Lost Hobie 18 recovered

On June 24th a small on shore emergency (my kid cut his foot) took my attention off my boat which I had just finished rigging. The boat was 100' "up" on the beach away from the waters edge with jib furled and max slack to the main sheet. Once I took care of my sion's foot (rinse and bandaid) I came back down the beach to put her to sail, and she was gone. My Hobie 18 was lost unmanned 2 mi. N of Onekama MI in Lake Michigan. I called 911, and the Coast Guard. After a days search I figured she was lost. Any of you that know Lake Michigan know it's a 300+ mile long, 100+ mile wide zone of destruction for any unmanned boat. Even a small blow can raise 6-8 foot waves, and any real blow will bring in 15-20 foot waves.

On June 30th at 11:15pm a ring of my door bell brings me face to face with a State Trooper telling me they found my boat in Sturgeon Bay. I say "Sturgeon Bay?" The Trooper says, "don't ask me I have no clue where that is either." He gives me the phone number of the Coast Guard station in Sturgeon Bay, so I give them a call. Turns out my boat was spotted by a WI Tug and recovered by the Sturgeon Bay WI Station US Coast Guard over 100 miles from where she was lost.

I was told the mast and rudders were broken. They said they had to cut off the sails and "the" dagger board was floating separate. They told me to come retrieve my boat.

I'm thinking wth? Sturgeon Bay WI? I can't believe my boat travled through multiple storms to Sturgeon Bay WI. I have spent my entier life in or around this lake. I worked as a commercial diver, and in surf zone construction through my youth. I figure from what the Coast Guard has told me and my experience with this lake that my "boat" will be good for scrap parts only.

The next day, I make reservations to take me my son, my truck and my trailer accross to WI via the Ludington car ferry the SS BAdger ($450.00)
We had to drive 59 miles North in WI to get to Sturgeon Bay. What I find when I get there is amazing. The mast is not broken, just the forestay cable broke bringing the mast down. They really only cut the batten lines to pull the battens, so the main sail is fine. They didnt know how the dagger boards worked so they are fine. And the coast guard had removed the rudders for towing so they are fine also. The hulls are still perfect, a little cosmetic damage from teh mast rubbing on one hull but it's very minor. The jib was damaged and will need to be replaced but it was in tired shape anyway.

So if anyone has a used jib for sale or knows where I should go for new rigging please lket me know. I figure it's a good opportunity to run new rigging through out. Unfortunatly I can't leave anything "new" or in to good shape up at my cabin as it is very secluded and will get swipped. So I leave the standing rigging up and the boat chained to a tree through the summer, but stow sails, blocks, rudders, tiller etc in my cabin between trips up.

If you're looking for new rigging, it would probably be a good bet to support your local hobie dealer and get your stuff from there. Use the dealer finder in order to find the closest one if you don't know where it is already (http://www.hobiecat.com/company/dealer.html). If there is no dealer close to you, backyardboats.com is usually a good place to look.

For the jib, you can probably get a good deal on this site for a used one, post under the looking to buy thread and search the for sale thread often. If you can afford a new one, thesailstore.com is also a good place (I checked the hobie site to see if they sell new sails but all I found were ones for their other types of cats, no 18s. Someone correct me on that, I like to support hobie directly from the company itself as much as possible).

I hope you get your stuff soon and have a good time sailing!

_________________
Sail Fast, Live Slow.

~Nate

Well as much as I appreciate your sentiment regarding the support of local Hobiecat dealers, the two within 100mi of me (75mi, 80mi) were predictably of no help regarding new or used components for the discontinued H18. I did however find what I needed from Wirlwind sales and Saltydog marine.

Should have her back on the water by next weekend!

That is unfortunate... we stock all of the parts at the factory still. The dealers simply have to look in the parts catalog and order.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

I'm sorry to hear that as well. Well, at least you're getting back onto the water quickly, have fun with it!

_________________
Sail Fast, Live Slow.

~Nate

Wow that is amazing!!! I can't believe it survived so long on the big lake, especially with the weather we've been having.

Pics?

_________________
Dave

Truth is treason in the empire of lies.

