OK sailors, I will be asking lots of questions here and hopefully this community can save me from some common mistakes and direct me to links that solve my issues.

A little about my new boat. Bought off of Craigslist for $2K and haven't had her in the water yet. Hulls are solid and sails are crisp. Lines are pretty dirty and in rough shape. EPO rudders and original tramp. Trailer MUST be good since I drove it 4 hours back home to Bowling Green, KY.

Just placed my first order for some parts with Sunjammers in PCB, FL. I go to PCB a lot and thought I'd call that store my home base. Brad is helpful too!

Time to get my new baby looking good!

Question #1 - what is the best way to get the textured surface of the top of the hulls to shine? Pressure washing has removed the dirt and some of the chalky film, but now I want to scrub her clean and then protect with something.

Question #2 - The "black" on the mast and the cross beams is faded to grey. Is there a way to bring the black back?

Question #3 - This is for later, when the kitty is replenished, but the tramp is a 2 piece - not laced in the middle. When I replace it, should I go back with original or do a 3 piece that laces in the middle? Best place to buy?

Question #4 - Is it OK to wet sand the hulls to get the lake stain off - say 1000 grit?

Question #5 - The hulls are worn thru the gelcoat on the bottom - pretty will amid ships. How is this built back up?

Question #6 - I'd like to replace all of the faded/missing decals on the boat. Are there any sources other than the Hobie "bible". I found a couple for the mast, but there appear to have also been decals on the front crossbar.

Question #7 - There is a soft Velcro type material around the daggerboard slot that is breaking up. What do you guys do here to fix this.

Question #8 - I am planning to get my main sheet (7/16") and jib sheet (5/16") -both Sta Set, along with a replacement main halyard (5/32), from Mauri Pro. Any downside not going with Hobie parts here?

THANKS!

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Tim Young
Hobie 18' + other stuff that floats and goes.
Kentucky
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1) Polish and wax with a power buffer would probably work best. I don't usually worry about the non-skid though.

2) Some may recommend painting, but I would advise against it, since paint has a tendency to scratch and flake off which ends up looking worse in the long run or requiring touching up periodically. A little armorall may be ok, but I tend to just let them be.

3) The original tramps are three piece. If you have a one or two piece tramp, then it's an aftermarket tramp. The Hobie tramps are the best because of their construction method (heat welded seams) they last a long time. If you take care of a Hobie tramp, they can last 20 years or more.

4) It's OK to sand the hulls, but you need to polish and wax them afterwards to seal the gelcoat. I would recommend trying gelcoat restoring polish as a first step. Ajax and a firm bristle brush will also do a real good job of removing dirt, grime and moderate stains.

5) Lot's of discussions about doing bottom jobs on the Hobie forums. Here's one where I talked a little about the bottom job I did on my boat a few years ago. http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=36472

6) Depends on what decals you're talking about. The warning labels and such would only be available through Hobie. Stickers on the crossbars are most likely racing course stickers and these would be available through the HCA (Hobie Class Association).

7) Lot's of different options. Indoor/outdoor carpet works well. Velcro, nylon webbing, neoprene have also been used. Hobie sells a kit that works reasonably well.

8) No downside to not going with Hobie lines. There are tons of options when it comes to rigging. Hobie usually sticks to the basic/price point stuff, but there are tons of places that sell all kinds of lines.

Depending on what year your boat is, there are some other things to look out for. Particularly, you want to look under the hull lip at the crossbar connection points to inspect for cracks. Mid to late '80's boats had some issues in this area.You also want to make sure the upgraded crossbar anchor plates are installed. Mid to late '80's boats had some issues in this area. Enjoy the boat, Hobie 18s are excellent beach cats.

sm

#2, some people paint. Some products and oils can create a darker look but it's not permanent.

#3. It sounds like you have what is called a bias cut tramp. I assume it's a mesh material, if it was me I would go back to a 3 piece. I wouldn't buy a Hobie one as I like the mesh ones better. I sell these or there is plenty of places online you can buy them.

#4 and #5, yes wet sanding will not hurt. You may have to start with something closer to 600. BUT, if you need to work on your bottoms, I would consider re-finishing the boat hulls entirely. If the wear on the bottom is worn through the fiber on the bottoms, you will need to add some glass. If it's not worn through the bottom, gelcoat or paint will take care of it.

#7, it's called dagger board carpet. It's normally purchased in rolls. http://www.apsltd.com/p-835-upper-carpet-daggerboard-trunk.aspx

#8, I use sta-set for tramp lacing. It's not exactly what I would consider a nice sheet for bare handed work. Consider Salsa, Swiftcord or Buzz, http://www.apsltd.com/c-1601-salsa-new-england.aspx

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Greenville SC

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

OK sailors, I will be asking lots of questions here and hopefully this community can save me from some common mistakes and direct me to links that solve my issues.
THANKS!

