Hobie Cat Forums

Just curious how many seniors are out there sailing Hobie's. I thought I was up there at 64. I bought a Getaway a few months back and this thing is a blast, it is so much more fun to sail on then my last cat, which was 38 ft, although the 38 footer was more fun to party on. I had a 84 year old friend and his wife out on a wave in Cancun this past summer and they loved it. Now I just saw a post on the Bravo forum and I was blown away, a74 year old just bought a Bravo and has never sailed before, way to go! I think it is amazing that Hobie has managed to fill so many needs and desires with there line of watercraft. I am sure I would be just as amazed, at how young some kids were when they soloed a cat.

I just got my first cat last summer and am learning how to sail. I had been reading 'how to' for years, just never done it, and was amazed at how well I was able to get around and get back. I am sure there is a ton yet to be learned about sailing as I get into stronger winds, but I am hooked.

I just turned 48.

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Steve
1979 Hobie 16 "Orange Crusher"

Give Capt Bob credit...after all, he does sail a Dart 16....and he is 74.
His buddy, Henry, turned 74 on Jan 1....and he sails a Bayview 25, a Hobie 18, and a windsurfer, plus he plays league badminton weekly.
The two of them hold the Club speed record of 37 km an hour, on a H18....that's around 23 mph or approx 20 knots...

The older you get, the faster you go....

Guys and gals, we have lots to look forward to....

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1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

Ha, not to call anyone out but.........how many of the 16 racers at nationals were over 60....?

Age is mental issue. Start staying young when you are young and we will be sailing these boats for along time. You see mentally old people on the beach all the time.

Scott 46

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H18 '86 "Knotty Passion"
H18 '85 Signature Series
H20 '96 "20/20 Vision
Fleet 259 Central Coast California

For what its worth I turn 78 next month and sail an H-16 that I bought new in '85. I set up alone and sail solo much of the time. I also have an 18' Cape Cod cat that I sail when it isn't windy enough to satisfy me on the Hobie.

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Howard

Just off the top of my head:
Mike Montague (? he's close) - 2nd place
Anthony Duchatel (?, again, close) - 5th place)
Wally Myers (?) - 9th
Steve Leo (for sure)
Grahame Southwick (?)
John Hauser (for sure)
Sean Tracy
Slim Johnson
Roger Taha (?)

Bruce Fields (Wrinklie) still actively races a 14 and a 17 at the age of 76.

I'm 68 & my wife of 40 years is 65. We've been saiing our 79 Hobie 16 for the past 32 years. We also run, swim, bodysurf in the summer, kayak, bike, hike in the Sierras, ski....The only thing we've noticed about getting older is that we can still do everything we used to do when we were younger, but it takes a bit longer to recover.
My Hobie hero is definitely Howard (hrtsailor) from North Carolina. He's about 10 years older than I am, has undergone a quintuple coronary artery bypass surgery in 2008, and still sails solo much of the time. He's also well educated and appears to have enjoyed a successful and exciting career. I first read about Howard on Nov. 14, 2010 when I was whining about having to raise that heavy 26' mast whenever we went sailing. I stopped complaining after I read about Howard. About that time I also read about a better technique of raising our mast from Matt Miller. I first met Matt in the early 1980's when we joined Fleet Four and he was the Fleet Racing Chairman. He looks young, but he's getting up there in age. He's like Dick Clark from American Bandstand - forever young!
Richard

I stand corrected about speed and age.....
from Captain Bob....who smoked me and my SX18 at that race...

Good morning to the old salts,

Thanks for directing me to that site, John, but some of those people are just kids - 46 or whatever. There is one that is about my age. I'll be 78 tomorrow so Henry is still 4 years short of that ripe old age. I started sailing at 7 so that makes for 71 years of sailing and I still feel like a kid when I'm out there on the trapeze although I'm a little more careful doing that. Also, I sail a Dart 18, not a 16. Another correction; Henry and I got to 36.8 kmph on my Dart and he and Sue reached 37.8 kmph on their Hobie 18.

