Guys -- Just ran across this listing ... Here's another 'What's This?' for everyone;
AJ
This thing has been for sale before. Not sure if it is the exact same one but I remember reading about it somewhere. I'm sure someone on here knows.
Comparing that to, say, a Moth, it looks like it would weigh like a tank!
Tom
It's weird there is no description in the eBay listing. It looks to me that thing is meant to be towed and not sailed. I can't imagine what it was for, maybe a test bed for the foils?
The company is called HydroSail. After a quick google search, the company is still around but I couldn't find any dirt on their Hobie 16 product.
I did find some pictures
Edited by PurdueZach on Apr 30, 2012 - 03:59 PM.
Damon, that makes way more sense. I couldn't imagine having a rig that beefy for daily sailing. But for ease of swapping out different foils, it'd be darned handy.
Tom
Last fall it was listed at $750 no bids, I tried to buy it and the guy never bothered to respond to my e-mail.
Completely FrankenCat.
Smart money says it sank during it maiden launch at the end of the ramp.
There is more metal added to that cat than a 20 foot drift boat.
Even if it's aluminum (looks like steel) it would have stressed the flotation in those little hulls to the gunnels...
Looks like they took the time to measure out the center of effort in placing the foils, but no effort in offsetting the tremendous altered weight of that tail piece with added flotation. There will be lift from the tail foil/rudder, but only after they are out in the water and have achieved the proper speed.
Which brings us back to the whole "...sank at the end of the ramp during maiden launch" thing.
Someone out here in Hawaii posted a set of three T-foil blades on Craiglist:
http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/boa/2869714863.html
$950, but they're about an hour from my house in case anyone is interested. I'm headed that way next weekend, and would be happy to take more pictures. (I'm not personally interested in them.)
Looking at the hinge bits at the top, these may be HydroSail foils.
Tom
looks like farm equipment...