I had a guy who was really interested in buying my H16, untill he talked to the "know-it-all's" in his sailclub who advised him that the hulls on H16's prior to 1980 were a lot heavier than later models, and that he should not consider any Hobie prior to the 80's. He took their advice and informed me he was going to look at another cat instead, an '81 H16. Can anyone confirm this piece of info, is it true that the hulls on pre-80's H16's were built a lot heavier than the hulls on post 80's h16's?

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TurboHobo
H14T
H16
P18
G-Cat 5.0
P16
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Hi,
I'm researching to buy my first cat, and have been told that 1984 was the first year of the lighter hulls, with '84 perhaps being lighter than later models.
Beth

If you are racing a H-16 in the 80's and competing with some one who has a late 90's or 2000 or newer boat you are going to get your butt kicked anyhow. Hobie Cat was sold twice, once to AMF (the company that almost destroyed Harley Davidson) with their cost cutting measures and then to Coleman (the outdoor camping etc company) both times they cut production costs. Cheaper fiberglass (you can check some of the 80's boats and the cloth was not even wetted all the way through) but they were lighter. If I was racing I would want as current a boat as I could afford. The best H-16 I ever owned was a 1979, a little heavier, but one hell of a lot stronger, never took on any water and flexed a lot less than my friends with much newer boats. If you are buying a boat for mainly recreational uses, just buy the best boat your money can buy, but take your time and look the boat over carefully and walk away from any boat with ANY SOFT SPOTS WHAT SO EVER, you will be happy that you did and truly sorry if you did not.
34 plus years of sailing beach cats

to answer the OP. a newer boat is always going to have a certain edge of an older one, I guess you've got to make the boat price more attractive. IF that's not an option, you'll need to wait for another buyer then.

if you make an ad they will come...put it on ebay. i made a killing off of my flying scot

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FYC, Nacra 5.2 "Chris's Flyer" & Nacra Playcat & Farrier Tramp
Previously owned: Trac 14, H14, H16, H18, N5.0, G-cat 5.0
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