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 Post subject: H17 Sport (Year built?)
PostPosted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 3:47 pm 
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Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2012 3:14 pm
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I am looking at an H17 Sport to buy. The add says it is a 1991 boat. The owner said it is all original and in good shape, but when I looked up the sail design history it shows that it is a 1985. I do not have the S/N yet. He said he bought it new in 1991. He does not have the paper work from the sale. It could of been a left over from '85 and he didn't know that. Did they ever sell newer boats with older sail designs on them?

I read somewhere that in the early years of production they made the hulls very light and had problems with them untill they made them stronger-Is that true?

I also read that the Sport 17 was boom less-This one has a boom, or was the boom an option?

Thanks,

Al


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 6:30 pm 
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Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
Posts: 4176
Location: Jersey Shore
If it has a boom, then it ain't a 17 Sport.

The 17 Sport, by definition, has a roller furling jib, a bow spreader, and is boomless. There were some aftermarket jib kits available for the 17 before Hobie introduced the Sport, but technically, they are not 17 Sports.

I would go by the serial number engraved on the transom. Also, a 17 Sport from the early '90's would have said "Sport" on the side of the hull in large letters.

sm


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 6:56 am 
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Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2012 6:45 am
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Location: Florida
I agree with srm. Check the HIN. But something doesn't sound right. The H17 Sport was not released until 1990 and it was boomless (well, I think it did have a boomlet until 1995). So if this one has a fool boom it sounds like a SE to Sport Conversion. However, it still could be a 1991 SE converted to a Sport.

_________________
Jake
H17


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:22 am 
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Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
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Location: Jersey Shore
fl_jake wrote:
The H17 Sport was not released until 1990 and it was boomless (well, I think it did have a boomlet until 1995).


To clarify, when the 17 Sport was originally introduced, it was a "boomless" rig. The mainsail had about an 18" long section of Harken traveler track permanently fixed to the clew with a traveller car and adjustment line. This allowed for "outhaul" adjustment of the mainsail. There was no actual boom between the clew of the mainsail to the mast base. Then at some point (late '90s or early 2000's) Hobie did away with the Harken traveler track on the mainsail and introduced the "boomlet" for use on 17 Sports. This boomlet is a section of boom extrusion with a fixed bale to attach the mainsheet blocks. It served the same function as the original traveler track section but did not allow for any outhaul adjustment - lower cost, simplification, and interchangeability from boom to boomless.

The 17SE (single handed version without a jib) has always had a full length boom that connects between the clew of the mainsail and the mast base.

If the boat has a full-length boom and no jib, then it's an SE. If it has a boomless mainsail, a bow spreader, and a jib, then it's a Sport. If it has a full length boom and a jib, then it's either a partial conversion from SE to Sport, or it's got an aftermarket jib kit.

sm


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