Tim,

Welcome to TheBeachcats.com,

I'll start I'm sure others will have ideas.

1. Scrub with Oxalic acid slurry, let it sit for 10-15 minutes (don't let it dry) and hose off. You can get powdered 10% Oxalic acid as Barkeepers Friend in a grocery store or as wood bleach at a hardware store. This stuff will also clean all the stains and (chaulky) oxidation from your hulls. When you are done with this your hulls should be white as snow but completely unprotected from stains.

You can buff and wax, but I prefer using a sealer like Poli Glow
http://www.amazon.com/Pol…r=8-1&keywords=poli+glow

Technically if you get the whold Poli Glow kit you can skip the Oxalic acid and use their Poli Prep, but Barkeepers friend is cheaper for the initial cleanup.

2. You can clean the black anodized aluminum with WD40 and a soft cloth. Spray on and rub until you get a deep black and the metal is not wet. Lasts about a season and looks great.

3. Opinions vary, I prefer the traditional three piece because I think it can be laced tighter than the bias cut tramps. The best tramp is the probably the factory Hobie, but it's pricey, especially if you need the wing tramps too. I have a long time advertiser here that makes nice tramps and has the main and wing tramps.
http://stores.tampacatama…ns.com/main-trampolines/

4. It's ok but a lot of work, and 1000 is too fine to start. Try the Oxalic method in number 1. first.

5. I'll let the experts handle that one, it partly depends on if the actual fiberglass fibers have been exposed.

6. I don't think there were any factory decals on the front crossbeam. I have a decal showing racing flags and one showing the start sequence I got at West Marine.

7. Use all-weather hook and loop tape, just use the fuzzy side and throw away the loops.

8. No, but there are a lot of new (and expensive) lines out there. If you can use what came with the boat I'd do that until you can see different kinds of lines in person. A lot of folks are now using 3/8" main-sheets now, depends on what blocks you have and if you want to wear gloves all the time.

--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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timscottyoung

Question #3 - This is for later, when the kitty is replenished, but the tramp is a 2 piece - not laced in the middle. When I replace it, should I go back with original or do a 3 piece that laces in the middle? Best place to buy?

***Buy a two-piece bias cut tramp. Search the site for vendors- there are a couple of good ones and lots of talk about them***

Question #4 - Is it OK to wet sand the hulls to get the lake stain off - say 1000 grit?

***Start lower, say 180 and work up.***

Question #5 - The hulls are worn thru the gelcoat on the bottom - pretty will amid ships. How is this built back up?

***With fiberglass and resin***

Question #7 - There is a soft Velcro type material around the daggerboard slot that is breaking up. What do you guys do here to fix this.

***There are various materials used- Velcro, carpeting... Murray's sells stuff for this http://www.murrays.com (you're looking for daggerwell carpet) and possibly a lot more of the things you will need.***

Question #8 - I am planning to get my main sheet (7/16") and jib sheet (5/16") -both Sta Set, along with a replacement main halyard (5/32), from Mauri Pro. Any downside not going with Hobie parts here?

***Wash every line in a machine and inspect before you decide to replace them. No downside to not going Hobie with lines. I buy from Mauri Pro, Salty Dog Marine, Murray's and West Marine depending on price and availability.***

Edited by klozhald on Apr 07, 2014 - 04:37 PM.

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Sheet In!
Bob
_/)_____/)_/)____/)____/)_____/)/)__________/)__
Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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Tim, Lets see some pictures of the new ride!

Instructions are in my signature.

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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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Wow! Thanks for all the feedback everyone. Photos coming as soon as I'm home from work in time to take a photo in the daylight. Right now... Gotta watch my Wildcats!

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Tim Young
Hobie 18' + other stuff that floats and goes.
Kentucky
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Hope to see you at some regattas! Lots of great ones listed here on this site on the right side of the main page. If you don't mind traveling to beachcat sailing destinations for long/extended weekends ect you'll meet a lot of great H18 guys. Congrats on your boat! An '89 H18 with EPO's for $2k with the goods you described sounds like a great deal

I second a full and thorough scrub down with barkeepers friend cleaner to get everything very clean followed by Polyglow ( or WEP wet look floor finish at about $20 a gallon ) 3-6 coats and the hulls will look great. Unless Damon has been out to polish his boat at the club lately, his hulls look amazing after hanging out all winter with polyglow on them.

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Tim Grover
1996 Hobie Miracle 20
Two Hobie 14's
1983 G-Cat Restored
Memphis TN / North Mississippi
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I THIRD... use barkeepers friend or an oxcylic acid product to get the lake stains off... a big power can of it at lowes is about $2.

