Which cats are available from the factory with wing seats? I have a Hobie 18 with wings and absolutely love it but I know it will be time to upgrade to something newer in a few years and I'm not sure what my options are for getting another cat with wings. If not factory is there any aftermarket support for wings? Thanks!

Mystere 6.0 , 5.5?
Hobie 21, Tiger
Nacra 5,8 and 6.0?
Prindle 19?

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Greenville SC

Offering sails and other go fast parts for A-class catamarans
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The Nacras and Prindles don't come with seats, but Performance did sell them as add-ons years ago. They stopped selling them when the beam plugs got too expensive. The Tiger doesn't come with wings in the US.

The Hobie Getaway is a great boat with factory wings if you don't mind giving up a lot of performance. I didn't like them until I spent some time on one. The wings, front tramp, roller furling, coolers in the hulls...Great lazy day sailing boat.

Hobie Europe is selling wings that you can adapt to any cat. I believe the Tiger is a perfect candidate for them because of the type of beams they have.

http://www.hobie-cat.net/download/catalogue/gb/wings.pdf

I have come across several tigers in classified adds that said they had wings.

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Greenville SC

Offering sails and other go fast parts for A-class catamarans
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bacho

I have come across several tigers in classified adds that said they had wings.

I saw that too but I have yet to see a pic of wings on a tiger. It looks like the Hobie Pearl would be a great option for me, to bad it won't be sold here... The Hobie Europe wings look like the way to go but not sure if the cost to ship to US would make sense...



Edited by car_guy on Oct 23, 2011 - 02:46 PM.

The Hobie FXOne has wing seats as an option.

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Daniel T.
Taipan F16 - USA 213
Clearwater, FL
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What will drive the upgrade to something newer? If you have a really old H18, you can get a 90s boat or even into I think 2000 or so...

Mine is a 93 and like new. All the spin fleet guys tell me to get a spin boat, but the 18 is a fun, fast, friendly, durable workhorse. I've got the SX wings, but mostly only use them when going camping, for a bit more comfort on long cruises w/gear.

At first I loved the wings, now I prefer w/o them.... w/o them I feel more connected to the boat.

robpatt

I've got the SX wings, but mostly only use them when going camping, for a bit more comfort on long cruises w/gear.

At first I loved the wings, now I prefer w/o them.... w/o them I feel more connected to the boat.

robpatt

I've got an SX w/ wings too. When you sail without them, what do you do with those nasty little support tabs (the ones you put the pins thru)? They look like they're in the perfect spot to do some damage to your foot if you slip while on the wire.

The wings also drag pretty bad when flying a hull. Kind of a PIA, but still I don't think I'd buy another cat without them.

Hi flaco... well I used to run the 9/16 socket and take the tabs off... but now I'm using dyneema for my tramp, and the thing is so tight that as soon as I loosen one of those bolts the hull wants to cant in... such is the tension and stiffness of the boat right now. SO... I've left the tabs on for the last few sessions, including the shearwater regatta this past weekend (osyc.com)... lots of time on the wire. I wear booties or old sneakers, haven't had a problem. But I do wonder if one slips on the wire, that tab going into your ribs could make a real mess.

NOW, what I did with the pivot bolts/(studs actually) for the wings.. is I drilled and put a golf ball on each of them. I suppose w/a little work you could do the same with the tabs... inside the golf ball is elastic... so once you get it on there, the elastic expands and makes it stay on real well.. for humor's sake... I spray painted the golfballs blue... uh, it just matched the sails nicely.

final note... it "was" an SX boat, but I busted the comptip, needed a standard rig to sail in the hobie north americas, so put that on along w/stock hobie sails... then got a whirlwind pentex squaretop on it now, with whrilwind dacro job... and removed the wings.... am confident now single-handing... and it is a BLAST !! but... need to build a new soloRight in case of the inevitable.



Edited by robpatt on Oct 25, 2011 - 11:38 AM.