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 Post subject: New to Old Hobie 16
PostPosted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 6:46 am 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2013 7:33 am
Posts: 16
Location: Fredericksburg, VA
I picked up a 1987 Hobie-16 last Friday as a winter restoration project. I have a rambunctious 9-yr-old step-daughter I would like to introduce to sailing and a co-worker offered me an interesting opportunity. The boat and trailer cost me a Subway sandwich.

The hulls are not quit chalk white with a few small shallow filler patches on the port hull....more aesthetic than structural. No trampoline, halyards are crusty, & no main/jib/downhaul blocks. Get what you pay for:? The sails are crisp and useable. Sail numbers need to be removed. I have a comp-tip mast with abrasions and visible glass strands at the top. Rudder cam tabs are broken and missing the rudder yoke. No gooseneck/boom pin on the boom. Plastic rudders have signs of wear and need painted.

The hulls are solid. No soft spots. Hairline cracks on decks from tie-down straps. The mast is straight with small amount of water inside.

My wife is watching me like a hawk on the budget.
Where do I begin?

Functional and safe is the order of the day. Is there a good source for inexpensive parts? I plan on painting the rudders but hope waxing the hulls will be sufficient. I have read hundreds of posts here and am amazed at the wealth of knowledge available. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


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 Post subject: Re: New to Old Hobie 16
PostPosted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 5:02 pm 
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Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:38 am
Posts: 59
No sure about the politics of pointing at non Hobie vendors on this site, but here are some things I looked at or did that seemed to me to be very good price wise:
-Salty Dog Marine has complete line and rigging packages for very competitive prices. I liked getting the complete kits and replacing it all given the state of what I started with. Line kit is about $100 and rigging kits is about $100. You could probably do better money wise with hardware store rope. I know that will at least work for the tramp lacing and the halyards. At least for a while.
- I think Tampa Catamarans has the best list prices on tramps. Around $200, but they start their ebay auctions under $150 and you might get lucky. Used ebay price seems to be in the $100 to $150 range.
- I got lots of used parts from ebay seller tdive5. His prices are pretty good, although you will see lower. But he has lots of stuff, and seems to be knowledgeable, honest and helpful. I needed specific things that he did not have listed, asked him about them, he listed them, I bought them, he shipped them, and I was happy when I got them.
-At first, be prepared for stuff that looks good to fail.
-Hobie's prices are pretty reasonable. Don't necessarily go buying used or ebay until you check to new price.
-Once you get the boat together and on the water you will find lots more stuff you need or want that you can only get from Hobie.


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 Post subject: Re: New to Old Hobie 16
PostPosted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 8:17 pm 
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Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 6:28 pm
Posts: 323
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Welcome and congratulations! This board is full of people who have rehabilitated old Hobies so you are in the right place. Your first decision is how far you want to go. If you are just looking for a solid daysail boat then stick to used parts. New stuff is great but it gets really expensive. Look on ebay or put up a classified posting here and/or beachcats.com with a list of what you need. There are a lot of old hobie 16 parts boats out there.

No trampoline - If you can't find a used one. SLO or Tampa are probably your best bet for $200-300. Hobie tramps are the best by far but they are going to cost you a lot of subway sandwiches. :D

halyards are crusty - The Main halyard is probably the one thing you need to buy new from Hobie. They are about $60-70. You can easily replace wire jib halyard with a piece of wire rope from West Marine for less than $20. My West Marine has a swage tool they will let you use in the store so you don't have to buy one.

no main/jib/downhaul blocks. - These are on ebay all the time - a good Harken 6:1 setup will set you back $150-200 used but is probably worth the $. [edit] here's one for sale: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=49364

The sails are crisp and useable. - This is good news. Sails are the most expensive thing to replace.

Sail numbers need to be removed. - Why???

I have a comp-tip mast with abrasions and visible glass strands at the top. - Just sand it smooth and paint it with some epoxy paint. As long as it's not cracked it should be ok. If it is, comptips with minor damage can be repaired fairly easily. Post some pics and get some advice on what to do.

Rudder cam tabs are broken - You need to replace these with new ones. Drill out the old pins and add sister screws so they are easy to chance in the future Take out the spring and clean them too. Use this kit - http://sailsportmarine.com/index.php?ma ... 029b7c02e0 $30

missing the rudder yoke. No gooseneck/boom pin on the boom. - ebay

Plastic rudders have signs of wear and need painted. Depending on what they are made of you might be able to clean them. Try boat cleaner and fine steel wool

The hulls are solid. No soft spots. Hairline cracks on decks from tie-down straps. - Ok, I don't want to be a bring down, but hairline cracks on the deck are a tell tale sign of a softspot created by tie-down straps (don't use them across the hull, ever) If the deck has any flex at all, do this soon - viewtopic.php?t=1156 It's cheap and easy and will save you some headache down the road.

