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PostPosted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 10:27 pm 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2015 6:33 pm
Posts: 21
Location: Georgia
Hi everybody! I just bought my first Hobie Cat!! It's a Hobie 14 turbo that has a four digit number on both forward pylons so I believe it is pre-1973. I only paid $300 for her and that includes sails and the trailer. Everything is in really good shape except a couple of soft spots on the top of the hulls. One is about 6x8 inches in front of trampoline on the right side and another a little larger (probably 6x18 inches) on the left side and then a small one behind the trampoline on the left side. Everything else is in really good shape - tramp frame, mast, boom, sails are excellent, rigging, and even the trampoline vinyl isn't torn (it's a little stiff from age though). The soft spots don't seem to be very soft, just compress a little. I don't really hear the "crunch" of the foam like I hear on some of the YouTube videos on the subject. So . . . my question is: If I'm only going to sail on a pretty calm lake in wind that isn't that hard, do I need to spend the time and money to repair the soft spots? Or should I just save my money, go have fun sailing, and when she won't sail anymore I can just sell the sails, mast, boom, and other parts and buy a nice Hobie 16? Thanks in advance for any advice on this!!


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:52 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
Posts: 4176
Location: Jersey Shore
You realize that the failure mode for soft spots in front of the pylons is for the bow to break off, right?

So you might want to ask yourself which is more of an inconvenience, drilling a couple holes in the hull an squirting in some epoxy or having your boat break into pieces and calling for a rescue?

sm


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 2:13 pm 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2015 6:33 pm
Posts: 21
Location: Georgia
Thanks for your response "srm!"

Yes, having something happen to the hulls out on the water would be awful and much more inconvenient than trying to fix the boat now! I guess I am just a little scared of messing up when doing the drilling into the top of the hulls. I've been reading all I can about it on this forum (and elsewhere online) and I've found a decent amount of information, but there aren't any really good videos SHOWING it done. You know, a picture is worth a thousand words!! Do you have any experience putting epoxy into the hulls? If so, did it go well for you just following the written instructions from this forum or other online resources? Any "secrets" you discovered or tips you have about the process from your experience?

One other thing. I have a neighbor with a stripped down Hobie 14 for sale. If his hulls are in good shape and priced right, is it easy to change out hulls?

Thanks again!
Chuck


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 8:22 pm 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2015 6:33 pm
Posts: 21
Location: Georgia
Hi guys,
I'm looking for a link to a good video showing how to do the epoxy delamination repair on soft spots on the top of Hobie hulls. I've found a lot about fiberglass work on the sides and bottoms of hulls, but only one really short video (about 45 seconds or so) on the top delamination epoxy repair and it leaves parts out. I'm particularly worried about how far to drill into the top of the hull. That's what I would like to see in a video, as well as the injection process in its entirety. I would appreciate any help or advice!
Thanks!
Chuck


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