Big guys sailing. H14 or H16?

After years of dreaming of owing a Hobie I recently acquired my first Cat. The first boat is a 1974(?) H14. The serial number is on the tramp frame. Got it for $250. Need some work, like a new tramp, rigging, and some other small repairs. About 3 days after I got it, I got a response from a Craigslist wanted ad regarding a H16 a guy had. He told my dad that if we wanted it to come get it out of his back yard. After looking at it we decided it was at least worth taking home. We got it to our house, and looked it over more closely. It has some rather large soft spots, probably needs new rope, and the tramp is ripped on the stitching on the front left side of the tramp frame. Both came with sails in good condition (the 16 came with the jib and a great trailer, the 14 has only the main sail and a home made trailer.) I guess I'm wondering which one I should keep and which to sell? I'm a big guy, 23 years old 6'2", 230 lbs (not FAT, muscle). These are both the first boats I've owned, I've gone sailing a couple times with some friends in a 8" Sunfish, nothing like a Hobie. I've seen that the recommend crew weight for the 14 is closer to 200 lbs so I'm not sure if I can even sail that one solo, let alone with other people on board. The 14 doesn't look like it needs as much work, but I still want to be able to have fun and take people with me once I get comfortable solo sailing. Any suggestions as to which of the two would be best for me?

Wow - where to start

You + another adult on the 14 would turn it into a total slug - possibly even on your own. I am a big guy also and stayed away from the 14 for that very reason. The problem with the 16 is the soft spots and general dissrepair depending on where they are but generally avoid a boat with soft spots like the plague.

My 2 cents would be to gather all the equipment that is salvageable from both boats, part em out (here and classifieds etc.) and use the funds to buy a used 16 that is ready to go. Especially since you are only in for $250 right now

_________________
1985 Prindle 16

I'm about your size and after a full season on a 14t and now been out on 16, I know I am much happier on the 16. The 14t was a blast but the balancing act with weight got old and so did the resulting pitch poles when I pushed it. Let me know what parts if any you have avail for a 16 if you do decide to part out and get one in better shape.

_________________
'95 H16 sail #101148
'89 H18 SX/ sail #1053 w/ Yellow hulls

The 14 is too small for you and the 16 is junk. Look for a 16 in decent condition and use your time and money to learn to enjoy sailing instead of boat repair and rehab. Keep the 16 trailer and use it to expand your search since sometimes a boat will come on the market without a trailer or a junky one and you can bargain down the price if you don't want to take an extra trailer.

Hey, this is a good question, the part about the big guy on an H16. I'm 225lbs, so how would the 16 be under my weight and another crew in the 180lb range?

_________________
'81 H16 yellow hulls

The 16 would handle 400+#, but you aren't going to win any races with it.

Kind of like sailing the 14 at 225#.

Thanks! Sorry for the hijack Skipshot...

_________________
'81 H16 yellow hulls

Ok so I know I may speaking sacrilege by say this here but in the efforts of helping new sailors have a better experience and from first hand knowledge of of being a BIG sailor I'd like to recommend you look at a Prindle 16 or even better a Prindle 18. I have min 400 lbs crew weight and regularly sail with 600-700 lbs crew weight on a Prindle 18. The hulls have much more volume and buoyancy that the Hobies do.

I got lucky that the boat I found when looking was a Prindle 18 had I bought the Hobie 16 I was looking at first I would have been very disappointed. I'm not trying to saying anything bad about Hobie they're great but best for skinny crews. If you want Hobie better go for an 18.

I am 6'5" 225... and MUCH happier on a 16..


With any wind at all (I am a nut so...) the 14 was like a bad windsurfer.. Trapped out I could darn near submerge the entire leeward hull... and it was a constant back and forth balancing act as the boat was very responsive to my weight... Granted at the time I had less experience with the boats and no doubt my sailing experience on a 14 would be better now...

But...


With the 16 everything was better.. I can haul a crew.. even a three man crew and still have fun... The boat is MUCH more fun with less wind and a real adrenaline rush and challenge when the wind comes up....


While pretty fit, I am still a clumsy fool... So the extra boat with the 16 masks my mistakes much better... and trapping out single handed is still done carefully.. It is much easier to do on the 16...

Now... I am just a recreational goof off type... No racing yet... but on my 16... winds up to 8 mph I like to be by myself... lets say 8-18mph a total weight of around 350lbs makes the boat easy to handle and fast... and when it really gets blowing... 400-450lbs is nice to have to keep the boat flat...

if you have 10mph of wind... You can have lots of fun with a crew weight from 225-420lbs...



I can't recommend it... but if I were you... and sailing an inland lake where you could limp her back in... If the soft spots are not to major... shoot it full of some epoxy.. sew up the tramp... what the heck right? Just keep your eyes peeled for something better.... and don't waste to much time and effort on it.....


The 16 I am sailing now was bought complete from CL.. errrr uuhhh except for the hulls which were bought from j_eaton... yada yada yada.. Pieced and patched her together... Even drug home one POS that sounds about like the 16 you have... Only the hulls were way to soft... But I have spare everything else now... (including a spare kinda useable tramp if you want a cheap one ) All that nickel and dime stuff kills you if you have to buy is separately.. so if you have room for all this junk... sounds like you are on the right track to me..


My junky old boat has been a ton of fun....


And I can't wait to test out my new old 18 Sunday....

_________________
www.thehobiewayoflife.com