I just bought a Hobie Cat 16. Never sailed in my life. It's been a dream of mine to own a sailboat... they are just so cool!

The drawback is I have no idea how to set it up. I've been looking on google and youtube to no avail. I have found a manual on this site that might help, but it's 11pm here, so I will have to try tomorrow.

I was hoping someone could give some tips tricks to setting it up. I haven't even been able to get the mast up yet. Tomorrow I will try to put some pictures on here, because I know those will probably help. Thanks for your time, and please help:)

about 7 topics ago this came up in a thread named "hobie 16 manual" in it were links to a pdf manual and a youtube sail instruction video

i'd start there if i were you, the hobie 16 is a classic but it's also considered to be overpowered so take it easy

Thank you, I did already see that thread. The manual will probably help. But the video is even too advanced for me. It starts when the boat is already rigged. Once I have it rigged, that video helped a lot.

I need help on how to rig the cat. Just getting the mast to stand up in the cup doesn't make sense to me.

Hey Stanley welcome to the club!

It would help to know where you live so we can see if anyone is close. I live in Tampa and if you are not to far away, then we can meet up and go over things together. I have a H16 as well and am just finishing a complete rebuild so some of the pics might help you. Look in the tech help gallery under bad kitty. As far as learning goes, you definately want to pair up with someone who can get you started as the biggest risk to both you and the boat is the learning curve.

good luck

I live in Michigan on Lake Huron. It would be awesome to know someone who sailed, as I don't. If I can't figure how to set it up with the manual I found on here today, I am going to go to the local marina and hope someone there knows how, and will teach me for $20. :)

My first thought was to build a sailboat, I scraped that idea seeing as though I don't know enough about them. That's pretty awesome though. I'm going to check out the pictures now. Most pictures i've found have been too far away to see wiring.

sorry but that is a bit to far for me but I think i recall seeing a few of us from that part of the world. Your best bet is to hook up with them and find out where the cats sail from. I have no doubt someone there will take you under their wing for a while till you get the hang of it

Yea, no worries. I will be in New Orleans next week, I know that is still too far for you, but if anyone else is out there... Once I see how it's set up, I think I could replicate it on mine.

Hey Stanley,

Hopefully you have some help with setting up the H16. You will definitely need two people. Just a quick tip. The stay cables that hold the mast to the hulls will almost always catch on the rudders, frame or hulls when you start lifting the mast. It will stop about 1/4 the way up and you'll freak out because of the sudden stop and weight.

The original hobie assemble manual that can be found at http://www.hobiecat.com/s…port/pdfs/H16_Manual.pdf is helpful but doesn't tell you all the tricks and tips.

Let us know exactly what is holding you up and we can go from there.

Stanley, send me a private message, you have no profile so I can't send you one. I'll talk you through the whole process once you contact me, I'll give you my e-mail address and we can go from there. Please fill out your profile so we can know a little about you, where you live etc.

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TurboHobo
H14T
H16
P18
G-Cat 5.0
P16
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Ha thanks for that tip Martin... I prolly would have freaked out. and thanks for that manual, that manual, and the other manual from the other site together equal one really good manual:)

as for my profile, it says i have one, so I don't know what to do.... I'll try to add more stuff, maybe that will help.

Update to anyone is following this. I got the mast rigged (I hope correctly) with those two manuals that were posted.(thank you very much)
Now I have to get the sails rigged. Which is extremely confusing, and I think I am missing a part. These parts would be the pulleys that connect the main sail to the boat. According to the manuals, I need two pulleys with three slots. I have only one pulley with two slots. All the others only have one slot.
If I do need parts, could someone tell me the exact name/ where I could buy one of these. I will continue to do more research. Thank you again everyone who has helped.

here are some picture I took with my phone of all my pulleys

http://www.thebeachcats.com/index.php?module=pictures&g2_itemId=62933



edited by: sjmoodyiii, Jun 20, 2009 - 05:59 PM

Hey Stanley,

Glad I could help. Hopefully this will take you a bit further. The link I've attached is for a MSWord document but has some good pictures. I think his main sail rig is similar to the parts you have. Most Hobie 16's use a more modernized 6:1 pulley system for the main sail. It makes hauling in that big sail in strong wind much easier. Leverage you know. The number of pulleys in a rig determine it's ratio.

