Ok so I have a found a 70's (probably) Hobie 17 being sold locally for $300. I forgot to check for a HIN

I dont' need a boat but for that price I am interested. I looked at it tonight and it appears to have all the parts except it is missing one Centerboard.

The sail is old an well worn (maybe delaminated) but has no rips or tears and has all it's battens. It has a good halyard and good 6:1 mainsheet .

It has a complete rudder system but one lower casting may need replacing soon.

All standing rigging looks to be in good shape and has single traps no corrosion I can see. Bridles are Uber long I assume because it is a Uni.

it has WINGS! Pockets wing go into have cracked gelcoat but I could not see any obvious structural problems. Wings looked solid.

Tramp and wing tramps are blue vinyl look like they have not been removed in a long time but otherwise ok. Tramp laces diagonally and has a flap to cover the laces but the velcro on it is worn out.

Mast is comptip looks ok as far as I can tell. There are 2 little posts on the outside the ring hook that look like maybe something goes there but I can't tell what. castings look ok.

I forgot to look st the mast step.

Hulls are old, white and not super pretty. There have been repairs but they seem if anything stronger where the repairs are. There is one very obvious soft spot on the top of the starboard hull between the port and the rear beam. It is probably fixable.

Comes with serviceable trailer that is old and rusty but tires look ok.



Main Questions: How hard is it to find a cheap used centerboard? Are they the same for both sides?

Can it be sailed at all without the centerboards temporarily to test it out some. The hulls may be symmetrical but they still have pretty steep V like the H16.

Purpose of the boat is to give my teenagers something to do as they are taking my P18 more and more and it would be fun to sail more with them.. No racing just fun.

Thanks for any advise you can give, If I decide to buy it I will pick it up tomorrow night and hope to put it in the water this weekend.

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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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~~ At that price....BUY IT~~ I have a 17 with a big jib, fast boat, it can give my 18mag a hard time.... Once in awhile you'll see a centerboard(s) for sale... I forgot how much I paid for mine ? (both were kinda cheap) so I bought them for spares and came across a couple of springs too. You can sail it without the boards in... water might spray up through them, put some tape over it if it does.... The hulls are round~~~ not like a 16.... My sail is starting to delaminate in 2 spots, I put some clear duct tape over the small rips for now, gotta figure out what to do about it ???? I gotta put a post up here !!
The 17's come with a main sail--- no jib but ya can get them, probably Murrays might be best... Ya need a pin for the mast step,, just so ya know...... E-mail me if ya want more info or picts popeyez7@aol.com
Oh, and the 17 is more of a one man boat

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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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The Hobie 17 did not hit the market until the mid 1980's. So the boat is much newer than you thought, and thats a good thing.

Yes I realized it would mainly be a one man boat but it could be a 2 kid boat as well. My main plan is for my oldest to be able to take it by himself or with my youngest. Also for my youngest to get some experience on. Both are pretty slim. I'll keep the Prindle for us fatties.

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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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H17 should work well for 2 teenage kids. They will enjoy the wings, and their weight shouldn't be a problem. Check the bottom of the wing pockets in the hulls to make sure water didn't get in there, freeze, and break out the bottom of the pocket. If you have 1 centerboard, that should make sailing very feasible until you can find a second.

Your kids will have a blast, and for a start cost of $300 sounds well worth it, if the boat is functional.

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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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Got the boat looks like it is also missing a boom. I may have to get some specs and fashion one.

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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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