Another newbie question folks. As I shop for my first Hobie, can anyone provide advice on H14 vs H16. I have sailed Sunfishes and Zumas in the past and want a little more excitement.
Really appreciate it.

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As I shop for my first Hobie

Hobie only sells kayaks and sunglasses. Buy a Nacra!

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Philip
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mummp

Quote

As I shop for my first Hobie

Hobie only sells kayaks and sunglasses. Buy a Nacra!

THATS JUST WRONG!!!! but funny

14's are small, and dont handle crew very well.
16's are much better at handling crew, and come standard with a jib and other features the 14 doesnt come stock with (you can get an upgrade).

i personally loved my h16.

Philip does have a point that there are other similar cats that may suit you just as well... nacra 5.0 or 5.2, prindle 16 etc...

As discussed a lot on this site, the boat that is right for you depends on you and your situation. If you are an adult and will likely sail with crew the H14 is probably to small for you. A H16 is big enough to handle crew but also able to sail solo in many conditions depending on skill level.

But in regards to size of boat independent on brand a general rule of thumb might be:
less then 16 foot, good for 1 adult
16-18 foot, good for 1-2 people
18-21 foot, good for 2+

But again it depends on what you want to do with the boat.

I had H16 for years and loved it, now have a H18 and would not go back. But when I got my H16 it was the right boat for me.

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Scott,
‘92 H18 w/SX wings
‘95 Hobie Funseeker 12 (Holder 12)
‘96/‘01/‘14 Hobie Waves
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This is good stuff guys... thanks so much. Boat will be used by my son and I. So looks like 16 is the way to go.

My primary source of shopping has been craigslist.com. Everywhere else where I have looked has not really produced too many local results. I live in South Florida. Any advice on other places to look for a used Hobie/Nacra/Prindle????

this site, craigslist, ebay, local papers, local sail shops

go to the beach and talk with other locals.. many times they know of cats available

I live in South Florida and have helped many new sailors find a boat. I have been sailing beach cats since 1976, I know what to look for and what to say no to. If you live close to Delray you can call me or stop by the beach almost any weekend and I will be there. You can send me an email at HULLFLYER1@NETZERO.COM

rodrfami

This is good stuff guys... thanks so much. Boat will be used by my son and I. So looks like 16 is the way to go.

My primary source of shopping has been craigslist.com. Everywhere else where I have looked has not really produced too many local results. I live in South Florida. Any advice on other places to look for a used Hobie/Nacra/Prindle????

I'll email you HULLFLYER. Thanks.

I am in my second season of sailing a hobie 16, which is also my first catamaran. I have to say it already feels a bit small, and the pitchpoling problem has been a big turn off. As soon as you get your weight slightly forward and you are moving at a good clip, watch out! The boat is constantly trying to dive down.
I do like the fact it was ready to sail with trailer and harnesses for $900.00, and there are endless upgrades.
I would not consider anything smaller than the hobie 16.

If you are having really bad nose diving issues with your H16 there may be some setup things to help reduce it. Mast rake is the first thing that comes to mind, but I haven't setup a H16 in a number of years. You can't do anything to get rid of the problem but I don't remember always having to focus on it.

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Scott,
‘92 H18 w/SX wings
‘95 Hobie Funseeker 12 (Holder 12)
‘96/‘01/‘14 Hobie Waves
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I must be lucky or something... I sailed an h16 for 5+ years back in the mid/late 80's, and back again since the beginning of the year, but I have never pitchpoled.

Maybe my mast rake is right, or being 225#+ helps. I also pay attention for my leeward bow diving.

They also sell pitch preventers (Murray's).. they clip on? the bows and i am sure they would help by adding a foil that would push your bows up in the event of it diving down.

BUT, i would also look at your rake.. h16 want extreme rake (and the blocks are almost touching), your weight position is everything...

when your in strong air.. stay alert... travel out a little to depower, get on the wire... stay aft...

I owned a h16 for 5 years or so and never pitched it... (admittedly i didn't know what i was doing, so i probably never came close to sailing it efficiently enough to pitch it)

I haven't pitch poled it but a number of times this year I came incredible close but was able to sheet out fast enough to save it. I had it close enough to the point it started rapidly slowing down and the back end coming way out of the water. It all happens in the matter of a half of second.

Also I will admit it was somewhat heavy air and we were "sailing the $hit out of the boat".

In four years of sailing my P16, I have only dumped it twice....both times the result of a pitch pole while driving the boat in heavy wind.

When under those conditions, I make sure the main sheet is not cleated. Letting it run quickly dumps the excess wind. The bows rebound and it will settle back down.....off to screaming toward the beaches again.

My first time caught my crew by surprise. He lost his footing and did a Peter Pan on the wire. One thing about being attached to the top of the mast, if the crew goes over, they tend to pull the mast with them. I slid across the tramp into the water as the wind finished the process off.

The pitch pole seems to be a recoverable process as long as everyone is ready to adjust in a seconds notice. In heavy wind, I now find my crew behind me straddling the rear cross bar with a horse collar grip around my PFD so he doesn't perform any more magical flying acts.

2 things:
1 in heavy air you can travel out a little. this will allow you to keep a nice and flat sail (as desired in big air) vs. a fuller sail that will give you more power. traveling out will power you down (but also reduce your ability to point as high, but who cars in a survival mode)

2 you can install chicken lines for yourself or crew.. these are small lines that you clip onto your harness to allow you to hold in place (without holding on the skipper)... but these are dangerous (as is any tether to a boat) for many reasons... tanglement... drag by the boat.. decapitation....etc



edited by: andrewscott, Aug 03, 2009 - 03:18 PM

To follow up what Andrew was saying you could add a line attached to the transom that the crew could hold on to, to brace themselves better. Maybe not something clipped to you, but something the crew could hold in their hand while on the wire to improve their stability. That way they could let go if you were going over. The H18's have a hole in the deck lip near the rudder casting you can connect your righting line to and use it as a preventer. Not sure how the P16's are setup.

I would not recommend having your crew hold on to your PFD, better to loose your crew off the boat then both of you. You can loose your crew without flipping, but if you both come off you had better hope your boat flips or has weather helm.

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Scott,
‘92 H18 w/SX wings
‘95 Hobie Funseeker 12 (Holder 12)
‘96/‘01/‘14 Hobie Waves
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