-down bungi from the center beamarea.

NOTE: When launching the boat lift with your knees and notyour back.

Foil retract line

Mast rotator

Sensor retract line

Sail link

12

De-rriggingThe de-rigging process is the reverse proce-

dure of the rigging process. Here are a fewreminders. The first step is to get out the sailcovers, foil covers and put all the spar racks onthe boat. Remove the sail link. As soon as youundo the outhaul for the port sail, connect thatboom to the king post.

Do not release the backstayswithout clipping the port boom

to the king post!

Take off the sails, starboard boom, mast rota-tors, foils, shocks, sensors. Check the portboom connection to the king post! Thenlower the starboard mast. Stow the starboardmast and compression strut. Lower the portmast and stow the mast and the port boom.Remove the amas and the beams. Clip on allbungi cords, double check everything and youare ready for the road.

Sensor Retraction LinesThe two red lines with a red knob will pull up

on the sensors. Raising the sensors off thewater when the wind is light will greatly reducethe drag at low speed. Lift the sensors upwhen the wind is light, there is no hope of get-ting onto the foils and when you put the boaton the beach. Be careful when moving theboat backward or sideways on the beachso that the sensors do not get stuck in thesand and damage the sensor arm or thebow of the ama.

Raising the sensors off the water in marginalwind may allow you to get onto the foils inslightly less wind than otherwise possible.Once you get onto the foils, make sure theselines are all the way out or the sensor will notstay on the water and the boat will fly too high.

Foil Retraction LinesThe blue lines are meant to retract and

deploy the foils; however, there is some tech-nique required to retract and deploy the foils.

Deploying the Foils

To lock a foil down it is necessary that the foilbeing locked is on the leeward side of theboat. If the foil is on the weather side of theboat, water pressure will prevent the foil fromcoming down all the way and locking. Whenthe foil is on the leeward side, the water pres-sure will push the foil down and in. It might benecessary to sail on both tacks to get both foilslocked down. If the boat is in irons, it is possi-ble to simply push the sail link from side toside, which will move the boat side to side andlock both foils down.

If you release the line and the foil does notgo down, see if it is cleated in the cleat on thebeam. If it is, pull on the line to un-cleat it. Ifthe line still does not go out, try releasing thesensor retraction line. If the lines are twisted inthe beam, tension on the sensor retraction linecan cause too much friction on the foil retrac-tion line.

Retracting the Foils

Do not retract both foils unless you are readyto jump out. The boat will not go to weather

13

USING THE TRIFOILER

Controls and Operation

SteeringThe standard TriFoiler comes with bicycle

steering, meaning if you press with your rightfoot you will turn left. It can be switched to air-plane steering, ie, where if you press with yourright foot it will turn right, but bicycle steering ishighly encouraged.

In the event of a problem with the steeringpedals or during beaching and launching it ispossible to steer the boat while seated on therail in the back of the cockpit.

MainsheetThe center large rope is the mainsheet, or

more precisely, it is the traveler control. Thereis a 4:1 purchase system in the main hullwhich pulls the sail link to center line and thusbrings the sails to center line. There is a largecam cleat for the mainsheet.

and will not go into irons unless there is atleast one foil in the water. Refer to beachingand launching instructions.

The weather foil will come up simply bypulling on the line. On the leeward side waterpressure is pushing the foil down and in andthe foil retraction system is not designed toovercome this force. Therefore, go into irons,stop the boat, and raise that foil.

Mast Rotation linesThe green lines near the pilot's thighs are for

rotating the masts after each gibe or tack inlight wind. In heavier wind the masts will rotateby themselves, but in light wind the mastsneed help to rotate onto the new tack.

The length of the grey line that goes betweenthe front of each mast is somewhat critical. If itstretches and becomes too long, it will notcompletely rotate the leeward mast. We havefound that it is best to simply put a knot in theline to make the adjustment.