Campaign for Liberty

I have posted a few pics of my 18 as I found her in Sturgeon Bay WI.

http://www.virtualturf.com/hobie.htm

Also, I have included a couple of pics showing a rear bracket that I cannot identify. I have been interested in just what this bracket that is attached to the rear crossbar is for. If anyone knows please enlighten me.

That "rear bracket" you are referring to is actually called the Deadeye and is where your mainsheet ultimately ties off to. If you haven't been using this, I'm curious as to how you've been tying off your mainsheet.

The proper way to route your mainsheet is as follows;

1) Thread the bitter end of the mainsheet through the swivel jam cleat which is just forward of the dead eye. Go through the jam cleat 1st then through the fairlead (plastic hole).

2) Next thread the mainsheet through the traveler car from front to back (this is what your mainsheet blocks attach to).

3) Finally, thread the mainsheet through the deadeye and tie a figure eight knot in the bitter end to prevent it from slipping back through the hole.

Hope this helps,

Tom
1988 H18M

Thanks for the info. Actually I was just using a combination knot at the end of the main sheet.

Whip, I'll agree with you on the Hobie dealers in W. MI. I order my parts from a Hobie dealer in FL or CA (with part numbers from the catalog). I tried to contact the one dealer in the middle of the state via E-mail but alas, no response. I guess they don't need my money in MI. Salty Dog is good though.

_________________
1989 Hobie 18 Worlds Boat, Magnum Wings & Spinnaker
1987 Hobie Holder 20 #273

dale.vanlopik"at"att"dot"net

DVL, I did talk to the Gun Lk dealer at length and he at least explained to me that he is a new dealer for Hobie, I think he said one or two years, and that he is planning to be in a position to better service the Hobie market in the near future, so we will see. The Battle Creek guy was just too busy and didnt have time to sell me a jib I guess. It was the holiday weekend though so maybe other times it would be different. Anyway I was in a hurry as I want my boat sailing by this weekend if possible, so was looking for more "off the shelf" replacement components.

I live in Grand Haven by the way.

Whip, I live in Zeeland and keep the boat in Muskegon. I run through that town and traffic at least once a week in the summer.

The guy in Gull Lake has been a Hobie dealer forever but got into power boats and pontoons. I had ordered some wing parts from Wolfs and it took a year to get them. Who is in Battle Creek? PS;I won't darken the door of Worst Marine after the way I was treated this spring.

_________________
1989 Hobie 18 Worlds Boat, Magnum Wings & Spinnaker
1987 Hobie Holder 20 #273

dale.vanlopik"at"att"dot"net

Hey guys... there are THREE Hobie Dealers that regularly read, post, and offer Outstanding wisdom and advice, right here on this forum.

I have personally done business with Brad @ Sunjammers and Aris @ Mariner Sails. They are both stand up guys, very knowledgeable, and will do their dead level best to take care of you.
Judging from his posts and willingness to share knowledge, Jeremy @ Surf City Cats is also a really good guy, altho it has not yet been my pleasure to do business with him personally.
None of these guys will push themselves on you, I have never seen any one of the three doing any self promotion other than posting their contact information along with their posts. They are very generous with their knowledge, and I make every effort to do business with them when possible. I would encourage you to consider doing the same.

Respectfully,
Stephen

_________________
If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, maybe it is time to water your own lawn.

OOPS!! I meant Benton Harbor, not Battle Creek, sorry.

I will have to check into Muskegon beach parking, I have quite a bit of Lk MI property a couple miles N of Onekama, and have kept the boat there through the summers, but I'm just not getting in enough sailing. I keep thinking maybe I need two boats.

And can you imagine actually living in this traffic jam of a town in the summer? I only drive to leave the town, other than that I'm on my bicycle.

And "Must5429", thanks for the dealer info. I'll be sure to ask them first next time. I did buy some of my needed components from Backyardboats. Ordered Saturday, they shipped Monday, and will be here in perfect time, so I'm very pleased with their help. So far everything I need is on its way except the Wirlwind Jib. Luckily I could still use my old jib for the weekend thanks to some sail tape.

Wow too bad you didn't have a video camera on that boat. Would have been a great video watching what happened to her over her trip!