The mast is straight with small amount of water inside. - This is something you need to fix. Your mast MUST be watertight or you will have big problems if you flip. Figure out where it is leaking (dunk in a pool or the lake and look for bubbles) and seal it up. It's probably just a loose rivet or two. If so just drill it out an replace it. Make sure you use a skirt in the inside of the rivet or it will not be watertight.

You need to replace all your standing rigging if you want a safe boat. Salty Dog and Murray's have good prices on rigging kits. $120-150

Don't buy rope from the big box HW store. It's expensive (for crap rope), it's not durable, and it will tear your hands up. There are many good retailer on the internet that sell good quality line for reasonable prices. - Here are the specs you need - http://www.hcana.hobieclass.com/site/ho ... engths.htm

My wife is watching me like a hawk on the budget. Honestly, getting this back on the water will probably set you back $1000. It will be worth every penny when you are done.

Good Luck!


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 Post subject: Re: New to Old Hobie 16
PostPosted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 5:41 pm 
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Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2013 7:33 am
Posts: 16
Location: Fredericksburg, VA
Thank you for the information. I found a Hobie dealer, "Backyard Boats", that is nearby and have started ordering a few Hobie parts. I started sailing when I was 14. Joined the Navy in 1978 and continued sailing MWR boats. My last boat was a 1994 Hunter 30T. The Hobie 16 is a spectacular design. Simple, easy to store in the garage, and easy to trailer. I pull the trailer with my Jeep Wrangler. Plenty of lakes, rivers and the Chesapeake to sail in this area (once refitted).


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 Post subject: Re: New to Old Hobie 16
PostPosted: Sun Sep 22, 2013 2:44 pm 
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Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 6:28 pm
Posts: 323
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Backyard Boats is a great. Very nice and knowledgeable folks there. They get a lot of my parts business. Not sure where you are located, but if you are in the Eastern VA area you might want to look up the guys in fleet 32. They are a very active fleet and do quite a few events. www.hobiefleet32.com


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 Post subject: Re: New to Old Hobie 16
PostPosted: Fri Oct 11, 2013 7:27 am 
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Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2013 6:12 am
Posts: 1
Have you thought about buying another boat with bad hulls ect? I have bought many boats just for the parts.

Anytime i get a new/used boat we always replace rigging! Like KarlR said the kits are 100.00-135.00 which is priceless for peace of mind!

The 87 Hobie came with the H194 main sheet 6:1 block. But i'm sure you could get an old set of Seaways from someone for next to nothing.

Jib Cars most likely your best bet is to get a set of Ronstan's. Anyone on Ebay that has a set of Car's for a Post-86 Hobie is going to be asking close to retail.


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 Post subject: Re: New to Old Hobie 16
PostPosted: Fri Oct 11, 2013 9:30 am 
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Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2011 11:35 am
Posts: 261
Location: Memphis, TN
I also recommend finding a parts boat and combining the best parts of all to a good boat. I've seen and bought some on craigslist for $250 to $350 that gets you a complete boat. That will get you going for a season while ya save up for a new tramp and all new rigging. Definitely epoxy inject soft areas quickly - especially on front decks ( major stress area ) a buddy of mine didn't and we watched his port hull snap in half at Juana's regatta :o

Find other Hobie sailors that live near you. I'm sure they'd be happy to help out


Tim

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Tim Grover

Memphis, TN fleet 134
Hobie 20! G-Cat5.0 and 2 Hobie 14's
Photobucket now wants $100 to post pics on forums......... pass.


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 Post subject: Re: New to Old Hobie 16
PostPosted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 6:47 am 
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Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2013 7:33 am
Posts: 16
Location: Fredericksburg, VA
Thank you all for your enthusiasm!

The first thing I need to do is get the trailer tagged here is Virginia. A pain in the keester with only a Bill of Sales. No boat title or registration required because it's less than 18 feet and has no motor/engine. I will need to fill out an affidavit and get the trailer titled then tagged. The former owner of 26 years was not required to have a title or registration.

Hairline/Spider cracks along the edges of the decks and hull refurbs: The manager of our local Hobie dealer indicated a good sealant only. I can buff the hulls with a compound/sealant to remove oxidation and bring a shine back to the gelcoat. I want to set up a better trailer strapping system from the frame to the trailer to prevent further stress on the hulls' edges.

Line/Sheet/block sizes and running rigging are confusing. I have downloaded 4 different sizing guides and none are consistent. This is what I have so far:

Mainsheet: 7/16" x 44' using 57mm Triple blocks. Some suggest 5/16" for easier feeding with 50mm blocks for price point. I'm not seeing any amazing deals on 6:1 block sets. Been searching E-Bay, Craig's list (part boats), and marine hardware stores for deals. The local parts boats are over-priced >$1000 w/o key components and I'm limited on storage. All the trampolines are shredded, missing expensive items I'm looking for and come with a lot of detritus that would go to the dump.

Has anyone used a one-piece mesh tramp? What are your thoughts on it?