The masts are easiest to rotate when thesails are filled with wind and driving the boat. Aloose outhaul will make it more difficult torotate the mast. Proper lubrication of the fourjoints (shroud pin, boom pin, shock pin, andmast base socket) on each mast will makemast rotation easier.

Rudder operationThe rudder can be retracted and deployed

while sitting on the edge of the cockpit in theback or while standing next to the boat in thewater.

To lock the rudder down, release the holdingclip and push the rudder down until the bulletclicks into position. It is a good idea to checkthe rudder to make sure it is locked downbefore sailing.

To lift the rudder, simply pull up and forwardon the large black knob. This action will do twothings, first it will unlock the rudder by pullingthe bullet away from its lock, and second, therudder will start to come up. Pull the rudder allthe way until it locks into its locked-up position.Replace the holding clip.

If the rudder hits something while movingwith speed, a shear pin should shear and therudder will kick up. The shear pin holds the

bullet on the threaded shaft. There are sparepins in the pouch in the rear compartment, butit may require a tool to drive out the old pin. A1/8" punch or nail and hammer will do it. Apiece of tape should be used to keep the pin inplace.

The rudder rake adjuster or the rear rideheight is covered in the tuning section.

Beaching and launchingIt is easier to launch and land the TriFoiler

with the help of a friend holding the boat. Thebeginner sailor should always have help whenlaunching or beaching. It is surprising howquickly the boat can drift and move while abeginner is getting ready. The sensors shouldbe retracted when on the beach or whenpreparing to come into the beach.

The use of a small buoy anchored off thebeach is recommended. It will be easier tohold the boat while getting ready and it is easi-er to grab a buoy or trailed line when comingback to shore. A paddle will also be very help-ful.

Launching from a beach withthe wind blowing off shore

It is possible to simply float the boat in kneedeep water, jump on, let the boat drift back intodeep water and then deploy the foils. Alwaysdeploy the foils before the rudder becausethe foils will help keep the boat pointed intothe wind. The boat will not stay in irons if thefoils are retracted and the rudder is down.

If the wind is strong or the launching area iscongested, it is safer to lock the foils downbefore you get on the boat because with thefoils retracted the boat may not drift straightback. Therefore, while standing in waist-deepwater, lock the foils down, then climb onto thebow of the boat, then move carefully back tothe cockpit. Lock the rudder down and doublecheck that the coast is clear. It may be prefer-able to do some sailing while holding the rud-der by hand to get the boat into a safe positionbefore you get seated.

14

Launching from a beach withthe wind blowing on-shore

This is very easy with two people, but maybe difficult solo. It is important to get all threefoils locked down before you get into the boat.It should be easy to lock down both foils whilethe boat is pointed into the wind by using thesail link to move the boat from side to side. It isimportant to keep the boat pointed into thewind. Refer to the section (pg. #18) on keepingthe boat pointed into the wind while standing atthe back of the boat. After the foils are lockeddown, lock the rudder down.

When you are ready to go, let the bow of theboat point away from the wind slightly, sheet ina little and let the boat start to sail. The trickypart is that you must keep some tension on themainsheet, a hand on the rudder and jump intothe boat at the same time. If you let go of thesheet or the rudder, the boat will round up intothe wind and you may have to start over. If youlet the boat round up into the wind, you maynot be able to get it out of irons before driftingback onto the beach.

There are a couple of ways to do this. One isto use the traveler line (white nylon line con-nected to the center of the sail link) to sheetthe sails in while lying on your stomach on theback of the boat and steering with one hand.Once the boat picks up some speed, you maytake your hand off the rudder for a little while toget more comfortable, but sail out about 100yards or so before you get seated in the cock-pit.

Launching from a beach with aside-shore breeze

This situation should be handled the same asif the wind were blowing on-shore except that itis not as important to get both foils down. It isimportant to get at least the leeward foil andrudder down. Use the same technique to jumpon as described above for launching with anon-shore breeze. Once you get out on thewater you can go into irons, get seated and getthe weather foil down.