Then put on a quality wax/polish like hullkote or starbrite, with teflow PFTE... you HAVE to seal that gelcoat or it will absorb tannins from teh water again..... better to use this stuff than sand the boat...REALLY REALLY don't recommend sanding the boat unless as an absolute last resort.

I don't personally recommend polyglow.. I prefer a wax/polish like I said, hullkote or starbrite marine with PFTE..

For the deck texture... again, use the barkeepers friend... mix at your own caution, I'm not a chemist... some simple green and bleach and water... squirt on, let sit a minute and scrub with a soft-ish brush... THEN again you must coat and seal the porous gelcoat.

about the worn gelcoat on the bottom... not a big deal unless the glass is worn thin.
you can flip the boat, sand that worn area rough with like 80 grit... wipe clean with acetone... then put a strip of tape or something on either side of the area you sanded... .then lay down a 1 inch strip of fiberglass... then a 3/4 inch strip... then a 1/2 inch... let it setup, rough sand it, and go with it... dragging along the beach will do the rest... not super pretty, but works, gives lots of sacrificial glass to your bottom, is fast, simple, cheap, easy, and really no one see's it until you fly a hull high... but little extra glass is a good thing.

NOW for the big question... how are your sails?

Congrats on a great boat!

3/8 main sheet, 1/4 jib sheet. It will run much smother thru the blocks. Trophy has a great feel and easy on the hands, and very reasonably priced. With Robline you could go as small as 5/16 main and stil be easy on the hands.

Guys. Wanted you to know that I was able to insure my H18 & trailer for $3,500 of comprehensive coverage and ($300,000 liability) for $57/year. I considered not even insuring it till I got the rate. That seemed reasonable to me. Just wanted to mention it in case others were thinking about skipping insurance.

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Tim Young
Hobie 18' + other stuff that floats and goes.
Kentucky
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What insurance company is that with and did you advise them you would be racing?

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Kevin
Wantanacra
VA Beach, VA

Nacra 5.0
Nacra 5.2
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wantanacra

What insurance company is that with and did you advise them you would be racing?

Kevin,
I used Kentucky Farm Bureau and they didn't ask about racing. I've never raced, other than crew on a cruiser. I didn't think to mention that I may race, one day. I wonder how much it would affect the rates?

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Tim Young
Hobie 18' + other stuff that floats and goes.
Kentucky
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Normally it doesn't affect prices for sail boats.

--
Greenville SC

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

robpatt

NOW for the big question... how are your sails?

Congrats on a great boat!

Thanks! I am dying to get her on the water. I am getting as familiar with everything as possible while sitting in the yard.

Main is in really good condition - "crinkles" when you flake it. All battens present and accounted for.
Jib a little more tired. Zipper works fine. They match!
Neither of the sails have been repaired, that I can tell, and are "Hobie" sails. Number is 15684, whatever that's worth. I don't yet understand the significance of the sail number.

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Tim Young
Hobie 18' + other stuff that floats and goes.
Kentucky
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timscottyoung

Number is 15684, whatever that's worth. I don't yet understand the significance of the sail number.

That sounds like an appropriate number for a 1989 boat. The sail numbers were assigned to the boat as they were shipped from the factory but it wasn't a perfect system since the dealers might swap sails between boats that got delivered.

It was pretty much a one-to-one system so by the early - 80's the numbers were in the 8,000 range.

To show how few boats were sold after yours, the very last (that I know of) Hobie 18 that was built by hand from new hulls received sail number 17,024.
http://www.thebeachcats.c…-18se-w-2f-sx-wings.html

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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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The SX mains are Mylar right? If that is the case, crinkling and flaking is not the best thing. Its probably on borrowed time as well.

carolinacatamarans

The SX mains are Mylar right? If that is the case, crinkling and flaking is not the best thing. Its probably on borrowed time as well.

It appears that I have a standard Hobie 18, but it is equipped with SX wings. No Mylar.

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Tim Young
Hobie 18' + other stuff that floats and goes.
Kentucky
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fxloop

I second a full and thorough scrub down with barkeepers friend cleaner to get everything very clean followed by Polyglow ( or WEP wet look floor finish at about $20 a gallon ) 3-6 coats and the hulls will look great. Unless Damon has been out to polish his boat at the club lately, his hulls look amazing after hanging out all winter with polyglow on them.

Ok. Maybe I'm slow on the cleaning, but I finally have the top of one hull looking very nice using the method above. I used the Zep Wet Look Floor Finish, applied with a 4" foam roller. I have a nice buffer that I use on my power boat and I am comfortable with using it on the smooth hull sides. That's my plan anyway. So I guess I am doing a hybrid job.

Thanks for the tip on the Zep product. I have never found any Zep products that aren't first rate. Also, BKF is great. Another nice recommendation from many.

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Tim Young
Hobie 18' + other stuff that floats and goes.
Kentucky
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