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PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2014 9:13 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 20, 2014 9:04 pm
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Some friends and I bought a used Hobie 16 last summer on a lark and had little time to sail it before Minnesota's short lake-sailing season was over. We waited all through the winter staring over the icy tundra for the day we'd get to put our cat in the water.

On Saturday, that day came. We got it rigged, in the water, had a short sail, and everything was wonderful. On Sunday, I went to meet my friend who had already taken it from the buoy and was coming back to the dock to pick me up. He took a jibe in a strong wind and turtled the boat—without having yet put up the jib. It was just sitting on the trampoline.

And now it's lost.

We've set about to find a replacement, but it's looking impossible to find. It was the "flamer" pattern from the mid-70s, and it matched our main sail. We're really not keen on buying a white jib that would do nothing but look hideous with our otherwise gorgeous orange-hulled, flamer-sailed catamaran.

Is there a place one can find these sails reliably, either used or new with the same colors?

Alternatively, this lake isn't huge and the wind usually blows in the same direction—if these sails float, it may yet turn up, provided the city doesn't find and decide that it's trash, first. Do sails float? (Obviously a novice question, but as I said, we bought it on a lark and we're very novice.)


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PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2014 10:26 am 
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Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2011 4:27 pm
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Location: Central Oregon
Bummer! I only know of two outfits that will make custom color sails. No clue what their quality is like.
Reading your post it seems your mooring the boat on a bouy? Big no no with a 16. Put it on the shore/lift/dock to store it.
Having the mast banging around is very hard on things in long term.



http://colormapper.whirlwindsails.com/c ... lassic.php

http://www.slosailandcanvas.com/servlet ... Set/Detail

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PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2014 11:32 am 
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Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
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Location: Jersey Shore
A solid red or solid yellow jib would probably look OK. Hobie will also do custom patterns as long as they have the colors in stock. You should check with your dealer to see what's available.

Problem is, getting an exact color match with a 30+ year old sail is going to be nearly impossible.

As far as I know, sails do not float.

sm


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PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2014 11:45 am 
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Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:38 am
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Not sure why, but I have been regularly watching ebay for H16 sails for the last year or so. I don't think I have seen a single Flamer come up. A fair number of Tequila Sunrise and Cat Fever and one or two Orange Crush, but no Flamers. So, your probably looking at going orange or yellow. I run a blue jib in front of my Cat Fever main and I think it looks pretty good. I actually have a Cat Fever jib but it is pretty soft compared to my nice crisp blue one.


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PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2014 12:58 pm 
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Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:35 pm
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Location: Tuscaloosa, AL
Contact a Hobie Dealer, They can check with Hobie on making you a custom colored jib.


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PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2014 5:22 pm 
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Thanks for the tips, friends.

We've found a couple matching/almost-matching sails on various craigslists that we're following up with, and, barring that, we may order a jib from thesailstore.com for $300. It takes a few weeks to ship, so we'd have to make due with just the main until then. On that note, can anyone vouch for the quality of sails from thesailstore.com? As long as they're not abjectly terrible we'll probably go that route because it's an old boat and not something we're looking to sink a bunch of money into, but if they are abjectly terrible sails we'd spend more for something more serviceable.

Along the same line of questioning, can a jib cut for a furling system be used without a furling system? We may pick one up in the future, and it'd be nice to not have to buy another jib if/when we do?

This is a really helpful forum and I'm happy to have found it. Hope everyone's enjoying some warm spring sailing on two hulls—or one!


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PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2014 8:06 am 
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Joined: Thu May 23, 2013 12:02 am
Posts: 165
Location: London
Sorry to hear this!
Out of interest what kind of water and depth was it lost in?

I only ask because a friend of mine had a similar problem though he lost his main when he experienced a demasting :o
From my understanding he managed to pull it on board, pulled the main sail off the mast rolled it up only for the boat to capsize loosing the main and boom.
The crazy and astonishing thing is he managed to recover it, or at least a few of his diver buddies did for a crate of beer!

Sadly not implying this could be possible for you but thought I would share!

SRG

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Hobie 14 Turbo (~1979)
Hobie 16 Carumba (1983)
Hobie 16 1990 (storm damaged)
Hobie 16 1996 (my latest)


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PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2014 9:23 am 
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It was in Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, which is about 300 acres and a maximum depth of 80 feet. I'm not sure how deep it was at the point my buddy went over, but judging by this map, it was probably about 60' where it was lost. The boat drifted pretty quickly to the northern shore of the lake (where we tied it to a buoy to prevent it from drifting into a rock retaining wall, as it was too windy and too late in the day to right it then). If the sail didn't get dragged to bottom of the lake immediately, it probably drifted in that direction, too, where it may be as shallow as 30'-40'.

Funny enough, I posted a "Lost & Found" on craigslist last night in case any craigslister who was walking around the lake happened to spot it on a beach, and I got a reply from someone who is going on a recreational dive on Saturday who said he'd keep an eye out for it. I've no idea who he is, but I wish him the best in finding my jib! :lol:

If we don't find it, we might go for a solid color jib in turquoise or something else complementary!


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PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2014 1:50 pm 
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Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:21 pm
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Location: Winston Salem, NC
If there are many fisherman in the area, you might post a notice in some bait stores in case someone snags it.

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PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2014 1:53 pm 
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There's not a ton of fishing, but what there is mostly happens at the dock by the sailing school or off of a sailboat (only auxiliary outboards are allowed on the lake, so nearly all watercraft are sailboats or the occasional canoe or kayak) -- so I'll probably leave a notice with the sailing school, since anyone who found a sail would probably go there with it.

This is all really good advice. Thanks for all the help.


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 11:25 pm 
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I'm a brand new sailor, but a veteran diver...if you let the local dive shop know that you have a case of beer for the guy or guys who recover your jib (and its general location), you'll have it back shortly. They are just aching for a reason to blow bubbles and bragging rights (and beer) will be enough to convince them.


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 06, 2014 8:29 am 
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If only we had a local diving club. I'm not sure the small lakes in this area are enough of a draw to divers to sustain a club.

Anyway, my friends and I bought an even older, more beat up Hobie with the 'banana' theme sails, and the jib matches *almost* perfectly. No red, but the same orange and yellow as the 'flamer' main (with only a little bit different amount of fade from years in the sun). And we got some other hardware (including bridles to replace ours that were fraying) and two trapeze harnesses. Weee!


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 06, 2014 10:31 am 
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I think you'd be surprised...Google "dive shop" with your town and see. All it will cost is some time and some beer.


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