Beaching with the wind blowingoff-shore

The TriFoiler will not sail upwind with the foilsretracted; therefore, it is necessary to sail in

close with the sensors retracted and the foilsdown until you know the water is shallowenough to get out (But not so deep that yourwill not be able to hold the boat). If the shore issteep, sail slowly until you feel the foils touchbottom. If the shore is steep and rocky, youshould have help on shore to prevent damageto the boat.

Once you are standing on the beach, go tothe back of the boat and raise the rudder whilekeeping the boat pointed into the wind. Whenthe rudder is up, move to each ama and raiseeach foil using the cleat on the beam to lockup each foil. When the foils are retracted, theboat can be pulled up the beach.

Beaching with the wind blowingon-shore

If the wind is light, it is possible to retract thefoils out on the water and sail the boat right upthe beach. Retract the foils and sensors out onthe water. Sit on the rail in the back and steerthe boat by hand. When nearing the beach,unlock the rudder and raise it up part way.Before the rudder touches bottom, and lockthe rudder up and let the boat drift into thebeach.

If the wind is strong, it is necessary to turn theboat into the wind and let it drift backward ontothe beach with the foils up. It is surprising howfast the boat will drift backward, so put the boatinto irons off-shore and then pull up the rudder.Be sure that the boat is straight into the wind. Ifyou raise the foils and the boat is not straightinto the wind, it may drift sideways more thanback. Be sure to raise the rudder before thefoils. If you raise the foils before raising the rud-der, the boat may not stay in irons.

With the foils and rudder up, let the boat driftback into shallow water (be sure that thewater is not too deep and never let go ofthe boat) and hop out. Be aware and keep theboat pointed into the wind. Then pull the boatup the beach.

Beaching with a side-shore breeze

This is similar to beaching with an off-shorebreeze, but it helpful to retract the foil that willbe closest to the beach when the boat is point-ed into the wind. This will allow you to get clos-er to the beach without the foil hitting bottom. It

15

is best to retract that foil before you get closeto the beach. When you are heading towardthe beach, the leeward foil will be retracted soyou will not be able to push it hard or that hullmay submerge. Therefore, sail slowly towardthe beach. As the water gets shallow, startturning into the wind. Get the rudder up. Assoon as the rudder is up, jump out and keepthe boat into the wind. Retract the remainingfoil from the cockpit and you are ready to pullthe boat up the beach.

ReefingThe TriFoiler has 215 square feet of sail. The

sails can be reefed to 150 square feet. It isdesirable to reef once the wind is above 16knots. Beginners should learn to sail with thesails reefed as the boat is easier to sail thisway. The masts rotate better and things hap-pen more slowly, although the top speed of theboat is better with the sails reefed.

To reef: undo the outhaul and the downhaul.Undo the load straps and unzip the panel.Attach the rope halyard and unlock the halyardat the top of the mast. Let the sail down andlock the halyard in the reefed position. Coil theexcess halyard and stow it onto the mast.Redo the outhaul, the downhaul and it is ready.

When replacing the panel, make surethere is tension on the load straps.

16

Skills the TriFoiler Pilot

Should Have

Getting out of IronsIrons: the boat is pointed into the wind and

cannot sail.

Since the TriFoiler does not have a jib, thereare several techniques one can use to maneu-ver when it is in irons. Getting out of ironsbecomes more difficult as the wind speedincreases. The reason for this is not obvious,but it is good to understand why. The basicreason is that the center of effort on the sailmoves back as the wind speed increases andthe boat has a greater tendency to round up.In light wind it is easy to sheet in tight andmake the sails work properly; then the boatcan take off. In stronger wind it is difficult tosheet in tight and get the sails to fill totally andwork properly.

As you sheet in, the center of effort will moveforward and cause the bow to bear away, butyou should not sheet in too much or youwill sink the leeward ama. Therefore, youneed to sheet in tight, but be ready to sheetout quickly if the leeward ama goes under.

The pilot can do several things to get out ofirons:

1) The new sailor should learn to back up theboat. This takes practice. There is a lot to learnabout getting the boat to go backward, butonce it is going backward you can use the rud-der to steer it away from the wind.