A plus is my standing rigging is less than 5 years old. No swelling, cut wires, etc. Same for jib halyard.

Next season I will wave off a downhaul block system. Not jumping into competitive sailing just yet. Want to get on the water first.

My ramblins...your thoughts?


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 Post subject: Re: New to Old Hobie 16
PostPosted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 3:49 pm 
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Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:00 pm
Posts: 560
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Where in VA are you? Close to one of the dealers, it sounds like.

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'00 H16 #104691
'78 H16 #32692 ex-rental [gone]
Old Holsclaw trailer
My Hobie 16 pages


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 Post subject: Re: New to Old Hobie 16
PostPosted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 8:14 pm 
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Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2012 9:06 am
Posts: 277
Location: Charlotte, NC
If wifey is kept happy and "all that" then you can slide a bit on budget 8)

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'85 H16 __/) 87468 Tidal Wave
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 Post subject: Re: New to Old Hobie 16
PostPosted: Sun Oct 20, 2013 2:16 am 
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Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2010 6:10 am
Posts: 119
Location: Plum Island, MA
My 16 (circa 1973) came with a very rusted trailer. I bought another trailer and it came with a Hobie 14T. So now I have two boats and one useful trailer. The trailer wasn't really set-up for the Hobie so I had to do a little engineering work to make it work. So it goes. I've found most of my parts online via search engine. Some have come from ebay and others from various dealers that advertise on line. My hulls had water in them but after sealing them up with marine caulking, they seem to be pretty tight. One took on about a cup of water over a four hour period last week and the other a couple of ounces. I am continually replacing thing. This week the cleat for the jib halyard broke on the 16. There is an extra one on the 14T that is in the way and I'll use. The idea of buying old boats for parts is attractive but I don't want a Hobie grave yard at my house nor do I feel like being a used parts salesman.


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 Post subject: Re: New to Old Hobie 16
PostPosted: Sun Oct 20, 2013 7:14 am 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2013 7:33 am
Posts: 16
Location: Fredericksburg, VA
I'm in Fredericksburg, VA. Our closest Hobie dealer is Backyard Boats in Woodbridge (towards the heart of the beast - DC). If you live in this area you might understand. Traffic is a major stress factor. I commute 70 miles each way to work with a bunch of "type-A" personalities. A minimum 3 hours a day on good days with a bunch of Maria Andretti wannabes (with cell-phones). No need to wonder why the gentle slap of waves on a hull and flutter of a tell-tale have such a draw.

Now back to the real important things in life...sailing:-)

What's the best sheet size and tackle setup? Should the main be 7/16", 5/16" or smaller? What kind of blocks? 60mm, 57mm or smaller? What type of sheet? Plenty of different materials, names, brands....

Can I paint the frame? It is a dull silver now.

How about the tramp? I like the idea of the one-piece bias-cut slo tramps...anyone have it?


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 Post subject: Re: New to Old Hobie 16
PostPosted: Sun Oct 20, 2013 7:31 am 
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Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:00 pm
Posts: 560
Location: Charlottesville, VA
I know about NoVa traffic; that's why I don't live there. I was just wondering if you were close enough to me to compare boat notes in person.

Where do you sail from, Leesylvania? I was hoping to launch from there once before the season ended, but it's not looking good. Might be putting the boat away soon. :(

I don't know the ins and outs of the line sizes but there are plenty of threads about it:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=49403 for instance, currently on the first page.

If you are trying to achieve current mast rake you should stay with the smaller blocks. I have the box-stock system on my 2000 and it works well. I think that's a 57mm lower and a 40mm upper? Plenty of threads discussing that also: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=49081 is on the second page.

_________________
'00 H16 #104691
'78 H16 #32692 ex-rental [gone]
Old Holsclaw trailer
My Hobie 16 pages


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 Post subject: Re: New to Old Hobie 16
PostPosted: Sun Oct 20, 2013 10:38 am 
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Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2013 7:33 am
Posts: 16
Location: Fredericksburg, VA
Anton,

I was thinking about training on Lake Anna next Spring. Going to take a bit of work to get my boat in the water. Does anyone sail in the winter?


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 Post subject: Re: New to Old Hobie 16
PostPosted: Sun Oct 20, 2013 3:04 pm 
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Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:00 pm
Posts: 560
Location: Charlottesville, VA
dakine929 wrote:
I was thinking about training on Lake Anna next Spring.


I've heard nothing good about Lake Anna. I have a couple of threads in the "Places to sail" forum describing my attempts to get out on the various rivers. There are a few options on the lower Potomac that I'd be looking into if I were you. One right at the base of the 301 bridge, one slightly downriver, and of course Leesylvania.

That said, I do have a place to launch on Lake Anna if there's a nice windy day.

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'00 H16 #104691
'78 H16 #32692 ex-rental [gone]
Old Holsclaw trailer
My Hobie 16 pages


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