This isn't a Hobie story exactly, but I wanted to share it none the less. I hope this doesn't feel too out of place.
From a translated version of:
http://www.trimaran-idec.com/"Sunday, August 14, 2011
While sailing up the channel and headed for the starting line - Ambrose light - with visibility very low given the difficult weather conditions, Francis Joyon has discovered a crack on the forward beam of IDEC. The skipper said they had probably hit a fairway buoy. The record attempt to cross the Atlantic Maxi-trimaran IDEC is postponed."
The IDEC trimaran has been parked in the Marina I use in Brooklyn for a month at least awaiting decent conditions for his transatlantic attempt. I spoke to Francis yesterday, while he was prepping the boat. He was in the water scrubbing the gunk off the bottom of the boat himself. A true single-hander I guess. Very gracious fellow too; he was interested in my sailing experience with my 1981 16' Hobie Cat.
Its been raining hard and windless today, so I assume he was trying to get on the front edge of this thunderstorm that started last night.
Any way, it was super cool for me to meet him, and I thought his attempt was worth noting. He said the Hobie Cat 16' was a beautiful boat. And he has a catamaran himself.