In stronger wind the boat will begin to drift

17

backward by itself, but it is good to know howto use the sails to go backward. In general, toget the boat to go backward you want to usethe sail link to push the sails away from centerline, but if the wind is coming from the wrongdirection, the boat will sail forward or sidewaysand not backward.

If the boat does not go backward when youpush the sails out, you should push the sailsout to the other side. If the wind is slightly offthe nose, it will go backward much more easilywith the sails on one side as opposed to theother. For example, if the wind is comingslightly off the starboard side, you want to pushthe sail link to the port side and turn the rudderto the right. Since the boat is going backward,it will turn to the left.

Once the boat has backed up and turned suf-ficiently away from the wind, you can sheet in,reverse the rudder (turn to the left) and takeoff. If the wind is strong, you need to sheet inquickly as the boat will begin to round up asthe sails are beginning to fill. The boat will tendto round up when the sails are partially filled,but once they are completely filled, it will beginto bear away and move forward.

2) You can skull the rudder to help turn theboat. For example, turn the rudder all the wayto the right slowly and then quickly turn it allthe way to the left. This action will turn the boatslightly to the left. This is only helpful when thewind is light, but can be useful in tight quarters.

3) Retracting the sensors will help you getout of irons. At low speed, the sensors willcreate some lateral resistance and since theyare well forward they will cause the boat tohead up. If all else fails, pull the red lines andretract the sensors. Just remember to releasethem as you pick up speed.

4) The curve of the battens will have anaffect on the action of the boat. If the battensare curved out on each sail, the boat will bevery difficult to get out of irons. If the battensare curved in, it will be impossible to keep it in

irons. To get the battens to pop over, you cangive a quick push or pull on the sail link to popthem to the other side.

Boat HandlingThe new sailor should practice boat handling

in open water so he/she is proficient at handlingthe boat in confined areas. It is quite likely thatyou will be able to sail all day with no problems;but, you may suddenly need to get out of ironsand onto a particular tack and you have very lit-tle space to back up. It is important to know howthe boat will respond to different inputs in vari-ous conditions.

The key things to look for are which directionthe wind is blowing and in which direction theboat is moving. Keep "tell tales" on the boat. Apiece of yarn or magnetic recording tape halfway up the forestays is best and look at thewater next to the hull to determine if the boat ismoving forward or backward. Whether the boatis moving forward or back will determine whichway to turn the rudder.

TackingWhen on the foils, a tack is very easy to do.

Simply turn into the wind. Start the turn slowly,but as the boat slows down, increase the rateof the turn until the rudder is all the way over.For a better tack, sheet in as the boat nearsthe eye of the wind. Continue turning until youare on a reach again. Let the sheet out so thatthe sail link is about 2’ off center line or thesails will stall when you start the new tack.

It is possible to complete tacks with boatspeed when tacking on the foils in smoothwater with the sensors retracted. Be sure thesails are set right and that boat speed is good.Begin the turn slowly and increase the rate ofthe turn as the boat slows down. Sheet in asthe boat nears the eye of the wind. The boatshould come through the eye of the wind withsome speed.

Sailing upwind, when the wind is above 13knots, it is fastest to sail on the foils. Get ontothe foils and then head up as high as possiblewhile keeping the boat on the foils. If you feel itis slowing down or coming down, bear awayand get more speed.

If the wind is marginal, it might be faster tocome off the foils and sail in displacementmode.

It is easy to over-sheet. The sail link shouldbe about 1' off center line.

Steering by HandOccasionally it is desirable to sail from the

back with a hand on the rudder and a hand onthe mainsheet. If anything goes wrong with thesteering pedals, it is good to be able to steerby hand. It is a good idea to practice thismethod to see what is involved.

