Looking for Hobie, what is right for me?

18 with wings is my vote, the 21 would give you more gear carrying capacity, but heavier. I'm with you on the moped analogy, it might be fun to ride, but you don't want your friends to catch you on one. 400-500 lbs on a 16 is too much, it will be a slug and hard to tack in the ocean with that kind of weight. The 18 is a true beach boat, bullet proof, and a solo boat as well. They quit making them because the old ones won't die.

I am 6'2" and 260 lbs. I have a hard time pulling the H18 around the beach with out my dolly. It can be done, but it is alot of work. I can't imagine an extra 200 lbs. I second the H18 with wings. They are a great buy, can be modified for more speed if you want, and are tough as nails.

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Nick

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

Hey Buzzy, sounds like you got a chance to experience the 18 in the ocean when it was honkin!!!
Was this the boat?

...... the friday sailing club

That's the culprit. It looks so tame parked on the beach. Folks, don't let those sail colors fool you. That's Thomas of the wrightsville beach friday sailing club. He sails the hell out of that boat. I've got to give these guys some props, I've busted down form Ohio a couple times to sail with these guys. Thomas, Danny the preacher, Bruce, and South African Steve. These guys go out most fridays if it's "honkin", soloing, trapped out on 18's and 16's, throw a hull high in the air and park it there all day long, racing each other in the ocean. I thought I flew a hull, these guys rock. I thought I was in a 3 hour Hobie commercial. I want a Margaraita just thinking about it. Cheers

I have a H21SC and it's a great family/party boat. It's reasonably fast, has plenty of room to sit around and not on top of one another. You can fill the cooler up with beer and have another six cases held in reserve in the hull compartments alone....not that I'm suggesting to do that...

As far as the weight, it is heavy, but is easy to move around w/ the right tools. I don't know what makes it 200 pounds heavier than the SE. Certainly not the 50 pound cabin or the cooler. The SC has a shorter mast, different crossbars, and dagger board set up, but I don't see any added weight there either. Anyone know the answer??

Something else you can use to move Hobies around with that slicker than snot is that "plastic" deck wood. Cut some 1" wide strips, space them a foot apart and screw them to a 8 ft stick of the stuff. It won't slide around in the sand, but the boat will glide over it. The bad thing is you have to play leap frog with them, the good thing is you don't need to lift the boat to move it.

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TC

I live just outside of Destin. Let me know when you get into town. I picked up a used 16 end of last season, my 3rd 16. Anyway, would be nice to have some sailing friends not an hour away.

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It's such a fine line between stupid and clever.

86 H16

Fender: I have some Hobie 16 sailing buddies in your area. Send me a PM if you'd like to exchange contact info.

Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi

PMs are disabled, Can you shoot me an email and Ill respond with my info.

Thanks

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It's such a fine line between stupid and clever.

86 H16

Done

Jerome