Hobie 14 Weight Limit

I am looking to buy a used Hobie, either a 14 or a 16, but have been advised to steer clear of the 14' as it won't carry much weight. I am not looking to race, just sail with my kids and want to put up to 400lbs of weight on. Will the 14' carry this or do I need to move up?

400 lbs is WAY too much for a 14 and really too much for a 16, unless you're dinking around in a little lake with no waves.

Hello,
the hobie cat europe advertsising says:
Hobie 14 maximum load 160kg (I think about 310lbs?)
Hobie 16 maximum load 240kg ( about 450lbs?)

have a good time!

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Catsailor1964--Hobie 14 Turbo--sailnumber GER 6296

The max weights cited above seem very high. I suspect they mean "if you load it more than that, the boat will sink."

Seriously, you don't want to sail a Hobie 14 with more than one adult (or two light kids) on board. Some people say that you really don't want to weigh more than 70 kg (about 155 lbs) to sail the 14 effectively.

As for the 16, you'd probably be fine with a non-overweight adult and two small kids. But 400 lbs would seem like a high load unless it's blowing dogs off chains.

If carrying a lot of weight is a requirement, you should consider the roto-molded Hobie Cats, like the Wave and the Getaway. They can be had for reasonable prices (used) these days.

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-Roland
Sailing vintage Hobie Cats in West Africa.

I'm a solid 250 and have had my girlfriend, dog, and an ice chest on the 14 in 10-15mph winds as a reliable shuttle to our local islands. If that is to be the boat that your kids sail by themselves, it is a great choice.

I regularly sail with 400 lbs on board, (although it is on an inland lake) and the only thing is it makes you aware of the weight balance more. I plan on adding a jib this coming season , as performance is suffering. It is quite do able and it is about 80 lbs less than a H16 to lug around on shore. As already stated, if your going to teach your kids to sail then they can easily use this and really enjoy the Hobie experience!!!!

LakeAnnaMike I used to live in Louisa and my GF at the time lived in Anna Coves. I sail both a 14 and a 16 on the Bay. I weigh 170 and I have a blast solo on the 14, even more fun double on the 16. Anyone else on the 14 with me and it's not happy. If you are going to be sailing down near the dam on the weekend with chop fully loaded with 400lbs it's gonna be awful dicey on the 14. I really wouldn't want to put 400 on the 14 in good conditions. My two cents.

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Brian C.
H14
H16

After many months of anticipation, I finally got to take out a Hobie 14 (Turbo) at our sailing club. This is the first time I ever sailed on a 14, and I absolutely loved it!

The weather today was perfect for the 14. The water was almost flat near the beach, with waves of about a foot (30 cm) starting to build once I left the cover of a nearby peninsula. Wind was a bit gusty, probably single digits near the beach, building to 14 or 15 knots out in the open. Once the wind picked up and the waves formed, I had to keep my weight quite far back to level the boat and prevent pitch-poling.

Another critical point, I think -- related to this thread -- was my weight. These days I weigh about 165 lbs (ca. 75 kg). When I was flying a hull in the waves, I'm glad I wasn't the 200 lbs (90+ kg) I used to weigh. The leeward hull had just enough flotation and clearance to allow me to sail safely and comfortably. If I had weighted much more, I think the leeward hull would have been submarining a lot and a pitchpole would have been much more likely.

Bottom line: Unless you're going for a leisurely sail on a relatively calm lake, a heavyweight skipper or passengers are probably not a good idea. And I'm hooked on the 14!

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-Roland
Sailing vintage Hobie Cats in West Africa.

Question

I understand that it might be possible for you to load 400 lbs on a 14 but no one recommends it and 155 lbs is ideal.

My question is would a 210 lb 6 foot person fit the H14 and be able to expect decent performance or is this truly a small persons/kids boat?

I currently do not have a boat and every time I read the Hobie forums I end up thinking I want something different, (today the 14 sounds like fun).

My long term plan is a Getaway (saving to pay cash), I have rented them before, and the whole family fits and has fun.

My short term plan is to get a boat in good working order and get more experience before I spend a lot on a new(er) boat. I need one I can rig by myself, and launch from anywhere (like to avoid busy launch ramps). I would probably jump on anything from a Bravo to a 16 if the deal was right and the boat was close to home to inspect.

Does the 14 fit the need, and would taking a child onboard for an occasional slow ride in calm waters be pushing it to much

Thanks

It's exactly how my HC14 was used by the previous owner (I think 200lbs with the kid) for a few years and it's exactly how I plan to use it this summer : solo (170lbs) or with one of my kids (40lbs) on quiet water. I'll see in August if I keep it or if I upgrade to a HC16...

Last summer at least once a week me (6'5" 225lbs) and my nine year old daughter (about 70 lbs) went sailing on a H14.. Always on inland lakes.. and we had a lot of fun....

Even by myself in a decent wind I could submarine the leeward hull no problem.. I just kept the weight back and it felt more like trying to sail a giant windsurfer playing the balance game through the luffs and puffs.. Weight balance was a constant game..

We had a lot of fun.. and certainly got hooked... I would think with 200 lbs on calm water you should be able to have some fun..


But

That boat got sold and we have a H16 for this year... Do I need to say more

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www.thehobiewayoflife.com

That says it all! Unless you're a twig, get an H16 instead of an H14, especially if you're going to bring a passenger/crew.

I love the 14, and I'm close enough to its ideal crew weight. But I would never even think about bringing my daughter (40 lbs) along on the 14. OTOH, with the 16, I can easily bring along both my wife and daughter, as well as sail solo in modest winds. Now that's polyvalence!

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-Roland
Sailing vintage Hobie Cats in West Africa.

I say nice decision on getting the 14. I bring me (I'm 14 and 140) and 2 of my friends who are also 140 probably and we might go slow but we still have fun. And unless you are racing who cares you are with your friends having fun. GO HOBIE 14!!!!!!!

I weigh a solid 240 and I've taken my girlfriend, 135lb, plus her kid, 40lb, on my H14 several times this season. It's sluggish but it does move fine in reliable wind. It's much more suited for an easy cruise at that weight but under my weight it still flies. I just upgraded to a used H16 so we'll see how she goes next season. The 14 will be for the kids. My eldest already sails it solo and he's 14.