Keeping the Boat in Irons whilebeing Held by the Stern

Occasionally it is necessary to keep the boatin irons while holding the boat from the stern.This is difficult because it is like balancing abroomstick on the palm of your hand. It isunstable. This is the case when you arepreparing to leave from a beach with the windblowing on shore or you have backed up to adock or are taking on a passenger from apower boat etc. This is where you should exer-cise some caution. As long as you keep theboat in irons, everything will be OK. If it bearsaway too far, it will take off.

If it goes past the point of no return, try tograb the sail clew or boom near the clew.

The sails can be used very effectively tosteer the bow into the wind. Use the sail link tosteer the sails and keep the bow into the wind.If the bow starts moving to the left, push thesail link to the left and the sails will push thebow to the right and vice versa.

18

Tuning

Adjustable Shock AbsorbersThe length of the shock absorbers or the

spring force that the shock absorbers gener-ates is actually quite critical and the amount ofspring force required will depend on a numberof factors.

If the shock does not generate enough springforce (meaning the shock is too short), thesensor will come off the water on the leewardside and the foil will lift the boat too high. Wecall this situation “Sensor Rising”. However, ifthe shock is too long, the shock will press thebow of the ama too low and it will require morewind to get onto the foils.

Sensor Rising only occurs on the leewardside, because the leeward side lifts a lot moreweight. Anytime the foil is required to lift moreweight, the shock needs to generate moreforce in order to keep the sensor on the water.

Sailing with two people in the boat or pointingclose to the wind will require more lift from thefoil. Surprisingly, the foil will have to lift moreweight in light wind than in heavy wind. Inheavy wind the drive vector is pointed moreforward and there is less heeling force. Evenwith the boat properly adjusted, it may be pos-sible to cause Sensor Rising by trying to getonto the foils while pointing too high.

There are techniques that can help avoidSensor Rising. Once the boat gets up tospeed, the sensor will stay on the water. If yousee the sensor come off the water, bear awaya few degrees and the sensor should comedown. When the boat gets up to speed, youmay head up again. If the sensor does not godown when you bear away, be patient. Do notlet the boat accelerate until the foil comes tothe surface, because it will draw air and sinkback down and you will have to start over.

Usually, as the stern of the boat comes up,the boat pitches forward which pitches themasts forward and automatically increases thespring force. A little patience will usually getyou on the foils.

Normally it is best to sail with light springpressure. The boat gets on the foils in as littlewind as possible and the sensors are as lightlyloaded as possible. When sailing solo, youmay see sensor rising. When sailing with apassenger, you will routinely see sensor rising,so use the above technique to get the boat onthe foils. When letting a novice sail the boat,increase the spring force so they do not haveto worry about sensor rising.

The length of the shock can be adjusted sim-ply by turning the shock while installed on theboat.

If adjustments are made to the ride height ofthe boat, theoretically, it will be necessary toadjust the shocks.

Ride height of the sternThis is the most important part of tuning

the TriFoiler and maybe the trickiest. TheTriFoiler will tolerate some divergence from theideal ride height, but the pilot should know

what is ideal and what the symptoms are fromriding too high or too low.

Remember that it is better to err on the side

of riding too low than too high. For the back ofthe boat it is important that the stern of theboat not ride up too high. It is very difficult for anew pilot to judge how high the stern of theboat is riding since you cannot see below themain hull.

One method of determining the height of thestern is to stretch your arm over the side andreach for the water. Of course this will dependon how long your arm is, so calculate how faryou need to stretch to reach the water with thestern 8" off the water. Sit in the boat when it ison the trailer and put something on the groundso it will be 8” below the bottom of the hull. Ifyou cannot reach the water, maybe you canlook over the side and estimate the distancebetween the tip of your finger and the water.The distance should not be measured from thewave tops but from an average of the surface.

You also want to be careful at what speedyou measure the height of the stern. The sternwill rise up when you are going faster, so youwant to measure the height at a pretty goodspeed. (I recommend about 26 mph). If thisdoes not work for you, you could simply startwith the stern very low and slowly raise it untilthe stern just comes off the water when youget up to speed.

