Number of 14s

Hi! Question for Matt Miller. How many 14s are there?? What was the number produced in the US total and how many have been produced at other Hobie factories?

Good question and one that I can't answer myself. Hobie 14's were built at facilities all around the World... Hobie USA, France, South Africa, Mexico, Australia, Brazil and likely others I can't remember. I can estimate on the numbers of sails made, but that will overstate.

We are currently on Hobie 14 sail number #53461

If I can narrow it down more, I'll respond again. I have to check with the master holder of the data. He's not in today.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Well, its reasonable to assume there are under 50,000 (probably lots of sails produced without boats)
I just bought one from a guy that has the number 3453 on the pylon. After the discussion earlier, I would guess its from the early 70s.
Hard as a rock. I had to peel off 3 coats of house paint off of her, but its alot nicer than my 'good' 14 I use to race.

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Warm regards,

Jim

Yea, I know!!! They used RED house paint on this boat!! I killed it with a belt sander and wet sand sandpaper. I have since used the Briteside paint with a nice primer. The boat is awesome looking, used the BUFF color, so its kinda orangish tan. Bought all black rails, corner castings, black mast, boom etc...... Black mesh tramp and found a good deal on a used 6 batten sail (prism) Thanks Dan!.
But before, this boat looked like sh##.

I know my beautiful paint will probably rub off with any real beaching, but it looks great now.

>>Matt - Don't you mean sail number 62XXX? (Reference the other thread about sail patterns / numbers.) You still owe me a couple of "6"s on that new sail I bought last August

European sail numbers are well into the 60,000's.<<

That's right! Dang. And given that we are building duplicates (Likely since the mid 90's - Not that many sails actually), yes we would be in the 60,000's.

I just confirmed with the loft that we will be building with sail numbers beyond those allocated to Europe, the next time we build a H14 sail.

No, I have not weighed it yet. It seems lighter than my Cinderblock (good name for the boat now that I think about it) but I can't tell. I am building this one for my daughter and youngest son to sail. Putting my turbo gear on it and double trap just for fun (together they weigh 145lbs)

Are you racing at Rehobeth Bay in Sept?? I figured you be in the 17 race, but are you 14ing this year?
cw

Hi,

Read your post about the H14, hard as rock under layers of housepaint, awful red, etc. Mine too, red and orange and white housepaint layered over a wonderfully solid orange hull.

What paint are you using (I'm in New Zealand so don't know brandnames)?

I've sanded this one down to the gelcoat with 80-grit, so it's ready for paint, and as a primer I'm trying a 2-pot white water-based epoxy that is meant for high-wear floors (!). I figure if it stays hard (and it seems to be like rock) then I'll buff it up and finish with a single-pot white polyurethane (but,all the warnings about single-pot over two-pot? Does that apply to water-based epoxy primer?

Happy sailing

Danny Bishop
Wellington, NZ

Chris--

You should slap a Hooter on that 14!! I saw your kid drooling (really--glassy eyes and drool and all) over mine at the NAs.

If you need a jib, I still have one new one from that bulk deal I did last year. I sold the extra Hooter, though, so you're on your own for that...

Dan

I am going to use Interlux Brightside polyurethane. Single part polyurethane. Can says it has Teflon in it, so it will resist dirt and abrasion and eggs won't stick to it when you fry them.
I got this off off yachtpaint.com (I think)
Anyway, at the suggestion of a couple of guys who have used this, I sanded all that s### off my boat, even a bit past the gel coat (beltsander from hell), then I used like 800 grit sandpaper to smooth it out somewhat, then I used a spray primer, that said 'filler' on it. Then I sanded with 1000 grit paper.
This paint is Buff color, kinda tan/orange. I used a small spongey roller and put it on 18' at a time, then used a really expensive brush to 'level' it out. I have done one complete coat, and I have to say, its awesome. My buddy told me to wetsand the crap out of it, and put another couple of coats on, so I'll let you know how it goes. He did his in Yellow, and I have seen it. Looks factory.
Oh yea, Dan, bought the 20 a couple of months ago, so building a Monster 14 is out. I'll let you know of the jib. I just came across a 'superjib' with battens the other day.

Chris - what did you do with the decks (and the non-skid?)

Have not finished the decks yet, but I have been running the local Ace hardware out of wetsand sandpaper. I got the top decks pretty clean, and won't put as many coats on the nonskid portion of the decks, so as not to fill it in, but nothing will be perfect. I'll post picts in a few weeks when she is done.

I'm currently painting my 16 with brightsides. I just painted right over the non skid on the decks. I put 3 coats on the deck, and it didn't fill it in too bad. I'm not sure I would miss the non skid even if it did fill in. I don't do too much walking around on the fore-deck while I'm sailing.

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Marcus
H16
Narragansett Bay, RI