Maybe this seems stupid but I'm just curious as to weather a 16 or 17 would be better for sailing off the beach, usually theres never any surf here at all (less then probably 1-2 feet at most). I'm currently sailing a hobie 14 and I'm ready for something a little bigger and with more room considering I never sail solo, and I want something faster. Thanks.

Hobie 16.

The 17 is longer but not designed for 2 people. H17 has center boards you have to worry about when beaching. H16 bottoms are built like a tank.

There are other options out there also.

--
Scott,
‘92 H18 w/SX wings
‘95 Hobie Funseeker 12 (Holder 12)
‘96/‘01/‘14 Hobie Waves
--

Thanks, and I should've said it's a 17 sport with a jib

--
Saint Simons Island, GA
Saint Simons Surf Sailors

Nacra 6.0NA
Nacra Inter17
Hobie Wave
PSI Laser
AMF Sunfish
--

Loganbetts, Welcome to TheBeachcats.com!

So you've been sailing a Hobie 14 with two aboard through the surf so far? How much total crew weight for the two?

The reason I ask is that the Hobie 17 is designed as a solo boat and optimized for a total crew weight of something less than 200 pounds (racing probably less than 180) before it's kind of a submarine.

Adding a jib (sports package) doesn't help the weight carrying capacity.

The Hobie 16 has the advantage of being rigged and sailed almost exactly like your Hobie 14 so less learning curve. It's a great surf boat and can race with 300 pounds and carry 400 without sinking.

Hope that helps.

Where are you sailing? Maybe you can get a ride on both.

--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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Sounds like a 16 is probably the boat of choice however you didn't mention overall crew weight. An 18 would also be worth considering if you're sailing with larger people or want to sail with more than two people. The 16, 17, and 18 are all built to withstand sailing in the surf and beach landings. The 16 is the easiest logistically because the assymetrical hulls mean no dagger boards to worry about however the 16 does have its drawbacks as well. It has low volume hulls and not much bouyancy so you're really limited to about 350lbs max crew weight. The 16 is also very sensitive to pitchpoling and blowing over backwards in a strong breeze (although to a lesser extent than your 14). A 17 sport can carry about the same weight as a 16. The hulls are higher volume but the tramp is lower so it will hit waves in strong breeze making for a wet ride. The wings make up for this to some extent. The centerboards on the 17 are designed to retract automatically when you hit the beach, but the drawback is that they can get jammed with sand and pebbles if dragged over the beach. The 18 is a very rugged, high volume boat that is fully capable of being launched from the beach. Its the biggest and heaviest of all three choices and is best handled by two or more adults. The dagger boards on the 18 make beaching a little trickier, but with a little practice operating the boards becomes second nature. Max crew weight on the 18 is realistically around 400 to 450 lbs.

sm



Edited by Dogboy on Feb 23, 2014 - 06:06 PM.

I'm about 160 and depending on who's with me anywhere from 110-190 pounds. The 14 is quite a trick with another person in the surf, It likes to be a submarine at times. Actually had 3 People on it one time, Beyond interesting.

I'm from Saint Simons Island, Ga; Depending on wind direction the surf can be less then a foot, and I don't think ever is bigger then a 1-1/2 or so.

My Main reason for asking is I'm a seasoned sailor with dhingys ( I race 420's with our sailing team at school); However in the multihull world I've only ever sailed a 14 or a wave. I'd honestly really like to go for a Nacra if I could but there's none close by in my budget range.

Thanks

--
Saint Simons Island, GA
Saint Simons Surf Sailors

Nacra 6.0NA
Nacra Inter17
Hobie Wave
PSI Laser
AMF Sunfish
--

Hey Logan, if you get the opportunity, try and get a good look at a Prindle 16, has larger hull volume than the H16 but is just as rugged and a great catamaran sailboat. I started out on a H14 Turbo but quickly realized it was a little too small for me at around 200lbs, moved up to a H16, loved that old 79 boat, solid and fast. Moved up to a P18 but that was just a little too heavy to trailer around, dropped down to a P16 and it's a great sailboat. The P16 has slightly less sail area than the H16 but makes up for that with a little more speed because of the higher volume hulls, putting it on an even par with the H16. Check this out, used www.searchtempest.com for a quick look in your area and found this:-

http://jacksonville.craig….org/boa/4331745204.html

http://tallahassee.craigs….org/boa/4339403245.html

I'll defiantly look into the prindle, thanks.