The ride height is critical for several reasons.The steering will feel very unusual when thestern is too high because you will not haveenough rudder area in the water. If the rudderis too high it is possible that it could ventilateall the way down past the lowest fence and tothe horizontal foil. If the rudder does ventilateall the way down to the horizontal foil, you willlose a lot of directional stability and the sternwill drop down 6" or so.

It is important to keep in mind that the boatworks best at just the right height, which is justoff the water. The objective of the foils is not tolift the boat to a specific height, but to lift theboat just off the water. If the rudder comes uptoo high, the leeway angle becomes too high.If the speedometer stops working because thePitot tube comes out of the water, that is muchtoo high.

To change the ride height of the back of theboat, turn the large black knob to the right orclockwise to lower the boat, and to the left orcounterclockwise to raise the boat. One fullturn will change the ride height 1.5 inches.

19

If you are just starting out and do not knowwhere the rudder should be set, lock the rud-der down and turn the knob to the left all theway until it stops; and then turn it back aboutfive turns.

Caution: If you turn the knob all the wayto the left, the bullet may be jammed intoits lock and the rudder will not swing upwhen the knob is pulled to release it. To getthe rudder up, turn the knob to the right sever-al turns and it will swing up.

Ride Height of the Main FoilsThe ride height of the main foils is also

important. It is easier to see how high they areflying. Once the main foils are set, there is noreason to change them. The main foils are notas sensitive to crew weight because they havethe active control system of the sensors.

The angle of the main foils is set at the facto-ry. The foils are set so that the distance fromthe trailing edge of the foil 10" from the bottomtip of the foil to the bow of the ama is 58 5/8"for the starboard ama and 58 1/4" for the portama. The foil angle is adjusted by looseningthe four bolts that bolt the foil to the foil plateand pitching the foil fore and aft. The mea-surement point on the amas bow is just underthe flange where the sensor arm rests.

These four bolts should be checked occa-sionally as the foil may get compressed andthe bolts will become loose.

The water level should be halfway betweenthe top two fences; however, it is a little moredifficult to determine the actual height becausethe main foil height depends on more than justspeed.

If you want to change the ride height of thefront of the boat, loosen the four bolts andpitch the foil forward to raise the boat or pitchthe foil aft to lower the boat. Pitching the foilforward 1" will raise that side 3".

It may take a few runs to determine what isjust right. If the boat is riding too low, it will takea little more wind and boat speed to get ontothe foils. If it is riding too high, the leewayangle will be too great and it may have a ten-dency to come off the foils more often in veryrough water.

Downhaul and Outhaul TensionThe downhaul, outhaul and battens should

always have enough tension so that all thewrinkles are pulled out of the sail. The take-offperformance is usually better with the sails alittle fuller, so in this case, the outhaul anddownhaul should be a little looser. If the windis strong the sails should be flatter whichmeans more tension on the outhaul and down-haul.

20

Go through the follow-

ing checklist before

sailing the boat:• Check tension on the steering cable.

• Check clevis pins on both forestays.

• Check lashings on backstays.

• Check all four stays, both bow wiresand king post wire for broken strands.

• Check the drain plugs on each ama.

• Check the load straps on the reefingzippers on each sail.

• Check the latching mechanisms onboth foils and the rudder.

• Check to see if each pin on the mast is engaged in the compressionstrut.

Go through the follow-

ing checklist before

dropping the mast

when de-rrigging:• Cover, then remove the foils.

• Take off the shock absorbers.

• Take off the sensors.

• Stow the sensor retraction lines.

• Take off the mast rotators.

• Take off the starboard boom.

• Attach the back end of the portboom to the king post. The mastswill fall if the port mast is not sup-ported by the port boom.

21

Do’s and Don’ts• Do not submerge the leeward ama. If the

boat is moving slowly, it is possible to sheet inand cause the leeward ama to sink. If the lee-ward ama begins to sink, sheet out quickly andlet the boat get more speed before sheeting intoo tight.

