1976 Hobie 16 Should I buy this boat?

I am looking at a 1976 Hobie 16 that is very good shape except that it has 3 to 4 feet of delamination in front of both pylons. The boat was left outside in the heat with the plugs in. From what I have read this can be fixed fairly easily with the method outlined on the Hobie site titled "Delamination fix". Should I buy this boat or run as fast as I can?

No! No! No!. The boat will not be easy to fix and it will never be as good as a boat with non-delaminated hulls. Keep looking for another boat.

I've found two problems with old boats:
1) If left in the sun, the fiberglass laminate becomes brittle wth time. Ultimately this results in the bow breaking off in front of the front pylon.
2) Old boats just don't work as well. Hobie Cat made a number of updates over the years:
- The best used boats are from 1996 or newer. These have integrated traveler tracks and lots of ease-of-use items like Harken cam cleats and a low profile 6:1 main block sheet assy.
- The mid-80s boats got a recut jib allowing really good mast rake.
- In 1982, Hobie changed the mast step cup and shortened the shrouds to allow more mast rake.

From what I've seen, you must spend about $1500 just to get a good serviceable boat and trailer (at least in Colorado). If you buy a cheaper boat, you'll spend as much or more fixing it up.

I have personally seen a bow break off, like he described.
Not a pretty sight, but I can say, they sailed it back to the beach like that. And it's reasons like that, that make me a 100% Hobie man.


Well I will blaspheme a tiny bit and say I do enjoy a NACRA 6.0 every now and then.