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What's wrong with me?
http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=42607		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Skipshot [ Wed May 09, 2012 8:02 pm ]
Post subject:  What's wrong with me?
I was doing some math in my head while on the way to a regatta. I race an 18 and of the class of boats that show up regularly the 18 has the smallest number. . . well. . . except for the lonely Tiger and Wildcat guys. Anyway, I started thinking about the number of 18 racers compared to the population of my division of about 13 million people. We're lucky to get our own start which means I'm one of five guys out of 13 million.

What's wrong with me? Why can't I be like everyone else and ride wind surfers or PWCs or any other water craft besides a Hobie 18, or even nothing?

And that's just one attribute. I also live in a town everyone else thinks I crazy for living in (Oakland, CA), drive a car no one wants to drive (Saab, which is now bankrupt because no one bought the cars), played a sport that wasn't considered cool (water polo), prefer cocktails over beer or wine, and I'm left-handed.
Author:  jmecky [ Wed May 09, 2012 9:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with me?
I feel you. The 18 is so much fun and cheap, why doesn't everyone else want one? Also to me the 18 is a lot superior to the 16, so why is the 16 so much more popular, what wrong with me?
Author:  albanyNYH16 [ Wed May 09, 2012 9:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with me?
I want to make the switch. Need the right boat at the right $$$ to come along. I live in NY and will drive if you have any info.
Author:  jmecky [ Wed May 09, 2012 9:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with me?
Last weekend I met a guy who bought a 87 Hobie 18 magnum. The boat had very very little use. The sails were still crisp and colors still like new. He only paid 300 $. The only problem was the front set of trailer rollers had left a nice little crush zone. It had crushed in about an inch, but leaking very little water. He took it sailing anyway cause he had a craving. I told him he should get the crush zone fixed as soon as possible and to get some FWD crossbar anchor plates.
Author:  ASDASC [ Thu May 10, 2012 6:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with me?
It is a good thing we have the Internet, to allow weirdos like us to get together and congregate!

:mrgreen:

By the way, I love the H16, but am still not confident enough to raise the mast myself often. My only fear of getting an H18 would be that I couldn't rig it single-handed.
Author:  dstgean [ Thu May 10, 2012 7:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with me?
Use the trailer winch and a mast stepper/gin pole arrangement. That way you can do it solo without any fear of accidents.

Dan
Author:  ASDASC [ Thu May 10, 2012 8:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with me?
I don't want to hi-jack the thread, but my situation is rather unique. I don't have any beach or boat launch, so I need to send it over the sea wall to the water, and rig it there. I have a plan of a floating dock to store it on, with a gin pole attached to it. That should work well for me. It is all built from last fall, but I didn't have the barrels yet. When I float it this summer, I will let everyone know what I did and how it worked out.

Now, back to the main topic:

You Hobie 18 people are sick, sick, sick!
Author:  Skipshot [ Thu May 10, 2012 9:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with me?
ASDASC wrote:
You Hobie 18 people are sick, sick, sick!
I sail a 16, too, but I don't like it. Too squirrely, pitchpole prone, too weight sensitive, and uncomfortable rail.

I'd probably race F18 or 20 if I wasn't such an overweight hack.
Author:  GD_NC [ Thu May 10, 2012 5:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with me?
[quote="Skipshot] I sail a 16, too, but I don't like it. Too squirrely, pitchpole prone, too weight sensitive, and uncomfortable rail.[/quote]

I grew up sailing an 18 Mag and now have a 16. The 18 beats the 16 for comfort, versatility, easy to sail, crew weight and especially stability hands down. But it's really big and heavy and the centerboards are a PITA.

The 16 is just way easier to launch and deal with when you don't have much help and there are a reasonable number to race against at most events.

Sadly decent 18s are few and far between these days. Why did they quit making that boat???? The F18/Wildcat/Tiger is too Ferrari and the Getaway is a pontoon boat with sails.