• Do not leave the beach until you aresure that the foils are locked down. Theboat will not head up unless at least one foil islocked down.

• Do not leave the foil partially retracted.The foil is vulnerable when it is halfway down.If it hits the bottom, it could damage the cast-ings.

• Do make sure that the rudder is tied upon the road.

• When in doubt sheet out. A common mis-take is sheeting in too tight and shadowing theleeward sail. It can be confusing to sail withthe bi-plane rig for the first time as the windcan get very turbulent between the two sails. Ifyou are on a reach but the boat is not going,you probably need to sheet out and head up.The weather sail is stalled and shadowing theleeward sail.

• Keep "telltales" on the forestay and keepthe apparent wind forward.

• Do not make low speed gibes in strongwind. The force of the sails slamming fromone side to the other can damage the boomsor sail link. At high speed the booms will notslam across. If it is unavoidable, sheet thesails in very quickly just before they gibe andthen ease the sheet out as the booms swingacross.

• Keep your hands away from the sail linkas it can be dangerous when you are about togibe in strong wind with little boat speed.

22

BASIC SAILING AND POINTS OF SAIL

• Make sure that the water is deep enough at all times.• When sailing, avoid hitting anything in the water. Do

not sail at night or when visibility or water conditionsmake it difficult to see objects in the water.

• Stay clear of people in the water at all times.• Do not sail with equipment which is damaged or has

been modified.• If the leeward ama submerges, sheet out immediately.• A good rule: If in doubt... sheet out.• Always check the direction you will be going before

making a turn.• While an inexperienced person can enjoy sailing the

TriFoiler, always have an experienced person with youuntil you are fully trained and comfortable with sailingthe boat.

• Do not sail with either foil partially retracted. This couldresult in damage to the foil mechanism.

• Be aware that the boat will not sail upwind, Go into orstay in irons if the foils are not down.

• The foils and rudder must be fully raised before beach-ing the boat. Always raise the rudder first.

• Wear eye protection to protect you from hazards whichcan arise from spray and glare on the water.

• Carry a paddle to help in very light wind conditions orwhen the rudder is retracted.

• When the wind is strong, reef the sails. If in doubt... reef.• When not sailing, always keep the boat pointed into the

wind whether in the water or on the beach. • Before sailing, always check:

• All control lines to ensure that they are not twistedand that they move freely and easily.

• Adjustments of the bow sensor line.• All wires for broken strands.• Rudder and foil latching mechanisms.• Drain plugs.

CCAAUUTTIIOONN // SSAAFFEETTYY TTIIPPSS

• Whether on land or on the water, watch for overheadpower lines. Contact with power lines can cause seri-ous injury or death.

• Do NOT sail while under the influence of alcohol and/ordrugs.

• Only sail in conditions in which you feel comfortable andwhere you feel confident that you can safely sail theboat. Never go out in conditions beyond your ability.

• Everyone on board should wear a life jacket at all times.• If you are in the water, remain in contact with the boat,

even if it is capsized. A sailboat can drift away fasterthan a person can swim.

• Never sail without a righting line.• Wear appropriate clothes. Wear a wet suit or dry suit in

cold weather or cold water conditions. • Remain seated while sailing.• Read the instruction manual carefully.• Make sure everyone on the boat reads and under-

stands these safety instructions!

RREEAADD TTHHIISS BBEEFFOORREE SSAAIILLIINNGGYYOOUURR TTRRIIFFOOIILLEERR

• The Hobie TriFoiler moves at high speeds. Extra caremust be taken - especially when turning - to avoid otherboats, obstacles, and swimmers.

• The foils and rudder DO NOT kick up on contact withland or objects in the water. Hitting objects while sailingcan cause severe damage or personal injury.

HOBIE CAT4925 Oceanside Blvd.Oceanside, CA 92056

Phone (760) 758-9100 Fax (760) 758-1841

email: info@hobieco.com

For your nearest HOBIE dealer or for help and information call:

1 (800) HOBIE - 49

Rev

ised

04/

96 #

5345

0001