Hello to you all. I have been lurking here for some time now and wanted to say thanks for all of the wonderful information I have gathered thus far.

I just bit the bullet and purchased an '83 Hobie 16 and am extremely excited. It needs a lot of work and I could certainly use any advice offered. I have sailed in the past but its been well over a decade now and I am essentially starting from scratch. I will be sailing initially in fresh water, but after getting the hang of it again I am anxious to take her to the ocean!

To start with a couple of my big concerns (I have taken lots of pictures of each and every individual piece that i have along with it. I would like to document my entire progress for a little added fun.)

Hulls- One soft spot in each hull. just to the front of the frame. They are about 1'6" long and 8" wide. Seems like someone was continually stepping there to get on and off the boat. I found these instructions and it seems very doable-http://www.hobiecat.com/support/articles/archive/?src=http://2010.archive.hobiecat.com/support/tech/delam.html

Also on the hulls are a few dings a couple which have gone through the fiberglass- the foam inside still seems fine but I would love to know what you all think is the best way to fill these and waterproof them.

The tramp is the original vinyl tramp. Although it is not torn (except for one eyelet torn out) It seems to me that it is close to being dry rotted. I may be wrong though as it still has flex to it without cracking. Is it possible to save the tramp if it dried out but not torn? If not I came across another post here about making a new tramp. I can get the tramp mesh material and use the original as a template. A friend's wife is a professional seamstress so i think it may be a doable process.

My last big question (and I am sorry this post is so long)
I was wondering if anyone had an easy to read parts list for all the hardware. I know all the pulleys are there but I am missing almost all of the pins and connecting pieces (I know I nailed those technical terms right?)

I am thinking of ordering my lines from these guys as it seems to be the best value for the package that I have found-http://www.saltydogmarine.com/product_info.php?cPath=421&products_id=674

Anyone have any experience with them?
Also has anyone found a package deal on all the necessary hardware such as above? i wouldnt mind having some extra pieces as spares if I already have a piece.

Sorry again for the long post and thank you all,
Jon

Go to your closest Hobie dealer and pick up a current parts and accessories book (they are free) in the back is a picture of every boat broken down with all the parts and numbers. You may be able to go to the Hobie site and download the current one.

Florida is a large state, where is the boat located?

Jon,

Welcome to catamaran sailing!

Here are some pictures of the delamination repair method.
http://www.thebeachcats.c…ictures/?g2_itemId=64559

and here's an article about adding deck ports to your hobie, these can be good for an older boat that may contain a lot of water you can't drain out.
http://www.thebeachcats.c…9/installing-deck-ports/

Keeps us up to date on how it goes, you can create your own photo album here in the "Beachcats People" section of the photo albums.
http://www.thebeachcats.c…es&type=&g2_itemId=14581

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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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Hullflyer- Thanks for the tip. I found a parts guide on the Hobie website. Being new to this it will take me a while to decipher everything I have and everything I need lol. I should have no excuse for not knowing the boat inside and out after this.
Also, I am located in Kissimmee, Fl. The boat is here also.

Damon- Thank you very much. the pictures are a huge help. And the deck ports certainly seem like a wise thing to do. Out of curiosity. Would it make sense that I should first repair the soft spots and then add the deck ports to that same area?

I am going to start an album now with the pictures I have taken thus far.

Thank you again for the help!
Jon

Some people, including the one in the link Damon has on installing ports , recommend not installing one in front of the main beam post. I don't see a port in this photo, but if they will break with out one.........



Here is the larger photo http://www.thebeachcats.c…92948576765a7a3623311321

Damon, tried to put a 640 x 480 photo and ended up with a thumb.



Edited by skarr1 on Apr 05, 2011 - 02:46 PM.

skarr1

Damon, tried to put a 640 x 480 photo and ended up with a thumb.

Ha photos are thumbnailed automatically to keep anyone from posting a giant picture that would blowup the page, click on the thumbnail to see it full size.

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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

How To Create Your Signature

How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar

How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
--

skarr1

Some people, including the one in the link Damon has on installing ports , recommend not installing one in front of the main beam post. I don't see a port in this photo, but if they will break with out one.........



Here is the larger photo http://www.thebeachcats.c…92948576765a7a3623311321

Damon, tried to put a 640 x 480 photo and ended up with a thumb.Edited by skarr1 on Apr 05, 2011 - 02:46 PM.

A little epoxy and that will be good as new

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Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association
1982 Prindle 18
1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook.
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[quote=skarr1]Some people, including the one in the link Damon has on installing ports , recommend not installing one in front of the main beam post. I don't see a port in this photo, but if they will break with out one.........

