I have seen cooler racks mounted to the dolphin striker on many Hobies. Can anyone tell me where I can purchase one or does anyone have any plans to make one?
My first H 17 came with one. It was the first thing I got rid of. I don't know what they're like on other boats, but the 17 is low enough without adding that little plow on the front! I say find somewherelse to stash your cold stuff. I use a combination of a soft cooler bag in my tramp bag, and the bags in my hull ports. On occasion I put a small soft sided cooler in one hull. It is big enough not to slide out of reach.
I've seen them for sale on Ebay every once in a while.
Alec
I'd get in touch with your local dealer. I do not believe they are being made anymore, but I see them on a lot of older H16's.
On a side note, if you really want one get a pic of one and take it to a machine shop. You would be suprised how little it will cost to have a shop fab one.
How come all the cat manufacturers don't follow the example of the Isotope and build coolers into the hulls?
And this brings up another question: If you put enough cans of beer in your hulls, does that serve as positive flotation if your boat is sinking? I haven't tested all types of beer and soda, but I know that cans of Miller Lite float.
Of course, if your boat really were sinking, this would create an interesting dilemma -- making a choice between sinking and quenching your thirst.
And maybe the engineers can figure out how many cans of beer it would take to keep your boat afloat without that cargo being so heavy that it will sink your boat in the first place. Sounds like an interesting "cans-on" experiment for one of those no-wind days in August. 
When we go houseboating, full cans of beer are frequently tossed into the water to resupply the swimmers around the boat. The cans usually sink a foot or two before slowly returning to the surface. I doubt if they would have more than an ounce or two of positive flotation. This is fresh water experience, so salt water might be different.
Jack Hoying
Fort Loramie, Ohio
Expert Says:
Lite Beers float better than heavier brews.
Coors Light floats the best.
On the other hand though, Bottled beers do not float at all. I like to drink dark beers occasionally, and have lost a couple missing a toss or two. 
}=)))*>
Okay, Jack, what brand/type of beer were you throwing in the water?
This obviously calls for an all-out experiment to find out which brand of beer floats best and then to figure out the flotation differences in fresh water and salt water.
Once we know definitively which brand floats best, that obviously is the best brand to carry on your boat as a possible safety feature.
And then we can get huge sponsorship from that particular beer company for sailing regattas. 
I'm telling you... Coors Light Floats the best.
This conclusion has been reached after much study and experimentation.
I believe you, Maugan, but we need facts and figures from a "controlled" experiment.
hey i have a question involving minimum weight. my crew and i weigh a slender 275, 10 lbs under the minimum for the h 16 class. so can we carry a case of beer for ballast? and what if we drink a few, do we have to wait till we beach it to relieve? enquiring minds want to know!
Mary,
We've been houseboating every other year for 20 years, so we've used quite a few different brands of beer (all domestic) and didn't notice much difference in their flotation value. If we have to choose a beer for the official catamaran sponsor, I would go along with Tad and vote for Coor's Light. As long as it isn't one of the many import beers that taste like skunk urine, it's fine with me.
Jack