Hobie Cat Forums

Hi
I got lucky to find some SX wings and my boat has the reinforcement plates on the front crossbar and at the shrouds, do I need to install one at the rear crossbar? I am new to this and still learning, thanks for the info.
Ken

I asked this question several months ago after getting a set of Magnum wings for my H18. Most people have not added the reinforcement plate to the rear crossbar, though I think it is a worthy upgrade to protect your hulls. I purchased the anchor kit to add to my rear crossbar, plus a set of hatch ports for the deck behind the rear crossbar so you can actually install the plates.

At least for this year I installed my wings without adding the plates, but will do so either this fall or early next spring. Conservative insurance for my 24 year old boat.

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Chris
'88 H18SE Arís

Nope. The two SX18s with wings I know don't have a plate on the rear cross bar.

Love my SX wings....as do my crew.

If you go wave jumping, and if you sail 'hard', then sooner or later you'll need the rear reinforcement.
If you are a social sailor, and you don't 'push' the boat, nor overload the wings, you'll be just fine.

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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.'

There is a brace at the back of the wing, to the deck behind the tramp. See centralmichigansailor's post about "Assembling a New Hobie 18"

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Jeff
1986 Hobie 18 #13031
1977 Hobie 16 (As soon as I can get it out of a field...)

The rear support bar is for wing strut support not hull support. I sail in the Atlantic and the Gulf. I have rear X-bar supports. Installed 4" deck plates for installment. After breaking several wing legs I also had triangular gussets welded in the middle of the legs.

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ADDICTION
1989 HOBIE 18 SE/sx wings
HOBIE ALTER SIGNATURE MODEL

Hmmmm, I have a one foot weld along the length of one of my SX wing struts, put there by the previous owner. The tube must have developed a crack. So I was very interested to hear that you welded triangular braces on your legs. I have read so many times here that these tubes were unweldable because it would remove the tempering. That weld seems to be holding up fine under hard use. More to the original point I do not have rear crossbar plates on my 1990 hulls, sail often in small craft conditions in Lake Erie, and have had no rear crossbar problems. After sailing without the rear plates for so long, I can't bring myself to cut up my boat to put the portholes in.

I put the reinforcement plates on the rear cross bar day one new in 1989. I don't know if it saved me from any problems or not. I have never seen any rear x-bar hull problems here in Fl. and it can get rather rough in the Gulf and Antlantic. One thing for sure, wings keep your a__ out of the water and offer a Cadillac ride. Have fun and congrats on your wings! Jim.

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ADDICTION
1989 HOBIE 18 SE/sx wings
HOBIE ALTER SIGNATURE MODEL

Thanks for the replys, I am not sailing very hard now so I will leave it for now and add down the road as I learn more.
Ken

If you don't mind, or anyone else can chime in, what does at set of SX wings go for? I've been looking at 18's for the majority of the summer looking for a decent one, but recently found one with SX wings already installed. The problem is they are asking an arm and a leg for it. I realize, based on the reading I"ve done, that they aren't too common, but are they really worth THAT much?

$800- $1,300 and up.

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H18, H17 & Various motor boats

not the same, but to give you an idea, I paid $750 last fall for a set of Magnum Wings, complete with hardware, mesh seats, plus the older vinyl seats. In excellent condition.

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Chris
'88 H18SE Arís

Thank you, both. The pics aren't that great, and the owner doesn't appear to know either. I suspect that they asked a couple neighbors, who also own cats, as far as what to ask for the boat. After further inspection of the pics though, I've determined they were magnums, not SXs.

Bad Company, I am in west MI and have a Hobie 18 with Magnum wings. E-mail me offline if you have questions.

BTW: I installed plates in at the rear crossbar points. Better safe than sorry, and I sail in heavy winds with up to 3 guys on board. Note: wings have a weight rating. Do not exceed unless you want to repair them.

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DVL 1989 H-18 Worlds Boat, Magnum Wings & Spinnaker

dale.vanlopik"at"att"dot"net