--
Saint Simons Island, GA
Saint Simons Surf Sailors

Nacra 6.0NA
Nacra Inter17
Hobie Wave
PSI Laser
AMF Sunfish
--

Hmmm! a closer look at that P16 in Jacksonville shows it to have H16 rudders jury-rigged to the transom...

I don't see any problems with Hobie rudders on the prindle. They are probably easier to use, certainly easier to replace in a pinch.

Logan, if your sailing in the 2xxlbs range most of the time the hobie 16 may be the boat for you. If you spend more time closer to 350 or so, I would consider the hobie 18. I don't think the 17 is a fit.

--
Greenville SC

Offering sails and other go fast parts for A-class catamarans
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I know nothing about the 17, but why it is so weight sensitive? When it is next to a 16 it looks like it has significantly more volume, but I guess looks can be decieving

That's what I was thinking looking at them both.

--
Saint Simons Island, GA
Saint Simons Surf Sailors

Nacra 6.0NA
Nacra Inter17
Hobie Wave
PSI Laser
AMF Sunfish
--

In light wind or flat water, the 17 is fine with two on board. When it gets a little rougher, the front crossbar has a tendency to hit waves and the leeward hull bogs down a bit. My wife and I have sailed ours together a couple times and it's still fun, but in stronger wind i prefer the 18. Its just a better ride. Again, the 17 was primarily designed as a single hander. The sport package was really an afterthought. I would go for the 17 if you planned to do say 75% solo sailing and 25% with crew. If you're going to sail primarily with crew, I would suggest a 16 or 18.

sm

For launching off the beach with two people, hands down Hobie 16. Prindle 16's are great boats as well, but the sheer number and availability of parts for the Hobie would make it my choice.

--
Kenneth Purdy
Hobie 16
Nacra 5.2 (2)
Banshee
First Coast, Florida
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Long time 17 sailor here, plus had a H16. For two up the 16 will be the better choice. Two up on a 17 will be a little crowded. The 17 is a better designed boat for speed and driving hard. If you can sail a 16 the 17 is pretty similar. No boards on the 16 will make it a better choice for off the beach sailing, as it will be easier to get going and one less thing to worry about.

I agree with Dogboy.

prindle 16 or 18 best in surf and for riding waves, catch the last wave in a 5 0r 6 wave set miles out and u can ride them in jumping wave to wave, hobie 16 will set up in the swell /curl and hold its own all the way to the beach but u wont be able to jump the waves or maybe accelerate to set in front like on a prindle 16, no offence to hobie 17 owners, its a poorly designed cat only suitable for lake sailing, sits too low in the water, etc etc etc

rennovator- Good eyes on those hobie rudders on the prindle.

My question would be: For this boat, which side of the tiller crossmember do the blocks go?
Normal for both hobies and prindles is the main sail blocks are on bow-side of tiller crossmember.

For this Prindle/Hobie, I am seeing the blocks on the stern side. This would make tacking awkward with the tiller extension needing to go forward and sweeping the tramp.

The picture isn't real clear, and the boat is not rigged. I could be wrong.

All,

Contacted the person that has the prindle 16 In jax. Seemed to be a little sketchy, it was missing the jib and needed some rigging replaced And said it had some different parts on it. Thinking I'm gonna stay clear of that

--
Saint Simons Island, GA
Saint Simons Surf Sailors

Nacra 6.0NA
Nacra Inter17
Hobie Wave
PSI Laser
AMF Sunfish
--

Blair, good catch on the tiller tubes, because they are Hobie, they are a little too long. Not saying the Hobie rudder setup won't work on the P16, but a little tweaking would have to be done, those end-caps on the tiller tubes would have to be removed, the tube shortened by about 4-6 inches, end-caps replaced and rudder set-up dialed in.

R

Logan, jump on this one quick, everything there but the trailer...its free

http://gainesville.craigs….org/boa/4355367506.html