What to look for when buying used Hobie Cat 16

I'm going to look at my first prospective hobie on Saturday.
I know to look for soft spots and check the sails but that's about it.
It's an 1981 w/ new trampoline and to a of extra parts (including extra rudders & mast), two sets of sails, and a trailer. I was told it has a few soft spots and I've been reading about them and I'm thinking if they aren't too soft or too many I'll stick with it.
So, how soft is too soft?
How many is to many?
Are there spots that are just to much of a pain to fix, especially for a newbie?
What to look for in the sails?
Rudders, should I be aware of anything there? (Cams, other worn areas?)
Mast issues to look for?
Rigging problems?
Anything that one wouldn't think to look at their first time or even 10th time buying?

I want this boat to last me years! I also ca get excited about things and just buy it. I'm trying to make sure I know when to walk away, even from a good deal.

Thanks for y'all's time!

Soft spots are the biggest concern since the hulls are the most costly item to replace and failure of the hull will leave you stranded on the water. Soft spots in the deck right in front of the forward pylons are both the most common location and the worst location from a structural standpoint. Anything larger than about 1 square foot is probably not worth repairing. It has also been mentioned on here that soft spots, even when repaired, are an indicator that the hull is beginning to reach the end of its life. That being said, a repaired soft spot can last for years, but other areas of the hull may also start to fail.

You need to weigh how much time and money you want to put into repairing the boat versus sailing it. If you have other boats in your area that you can look at that don't have soft spots, I would certainly recommend doing so. If this is the only boat available, then I guess you have to take what you can get.

For sails, you want to unroll them and give them a good look over. If they are 1981 originals, then they are almost certainly getting towards the end of their life. Inspect for holes and tears or prior repairs. Inspect the condition of the bolt rope and inspect the batten pockets where they rub against the shrouds. Also inspect the condition of the grommets and aluminum fittings for signs of excess corrosion.

All aluminum components (mast, crossbars, side bars) should be closely inspected for excess corrosion, cracks, dents, or bends. Make sure all hardware such as blocks, cleats, and other fittings are present and functioning as they should. Same goes with the rudder system. Make sure it is complete and functional.

Check the trailer closely at all connections for signs of excess rust/corrosion or cracking. You may even want to jack it up and give the wheels a spin to make sure they rotate freely. Also check the tires for dry rot. If the trailer has been sitting for a long time, it's likely the tires and bearings will need replacement / servicing.

Expect that with an older boat, you may need to spend several hundred dollars additional to replace things like running rigging, standing rigging, rudder cams/hardware in order to make the boat functional and safe.

sm

To SRM's point on the soft spots: I bought a 1977 Hobie 16 not too long ago that had a few soft spots - there weren't many for sale here in Atlanta, GA and after reading up on soft spot repairs I decided to buy it anyway and just repair the spots myself. But like SRM mentioned, once it has soft spots you know that the foam core is brittle and they will continue to grow and pop up elsewhere. I ended up removing the entire outer layer of fiberglass to replace the foam core (with polyurethane pour foam) entirely. I enjoyed doing it and I learned a lot, but it's definitely a time consuming process and it's not cheap either. I estimate to have spent another $1000 on repairs. Most people on this forum would argue that it's not worth it. I'm just stubborn and refuse to give up.

On the sails, inspect the luff wire in the jib. Run some cotton over the wires to inspect for broken strands. This wire is the forestay when undersail. If it breaks, the forestay will probably maintain the integrity of the rig, but such a failure cannot be good. I would say you could ignore the standing rigging as all of it should be replaced (you have no knowledge of its history and condition). However, you might elect to take your chances for a while and replace over time, so do look at the standing rigging.

Check the upper and lower rudder housing assemblies. Try to exercise the cams. These are not hard to repair, assuming the castings are in good order. I found one of my casting had a hollowed out hole for one of the sister screws. This required a welding job to repair. Inspect the rudders by standing then next to each other and checking for similar shape and hole locations. My rudders were drilled differently. I had to fill the holes and redrill.

Good luck. I hope you find something that will get you out on the water quickly.
-Ted

Thanks guys!
The seller went down on the price from $2000 to $1200 for trailer, original sails and new ones (1 yr old), year old trampoline, boat (soft all down them. Probable need total overhaul), comes with extra rudders.
Hulls were newly painted too and I can see repair work under the paint.
I'm thinking to pass but dang patience is hard to maintain.

Strike 1



Strike 2



Stick with that thought. Seriously, you will be wasting so much time and money if you buy this boat. The hulls are trash. It's a parts boat.

sm

You will be spending money and time replacing standing rigging and other items. No need to add to that bad hulls. Pass on it. It took me a over a year to find my H16.
On the other hand, you could buy it for parts if you see enough parts on it worth buying, and the seller is realistic about the boat condition and price. Then purchase another boat with solid hulls.