Hi all,

I just looked at this cat ('71 H16) and before I pull the trigger I thought I post some pics of the wear and tear i found.

I checked the hulls by squeezing and pressing, seemed firm...the only give and it wasn't much, was on top, just in front of the rudders. I did see some wear on the keels where it would be expected...but saw some "pitting". You'll see a few pics where I tried to capture that.

The lines were ugly and probably should be replaced. Trampoline was ugly too but the only faults I could find was it was ugly and that the stitching of one of the ankle straps had given way.

Another concern was the boom, there appeared to be pitting there too. Sails look good, kinda crisp.

Please tell me if you see any potential deal breakers.

https://picasaweb.google.com/rbktouhey/H16?authkey=Gv1sRgCLLj59Xbud7YNg#

Touhey, just finished looking at your pics, it all comes down to price and availability, what price will you pay for this '71 H16 and is it the only one available in your area. If this is all that is available then lets begin.

1) All lines can be reconditioned with an overnight soak in 10-20% bleach water, makes a major difference.
2) The pitting you see is a classical case of 2 different metals interacting, don't worry about it, 40 year old cat
3) Can't see the tramp clearly but it seems to be original, will need to be replaced
4) Standing rigging will have to be carefully inspected, peace-of-mind dictates replace when in doubt
5) Hull bottoms are paper thin and a bottom job will have to be done soon
6) Most gouges are due to narrow gage rollers, when the cat slips off roller hits roller bracket, replace with wider rollers.
7) Pylon stress cracks around hull look bad but may look worse than they seem, will need to re-caulked. Double check pylon integrity by grabbing on corner post and seeing if you can manually move pylon, if pylon loose, major issue.
8) Crack on bow may be major issue, check to see if it's a gelcoat crack or more intrusive
9) Clew plate at goose neck will need to be straightened out, maybe even re-rivited.
10) Please tell me that wooden bracket on the mast base is just some contraption to hold and keep all lines sorted

If the price is good, less than $800, and you have the time, you can get this cat sailing pretty quick, and learn quite a bit about the H16 in the process. If delamination is not an issue, kudos, but I would carefully inspect those pylons, the cracks are more than spider cracks but could just be 40 year old stress cracks. The keels will have to re-built pretty soon though, could be a project for you next winter after you sailed it this season. Trailer wires will need to be sorted, easy fix, check wheel bearings, make sure tramp frame is firm and secure, put cat in water and see if it's taking on water, ask owner to rig and sail cat with you if possible, check all tiller connectors and then............... go sailing.

Turbo
Hobie 16
Prindle 18



Edited by turbohobo on May 01, 2011 - 09:08 PM.

Turbo,

Thx for checking out the pics, the cooperation and feedback on these forums is reassuring.
I'm having second thoughts. This was the first cat i've looked at, so I have nothing to compare it to..your feedback is appreciated.

I'll put the deal on hold an look elsewhere..unfortunately that means several roadtrips, each about 4-5 hours round-trip.

rbktouhey,

That boat is very early (very old) with no upgrades in sight. It's obviously given a lot of pleasure over the years but is showing a LOT of wear and tear. How much is your budget? I think you can do better unless you are an experienced fiberglass worker and can get the boat very very cheap and can't afford anything more.

What part of the country are you located?

--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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