One of the benefits of being involved in sports such as sailing - I also curl - is that it provides a motivation to stay in shape physically and mentally. That helps to keep you feeling young!

My challenge for 2012 is to hold on to the racing titles I won at the KSC last year. I would also like to take my Tanzer 22 around 12 mile island. So I am looking forward to another exciting year of sailing.

See you out on the water.

Captain Bob

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1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

richandpat,

Thanks for the kind words. I have been very fortunate to still be able to sail. I guess it's in the genes so my thanks go to my parents. After the heart operation, my doctor told me to keep on sailing and that is the best prescription I ever got.

As to raising the mast, I was wondering if the comptip mast is heavier than the all aluminum. I never had the comptip retrofitted to my mast. If it is heavier, that additional weight is at the end and would make raising more difficult.

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Howard

I see lots of "older" people sailing Hobie's and other craft, I'm more surprised when I see young people sailing any kind of boat. The yacht clubs seem to be the only ones teaching sailing skills around here, and they really are a different.... class... if you know what I mean!! Most of the kids that I see there, are learning in their dinghies so that they can take daddy's 32 footer out.

I'm 32, and most people my age or younger, if they are into any water sports at all, are looking into board sports, like wake boarding, or are interested in a Personal watercraft, like a Sea Doo.

I think the Yacht clubs that teach sailing in my area, also teach a lifestyle, the "Yachting lifestyle." That doesn't appeal to everyone, and it certainly isn't about learning the safety, and then going out and seeing what it's like to tip, laugh it off, and keep going.

Sailing is all about fun. Older people get that, I wish younger people would see it that way too.

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I raced against Wally Myers in the 80's throughout NJ and I think he's close to my age, which is 57. 'Gentleman Jim Glanden' from Div. 11 is over 60 these days, I believe.

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Chris
'88 H18SE Arís

Wally turned 60 last year.

sm

I wish! Rich... been awhile since you have seen me! For the record, I'm now 54.

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Matt Miller
Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Hobie Cat USA

I started sailing the H14T about 5 years ago and within a few months sold it for a H16 since I felt like I was sinking all the time. I am now 61 and sail solo several days a week year round. There is something about flying a hull or hearing your rudders hum that makes it all worth it.

Our neighborhood will not allow trailers to be stored outside, so I have to trailer my boat each time from my garage and have to take the mast off the trailer and store it separately in my garage in order to fit the boat/trailer.

Fortunately, where I launch my boat, I can back my trailer down to the water's edge and within 15 minutes I am sailing. From the time I lay my mast on the tramp and pin my shrouds, I can usually have my mast stepped within 90 seconds.

I plan to sail a H16 for many more years in St. Andrews Bay and in the Gulf. I just wish there were more Hobies in my area, since the monohulls, large cruiser cats and pontoon boat rentals are not much competition.

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Tim
82' H16
Sail # 88863
Panama City Beach, FL

Howard-The comptip may be heavier but, like yourself, I haven't had the mast retrofitted. I was just whining at the time (mostly to my wife) so that I could justify getting a new boat - maybe a Dragoon. I sailed a Dragoon several years ago when I traded my H16 with another guy's Dragoon for the afternoon. His mast was so much lighter and it was fun sailing it, but, at 159 lbs., it really is a one man boat. Also, the tramp is smaller. It would be difficult to take a family member or friend along for a ride in one. There really is no such thing as a "perfect" boat and I'm glad I stuck with our H16. Matt Miller wrote on this forum, about that time, about raising the mast using a weight lifter's technique - "clean & jerk"??? (something like that). That tip eliminated my excuse for another boat.
I've received a lot of good information from You, Matt, others on this forum, and our Hobie dealer, Ron Lane from Fast Lane Sailing.
Howard, thanks for sharing your story with us.
Inspiration and Education!
Richard