Hobie Cat Forums

I have a question to the people who store the Bravo on open air. Do you remove the sail or let the sail with the sail cover? Did you cover the hull?

During the summer we store the sail wrapped on the mast in the sail/mast bag and hang it horizontally from 5 hooks under the north side of our house eve. In the winter we take it off the mast roll it up, put it in the sail bag and store it inside, the mast stays on the 5 hooks. As for the hull during the winter, I remove the rudder and hiking straps. The first year we covered it with a blue tarp. This year we are not covering it. So far it looks fine.

Well, aside from some dirt the Bravo hull appears to have wintered well uncovered. Last weekend we took the boat out for the first outing of the year. It took only a couple of hours to de-winterize the boat (compared to most of a day to do the same to my H17Sport).

James:

Try Bon Ami. It cleaned m 17 real nice after 4 years on touched outside. $1 a can. Try it.

Doug

When I put this question, my major concern was with the sun in the summer. I live in Portugal, near Lisbon and in the winter is not very cold (minimal temperature is 5ºC – 40ºF), with some rain. But in the summer the temperature is high (35-40ºC – 100ºF).

Get a inside storage like me and bite the bullet. Put some heater in in and fans in summer. I pay $250 month for 15 x 50 for both cats. Hobie 17 and Mystere 4.3, but WORTH every penny to keep boats looking like new all the time.

Bring up the old saying. Pay me now or pay me later.

Just my 2 cents,

Doug

leclerc, I live in Washington State, so the sun is not too intense in the winter. In the summer we get several days above 100oF and do not cover the boat and appears not to suffer. The UV from the sun can degrade things rather quickly, though I do not know how well the rotomolded hulls do (you might ask in the frequently asked questions). The rotomolded boats I've rented in Maui (several years old) appear to be in relatively good shape (hull wise), but I would still take off all the running gear for any longer term storage. Inside storage is nice, but might not be too cost effective if very expensive (e.g., $250.00/month; the bravo is < $3000.00 new).

You could get a smaller place for less. I have three boats in mine. I have small fleet!!

Doug