H17

Well, I am thinking about trading in my 16 and 14 for a 17 I really like the idea of a rig designed for one person like the 14 but with a little more oomph. My only concern is righting it. Is it as difficult to right as the 16? What are some of the key things to look out for when shopping around?

_________________
Division 10, Fleet 185
Hobie 17 and Hobie 14

I had less trouble righting my 17 than my friends' 16's. I was probably around 175 lb at the time.

If I were shopping for one, I'd take a close look at the wing sockets and centerboard trunks. The obvious things to look for is delam in the deck and the sail. I prefer the boom to the boomlet. And would pass on a jib, preferring the unirig.

Brian C

It should be about the same to right as a 16. As long as there's wind, you probably won't have a problem (assuming you're average size), but worse case would be to carry a righting bag or other type of assist.

Get yourself familiar with all the major parts that should be on the boat before you go look at one. They're fairly simple boats, but just make sure all the parts are there.

There's not much to inspect that's specific to the 17. The wing tubes would be one thing. At the beginning of your inspection, fill the tubes with water. Then see how much is left when you're done.
Also, the center boards. If it's a beach boat, the leading edge of the center boards could be quite worn and may require re-building.
Check the major aluminum components for corrosion, especially the front and rear crossbars.
Check to see how much the boat twists when you pick up one bow. The 17 is a somewhat "wiggly" boat, but if there's too much twist, you may have to repair the crossbar outboard connection points.
As I said, the 17 is a fairly simple and straighforward boat. There isn't much to do to it as far as upgrades (and still remain class legal). The only two I can think of would be upgraded rudders and upgraded downhaul system. So make sure the hulls are good, the sails are decent, all the parts are there and in decent working condition, and you should be set.

sm

If the wing tubes do leak, is it repairable?

_________________
Division 10, Fleet 185
Hobie 17 and Hobie 14

Yeah. But it usually means installing a port in the deck.

Brian C

Look for cracks around the thru bolt at the cross bar-hull connection.
Wing pockets may have cracks. This is not a deal breaker... but make sure the pocket does not pivot in the hull or move at all by trying to pivot the wing in the pocket

I used small amount of marine-tex on the inside of the wing tube at the leak and with sanding it was good to go.

I had a 1979 H16 for 20 years then got a H17 Sport and have no regrets. I'm a fairly heafty 220 lbs, but still needed a righting bag for the 16 when solo. I still carry the righting bag (secured under the tramp) on the 17, but haven't had to use it but once when the wind died after a sever gust did its work. I flipped the 16 much more than the 17, partially due to my initial inexperence, but mostly due to design differences. I sail the H17 in more wind solo than I did with the 16 and find it to be much more forgiving and quite a bit faster.

As mentioned above, the wing sockets can be a source of leaks. I feel as though the wings represent a significant design flaw with the 17. They can stick and be difficult to get in and out. I've taken to using silicone spray on the wing poles and working hard to clean the wing sockets but even so it's a pain in the butt. [There are prior posts on how to get wings in and out more easily.] I'm jealous of guys with the 18s where the wings attach by way of fixed mountings and have pins that let them pivot inward for storage. If I could redesign the boat, I'd opt for a different wing design. I don't know how many H17 people have had to fix wing leaks but I get the feeling that it's not a small number - I know I have.

_________________
Adam
e-mail: ab at medjet.net
H17S, Hobie Bravo, A cat
Fleet 444