may be inevitable....

ok a bit of advice needed here. i have a 81 h18 non comp tip battle tank of a catamaran. i have had it for going on five years now and truely have a blast sailing it. thing is i am haveing a hard time getting it to water lately. its registered thru next year. it has original sails on it #5445. and the hulls are SOLID a few nicks and small scratches. but totally solid with no delam. i have been told that the sails are in good gondition but that they are "blown" i dont race it due to my still novice status on a cat. but i can make her boogie across the lake. i have flown a hull. not for long but have had one up in the air. i sail it solo and set it up solo as welll with the use of a cool system on the trailer and rear mast support. i have a electric winch on the forward mast support and a 15 foot remote cord to operate the winch from the tramp while i guide the mast up. mast steppin and set up for me inabout 15 minutes. trailer has had led lights installed, but the side markers could use a bit of work but do light. the tramp has been repaired and is in better than good condition and has the hiking straps intact. it has dual traps set up and the rigging age is unknown. rigging is in good shape. but if you are gonna race should maybe be gone thru. it does have a righting system under the tramp on a bungie and pully system and yes i have solo righted it as welll but i do go about 350lbs. all of the lines were replaced when i got it. and travellers and pullys are in good shape as welll. furrler is operating welll and overall this is as i said a solid recreational boat and with some new rigging would make a great racer. it does not have wings.

here is the deal. do i keep it and hope for more time in the future to sail. or do i sell it in these times where some extra money would be real nice. and if i selll it what would i ask for a boat that i just described. due to my current hours i am unable to sail with the local club but can use the facilities to launch and land as i want. i got a great deal on the boat when i got it and have added a new telo hiking stick as welll as a homemade 4:1 downhaul for the main it works real nice but i am sure is not hobie authorized for racing. both of those were purchased last year with my stimulas money.

any help or advice in my dellimma willl be appreciated. thanks . ... paul

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paul
1981 Hobie 18 "Knot A Clew" sail #5445

keep it.
shawn 82 H18 #8211
Div 3

Keep it, you will be hard pressed to replace it later on! Plus its not worth over 2k if that. I bought my '82 with wings and trailer for 1k 3 years ago

I had a Hobie in my youth, sold that of a large keel boat, sold that after I bought a house. I went without a boat for about 15 years and regretted selling my boats for every one of them. A few years back, when my sons were old enough to enjoy sailing I bought my current Hobie 18. I want to eventually get a large keel boat again but I will NEVER sell my Hobie 18 as long as I can sail it. My vote: Keep it, Sail it, Enjoy ever fleeting minute. Life is too short to worry about the other things.

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John Latimer
'79 Hobie18 - Magnum
Sail#4854

There's not much to do: Just store it in a way that it does not incur any more damage: Cover the hulls from the sun and leave the ports open but do not let water drain into it. Remove the tramp and dry all the lines and sheets. If the mast and crossbars are black and you let them sit in the sun, they'll fade to an ugly grey. Put the sails away in a dry attic; a little higher heat won't hurt, but moisture will kill them.

My advice: If someone offers you $1,500 for the boat; take it and find the appropriate boat when the time comes. All the new boats coming out now are faster; but they do not take the beach well. If you think the beach is where you intend to always be, hold on to it.

W

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Sails off Angola, NY, Lake Erie.