That certainly wouldnt make for the best of days sailing!
I have a soft spot on both hulls right in from of both main beam posts. Is it even worthwhile to attempt a repair on these?

Quote

A little epoxy and that will be good as new icon_wink

I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed but I think I smell a bit of sarcasm! That made laugh...Your comment not the damaged hull...

I would do the de-lamination repair that Damon recommended. As you pull on the main sheet the for-stay pulls both bows up and together. Check the inner (toward the other hull)side of the hulls for soft spots and buckling. I have seen NACRA'S broken in the same place.

~~ I would stay away from puting the ports in unless ya have INSIDE work to do. (it could weaken it as time goes on)... If ya do put them in get the ports that are CURVED... your hull has a curve to it.. (not the flat ones)... They make 2 kinds so make sure ya get the right ones...... and don't be afraid to use sealent. The hulls are worth repairing, it's not that hard to do...... When ya drill yer holes, just go through the 1st. layer..... the whole layer is not thick so ya might go in to far at first.
Take yer time & check when ya do it........

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~ Vietnam Vet 69-71~ 17 Hobie w/big jib, ~18 Hobie mag,~DN Ice sailor,
and other toys.......
~~ I live in NY state on the north shore of Oneida lake in
Bernhards Bay. ~~~~~~
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Delamination is, at its essence, a structural failure. And, delamination of the decks in front of the front pylons is very serious as those pictures can attest. Many, including myself, would tell you not to sail the boat until it is repaired. In a nutshell it is unsafe. The pictures of delamination repair here on thebeachcats.com site are very useful to give you an idea as to how to approach the repair. However, use epoxy resin as Steve has suggested, not polyester resin. While the boat is made of polyester resin, structural repairs such as this are best done with epxoy. Polyester generally only bonds well with polyester and only with good surface prep. Epoxy is stronger and will bond better to a variety of dissimilar materials. You want all the strength you can get in this area and polyester just won't cut it. Likewise, I recommend not putting in ports unless you really need them for some reason. The Hobie guys recommend an epoxy resin called Git-Rot for delamination repairs. It will flow well into the voids and retains some flexibility once set. Delamination is often the beginning of the end for a foam cored boat. And while I don't know about making it like new, properly repaired you likely could get several more good years out of it. However, before you start, I would recommend going over the boat thoroughly to see if there are other areas of delamination. It might not be worth it.

With regards to the other hull punctures, there is a good article on blind hole repair in the May/June 2008 Hobie Hotline (http://2010.archive.hobie…CA_Hotline05-06_2008.pdf). While you may not have punctured the inner glass layer the procedure and materials are similar. Polyester resin is preferred here especially if you are going to use gelcoat. Be sure to remove all the damaged material and dry it out thoroughly.

I have used Salty Dog and they are good to deal with.

Good luck.

Oh, and one other thing. Once you get comfortable sailing your boat, go sail it in the surf. It's what it was originally designed for and it's a blast.



Edited by DaveW70 on Apr 06, 2011 - 07:27 AM.

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Dave Wilson
Hobie 16, Hobie 14
Tampa, FL
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All of this advice is truly appreciated.

Skarr-i have scoured the hulls for other soft spots and havent found any. After i repair these and begin to rig the boat I will check those spots again to make sure.

Dave and Popeye- I guess i will hold off on the ports until after the repair to the soft spots and i have tried it in the water to see if it takes on much. I was most certainly planning on repairing the spots before trying it in the water!
Thanks for the advice on the Git-Rot. I did have a question about it though. I looked into it and it says it is for repairs to wood. Is this the same product you are referring to or did I miss another product from the same company?

Jon

You found the right stuff. I believe Git Rot was originally developed for plywood core boats but the problem is basically the same. It is designed to penetrate the core material and bond with the outer skins.

Here is a link to West Marine's site. A lot of places have so it might pay to shop around a little.

http://www.westmarine.com…tNumber=105155&langId=-1

Matt Miller of Hobie Cat talks about it here:

http://www.hobiecat.com/f…ums/viewtopic.php?t=1156

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Dave Wilson
Hobie 16, Hobie 14
Tampa, FL
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Dave thank you so much. That gives me a lot of confidence. I am going shop around and order the Git Rot here this week and hopefully begin undertaking that repair ASAP. I will make sure to take plenty of photos of the process so as to help others avoid any mistakes I am sure I'll come across!

Jon