The block /pulley/ that attaches to the boom would have three pulleys /sheaves/ and the block that attaches to the sliding car /traveler/ on the back frame would have three pulleys /sheaves/. The hardware in you pick is most likely parts of the original Hobie 16 rigging. I believe it would 4:1. The document link will help you rig that up. This doc also has the jib setup and rudder configurations.

One important thing. I don't know how old your boat is so I think it's very important that before you take her out you inspect all the cables /shrouds/. Look for any frayed wires in the cables. Make sure that the rivets that hold the frame and mast hardware are tight and clean. Safety is important. You don't want the boat falling apart on you when you sail.

If you want to send a private message with more questions please do so.

http://www.sailtoronto.co…e%20Rigging%20Basics.doc

Oh yeah!

As for parts. In addition to a local Hobie dealer. I would recommend murrays.com and saltydogmarine.com for sailing parts. They have just about everything you need to get a Hobie 16 running. Look at the parts in their online catalog and it will help you with the terminology and part names.

great word doc Martin!

Stanley... you really should find a hobie16 sailor to talk with.. go bring your boat and walk up to people.. there is no better way to meet the fleet and get questions answered...

Andrew,

I've chatted with Stanley via email and I think he's missing some important hardware. I've asked him to send me a pic of the gear he as so I can identify what's missing.

I think he was sold a cat without all the rigging. He'll get it right soon with all the help available on this website.

Thanks for all your help guys. as for walking up to people, i live on the lake... and there isn't really anyone to walk up to:( I went to all the local marinas and asked them for help, or if they knew anyone that would help and left my name and number.

Stanley, Did you get the wordpad document I sent last night?

sjmoodyiii

Thanks for all your help guys. as for walking up to people, i live on the lake... and there isn't really anyone to walk up to:( I went to all the local marinas and asked them for help, or if they knew anyone that would help and left my name and number.

I personally didn't sail much my first 5 years because i was to "proud" to ask for help... and despite being very outgoing.. i am no good walking up to strangers. My passion for the sport forced me to be humble and ask strangers for help (i never could step my H18 mast solo till i bought an e-z mast system).

KEEP LOOKING STANLEY! There are H16 sailors every where, and i am sure there are many in your area... ya just gotta find em (maybe other area lakes?)

Maybe post on this site (and catsailor.com) your location and if there are any "others" around.

I am certain, you can learn more in 1 hour with people who know.. than you can if you read every post ever written! :)

Ok Stan, I compared your Seaway blocks to mine, everything is there except for the tie-off becket for your first block. First thing, take out all blocks labled Seaway, they're mostly black, stash all the others, some are not even used on catamarans, especially the shiney silver ones.

Look at the Seaway block in pic labled pulley2, it's missing a roller attached with a clevis pin, this is where you would tie off your mainsheet (3/8 rope). You could go to your local ace hardware store and find an acceptable substitute, I don't know if you will be able to order this part, if your Cat came with a box of spare parts, look in there carefully, you might just get lucky. This block hangs from your 1st block hanger on the boom, (the front of the boom being where the gooseneck is attached). Hang a shackle from the block-hanger, center the swivel pin on the block in the open end of the shackle, drive the shackle pin through and secure by tightening shackle pin.

The block in pic labled pulley3 comes off the traveler car and attaches to the 2nd block hanger on the boom using the same procedure as above, save the clevis pin that is securing that block, can be used in next procedure.

The block with 2 pulleys in pic labled pulley5 connects to the smaller ratchet-block with the cammatic jaws (Seaway) also in pic labled pulley5, remove the snaphook and shackle from double-pulley block and attach directly to the u-shaped bracket on top of ratchet-block using a clevis pin with split-ring, these 2 combine to form a single unit which attaches to the traveler car using a ball locking pin, also known as a quick-release pin. You now have a usable mainsheet system, all that is needed is the sheeting line to connect all blocks.

I am taking pics of my setup and will show you how to thread your sheeting line, and also how the end of your line then feeds through the swivel cam cleat located on the rear crossbar, through the traveler car, through the eyelet rivited to the back side of the crossbar and ties off with a figure-8 knot. You use just one line for both the sheeting blocks and the traveler car.

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TurboHobo
H14T
H16
P18
G-Cat 5.0
P16
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Hey Stan

New album inTechnical help gallery labled H16 Mainsheet Setup, hope that helps a little.



--
TurboHobo
H14T
H16
P18
G-Cat 5.0
P16
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