Hobie 16 or 18

Hi, I have never sailed before but want to learn.
I am thinking of getting a late 70's or early 80's Hobie Cat.
There are two in my area right now, a 16 and an 18 foot.

I was wondering what the difference in tramp sizes were along with any other major differences that may influence my decision.
Also, is this boat OK for a beginner?

Thank You for any advise you can give me.

Bullsnake - I'll just address the major differences between the H16 & H18. Weight. The H18 is heavier. The H16 is easier to right; easier to move around on the beach; easier to sail if you & you crew are light weight. I think the 16 would be easier to learn on. The H18 is a little faster, but the excitement & sensation of speed is probably the same as the H16. The H16 has a raised trampoline. You'll stay drier. This is important once summer is over & you sail when it's cooler - water & air temperature. No daggerboards in the H16. I think you should go with the H18 only if the combined weight of you & your crew/crews is over 400 lbs. It would be nice if you could bring along a knowledgable friend to help you check out both boats - condition of boats, accessories, trailer, tires, etc.. Also, try to find a Hobie fleet in your area. It'll significantly enhance your enjoyment of your boat. Good luck! Rich

Thanks for the reply.

The weight of the crew is part of why I was asking about the tramp sizes. I don't plan to race in regattas anytime soon, and would like to be able to take a few friends out fairly comfortably. I know having around four adults will decrease the performance of even the 18; I am more worried about the space available on the tramp to fit them.

Does anyone know if the tramp is larger on the 18?
Is righting the 16 that much easier than the 18?
How much lighter is the 16 than the 18?

Does anyone know if the tramp is larger on the 18?

A little bit maybe, the hulls to sit on increases the effective "room".

Is righting the 16 that much easier than the 18?

Not that significant, righting takes technique and practice.

How much lighter is the 16 than the 18?

80 pounds.

BTW, minimum combined crew weight for racing the 16 = 285, for the 18 = 295 pounds. 16 weighs 320, the 18 400 pounds.

_________________
hobiejohn at earthlink dot net
Fleet 297

I tought myself to sail on an H16 a few years back. I now sail an H18. For me, here are the advantages of both.

The H16 is much easier for one person to set up and right. I am big guy at 6'2" and 235 lbs (at least I was when I had the H16) and I was able to right the 16 without any accessories besides a righting line solo in most winds. With two, no probelm any time. I was able to solo rig the 16 in about 15-20 minutes, less if I really hustled.

H16's are everywhere and so are spare parts and people who know about them.

The H16 is substantially easier to move around on the beach.

The H16 has no dagger boards, so there is less to worry about when making a beach landing. You just sail up onto the sand (unless you race your boat, then you are much nicer to it). This can be lots of fun.

In gusts, the H18 tends to accelerate where the H16 tends to heel, then accelerate.

The H18 has many more tuning devices on the boat.

The H16 is a much drier boat.

In summary, I love my H18 I have now, but there are day when I really want to have the simplicity of the H16, especially when I will be sailing solo.

Don't forget about price when comparing the two. The H16 may be less expensive. Also, do some research on H18's. there are some early 80's years that you may want to avoid.

_________________
Nick

Current Boat
In the market
Previous boats owned
'74 Pearson 30
'84 H16
'82 H18 Magnum
St. Louis, MO

Thanks for all the info.

The 16 is a few hundred dollars cheaper.
The owner of the 18 seems to know more about his boat.
The 16 has been sitting outside in a back yard for a couple of years, while the 18 has been used. Both claim that they are ready to be sailed.
There is a small hole in the 16's tramp. The 18's tramp is 3 years old and seems to be in much better condition as well as thicker.

The 18 has some cracking where one of the dagger boards slides in (on the side closest to the front of the hull). One of the dagger boards was repaired from hitting a rock. Also, the side of one of the hulls (not the one mentioned before) has some cracking or something in the side. The owner said it could be repaired easily; he had put a strip of duct tape on it.

The plastic "sheath" around some of the lines is breaking apart on the 16. The guy said it is for cosmetic purposes and it should not matter.

Forgot to add that the 18 had been reaired for delam. Is this good in that it will not have this problem again, or is it bad that it happened at all?

What do you guys think?

Not good that delam repairs exist. Check the 18 over well by pressing on the sides and tops off the hulls with your hands. If it moves or makes cracking sounds, no good. The cracks at the dagger well are probably from the dagger impact. Delam repair adds weight. The crack with tape on it is suspicious, remove tape and examine carefully. Chances are its been sailed with the tape on it and pulled water into the foam around the damage, it will delam eventually.

- On the 16 the tramp is empty, while the 18 has dagger boards which stick up a little and jib blocks and tracks in the middle of the hulls.
- The 18's dagger boards must be raised for landing.
- The 18 will handle 4 adults, but I'd be reluctant to put them on a 16.
- Rigging a 16 is a little easier.
- The 18 may have deck ports and hatch bags for storing stuff.
- Waves flow through mesh tramps way more than solid vinyl.
- 16's pitchpole easier than 18's, but as you get better then you learn how to avoid this.
- The 18 has a smoother, more stable ride than the 16.
- The 18 racing class is dwindling since the boat is no longer in production. However, Hobie promises to keep parts available for a long time.
- Delam? Duct tape? Hmmm. . .

I may be overly cautious, but the first thing I did when buying both my boats was to replace the standing rigging. It's cheap insurance against a dismast.

Both boats are OK for a beginner, as long as you put the time and effort to learn good technique which will make the whole experience more enjoyable.

Also, read up on this site for more buying tips:
http://www.sailingproshop.com/catamaran.asp

Welcome aboard!

Delamination is bad news.... bad that it happened in the first place - chances are that it will happen again. You have no idea how much efford the owner put in to repairing the delamination.
I would repair my own Hobie once delamination repair would be due, but I would not buy a delaminated boat or one that has a repaired delamination issue.
If you do not want to race in Hobie class events - think outside the Hobie box - there are other beach cat's.
If comfort and a large # of people on board is an objective, non of the beach cats does particularly well in this category- this is why they make those party pontoon boats with motor There you can bring a case of beer and you might be able to use a recliner and a good size TV Sorry that was too tempting!

Patrick

I have decided to go with the 16 because of the delam issues on the 18 and overall condition seems better on the 16 seems better aside from the tramp. I think the hulls are much more important to have in good condition, though.

Ha Ha, yoh. The part where I want a few people to be able to go on it would not be the norm, I just want it to be possible to do it once in awhile.
The thing that attracts me to the Hobie is the performance. I ride a Honda CBR 929 every day that I am able to and like wheelies and stoppies, so am no stranger to an adrenaline rush or high speeds or lack of comfort.
I agree that if I want a party boat to get a pontoon boat, but those have never attracted me and that is not my goal. There is plenty of room on shore for that kind of stuff.

My goal is to learn to sail and have a lot of fun doing it. It also seems nice that this boat can still pose a challenge for as long as I have it, so it won't get old.

Thank you everyone for you input. I really appreciate it.