There's a really clean one on the Craigslist in Wilmington NC. if anyone is hunting for one.
Author:  Skipshot [ Thu May 10, 2012 6:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with me?
GD_NC wrote:
The 16 is just way easier to launch and deal with when you don't have much help and there are a reasonable number to race against at most events.
I can't argue against that.
GD_NC wrote:
Sadly decent 18s are few and far between these days. Why did they quit making that boat???? The F18/Wildcat/Tiger is too Ferrari and the Getaway is a pontoon boat with sails.
The 18 was discontinued because no one bought them for the opposite of what you wrote above, not Ferrari enough and not pontoon enough. The 16 is still popular because it's less than half the price of a Tiger or Wildcat, making it an inexpensive entry into a large and competitive racing class, while the original intent of the boat is still valid - easy, fast, fun, and inexpensive.

I'm not blaming the boat in the OP, I'm blaming myself. Why do I have to like something 5 out of 13 million people like?
Author:  OlderBowman [ Fri May 11, 2012 4:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with me?
sold my 1979 H16 to buy a new 1988 H18.
sold that in 1996, bought it back in 2009.
and I'm left handed.
Author:  SNovak [ Fri May 11, 2012 5:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with me?
From a business point of view, I get why Hobie quit making the 18, since it wasn't selling. Personally, however, I'm with GD_NC - discontinuing the 18 (and most of the other FRP boats, for that matter), has left a major hole in the middle of the lineup. I wanted a fast and technical boat (not a getaway), but also something that I could drag up on the beach at the end of the day (not a smart move with an F18).

and to the OP, don't feel that bad, there were 5 of you at the regatta. It could be worse, you could own an 18SX!


Skipshot wrote:
GD_NC wrote:
The 16 is just way easier to launch and deal with when you don't have much help and there are a reasonable number to race against at most events.
I can't argue against that.
GD_NC wrote:
Sadly decent 18s are few and far between these days. Why did they quit making that boat???? The F18/Wildcat/Tiger is too Ferrari and the Getaway is a pontoon boat with sails.
The 18 was discontinued because no one bought them for the opposite of what you wrote above, not Ferrari enough and not pontoon enough. The 16 is still popular because it's less than half the price of a Tiger or Wildcat, making it an inexpensive entry into a large and competitive racing class, while the original intent of the boat is still valid - easy, fast, fun, and inexpensive.

I'm not blaming the boat in the OP, I'm blaming myself. Why do I have to like something 5 out of 13 million people like?
Author:  Skipshot [ Fri May 11, 2012 7:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with me?
SNovak wrote:
and to the OP, don't feel that bad, there were 5 of you at the regatta. It could be worse, you could own an 18SX!
My boat is an SX. I converted it to a standard 18 in the middle of last season because the main was destroyed and I was getting better, so I replaced the mast when I replaced the sail.

I see the Tiger and 20 sailors treat their hulls like egg shells and the ground like it was toxic to fiberglass which is one of the reasons they aren't for me. I like the ability to run the boat up the beach.
Author:  presto13031 [ Fri May 11, 2012 8:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with me?
Started on a sunfish, took 90 days to go from bored from not being able to sail to bored from not being able to sail fast enough. Learned the 14, crewed for my dad on a 16, skippered the 16 soloed the 16, now I sail an 18 and love it. My first hobie regatta was when I was 3 Weeks old. After the cats the sunfish is like a moped, fun to play with until your buddies see you doing it. I'm ambidextrous but function as a lefty.
Author:  wscotterwin [ Fri May 11, 2012 4:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with me?
The 18 is just an all around good boat. I sail my H16 often but given the choice I almost always pick my H18. I have bought 10 H18s in the last year and have been able to put 4 complete boats together out of the 10. Most of which are being sailed now in Fleet 259. The boats are better suited for the California coast than the H16. I have a H20 also and I plan on racing it in 2013 but I just can't see it replacing the trusted H18 on the beaches I sail off of when I'm not racing.

Yes they are dying and yes this makes me sad. To many of these boat have lived in back yards baking in the sun. I love to buy them when I can find them and turn people on to them.

No they are not the fastest or the lightest or the best looking of the fleets. BUT, they are easy to rig, solid when taken care of and good in coastal conditions. They also are a better family boat as they are not limited to 2 skinny people.

I am literally leaving work in 20 min to attend the Woodward Regatta in Div 3 and we have 8 H18 sailing this weekend. FANTASTIC! We are sailing for the newly coveted "RED SOLO CUP"

GO H18!!!!!!!!! So, yes......this is an illness.
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