14t questions

Hi,

I'm considering buying a 14t so my kids can learn to sail. I don't know much at all about 14's, though I have spent plenty of time on a 16 and currently sail an 18.

The 14t I'm interested in has a hull # of CCMB3618M76IS according to the current owner. Does that make it an April of '76 boat? What does the S stand for?

The pics the current owner has sent me indicate a very stock looking 14t. I'm probably going to make a road trip to go look at/possibly buy it, and was wondering if there were specific 14t things to examine closely that an old 16 pilot wouldn't necessarily already be tuned in to.

Thank you, this forum is great.

Mike Bennett
Madera, CA

'81 Hobie 18

The "official" Hobie 14 Turbo wasn't introduced until the early 80's, so this would be an aftermarket kit. However, Hobie 14's are model "A" (CCMA). Hobie 16's of that era are CCMB

I think you're looking at a Hobie 16.

The dead giveaway is where the shrouds attach. On the 14, they attach to the sidebar; on the 16, they attach to the hull.

Thanks for the help.

If official 14T's didn't come out from the factory until the early 80's, then this makes sense so far: the dolphin striker on the boat I'm looking at is what I think you guys refer to as the aftermarket version. Sort of looks like a skinny inverted "A" not the normal single post I'm used to seeing on a 16. This boat also has the shrouds still connected to the side bars, so I'm pretty sure it's a 14.

The hull number is odd though, it doesn't seem to match the numbering sequence currently accepted for that time frame. At first I thought the current owner just misread the numbers or letters somehow, I'm sure that's not the first time that has happened. On my way home tonight I remembered I had a 14 in my back yard which was a freebie and is destined for donation to the local Boy Scout Explorer Post. I went out, uncovered it and cleaned off the sterns (it is definately a 14) and the hull number is CCMB0037O474! How would this 14 decode?

I wish I code post pictures here, will need to work on that!

Thanks again,

Mike Bennett

Sorry, I can't answer your question. However, I am just curious where you found those numbers on your hull. When I registered my 70's? H14, I looked over the hulls and could not find a legitimate looking # which they wanted on the registration. The boat looks like it home-painted, and used frequently. I just noted the tag was missing on the form. The trampoline columns have a 4 digit number inscribed into them, but its nothing like the number you have.

Thanks,

Your hull numbers are located just above the rudder castings. If the boat has been painted, as you state your boat has been, the etched id #'s may be difficult to spot. You can try sanding the area just below the deck and just above the top casting.

This link has all the info for telling the year and production month of your boat, it helped me a lot.


http://www.hobiecat.com/support/warrant ... erial.html

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T.J. Gibson
H14 "Tiny Tim"

That's your serial number. Prior to 1973, that's all you got.

My first 14 was #5010.