Hello all, first time poster here. Quick background before we get to the fun stuff: I am a new cat sailor out of the Houston TX area, spent most of my time on a catalina 14.2 growing up, and about a week on my grandfathers hobie 16 before a cousin tested it's durability on the rocky shoreline. Needless to say, the shore won. I decided to jump into the world of beach cats this last year for no good reason other than my fascination with a new challenge and proximity to shoreline. I am currently ressurecting a 1982 Hobie 18 from the grave and have just finished the bottom job and paint. I have been documenting/photographing and intend to post a step by step walkthrough of my project when I finish sometime in the next month or so.

I have a question for you Hobie 18 experts that I can't figure out. Mounted on my front crossbeam, in addition to my lance cleat (which I think is for the jib furler) I have two cam cleats with eyestraps, spaced out symetrically about a foot away from either side of the mast. I have no idea what these are for. My first thought was maybe it was for a spinnaker setup, but I wanted to ask the experts here before I take them off the boat.

Thanks for any help and I look forward to many productive future discussions!

Perhaps for a jib barber hauler system. Can you post a pic? It is definitely not stock. The lance cleat would be an upgrade for the jib furler as you expected. The stock furler cleat is very poor.

While on the subject of H18 front crossbars, I recommend you check the mast step area closely for cracks. Also if your crossbar has the older 2 rivet mast step, you should consider upgrading to the 4 rivet step.

sm

I'll snap a pic tomorow when I get back to the shop. In the interim, there's a link of something similar to the cleat I have. The front crossbeam is off an 87 that came with wings, and it has the 4 rivet step.

I hadn't considered a barber system, good point. Do the jib blocks on the 18 not give adequate jib form control to the extent that a barber system is typically recommended? I thought the jib track would solve that problem.

Will definitely check again thoroughly for cracking. Thanks!

http://www.amazon.com/Rac…leat-Strap/dp/B003XTDHCI

It could also be some type of positive mast rotation system.

The stock jib system is adequate for the most part with the exception that in lighter wind downwind, sometimes the crew needs to hold the jib out by hand. A barber hauler system that pulls the sheets to the outboard end of the crossbar could be beneficial in those conditions, but certainly not common. It also would not be legal for racing.

sm

greddawn, Welcome to TheBeachcats.com!

A picture of the extra cleats might help, I think Dogboy's positive rotation idea is the most likely.

A spinnaker rigged on the H18 usually sheets to the rear crossbeam or wing, and I've never heard of barber haulers on a H18.

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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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greddawn: Off topic, but.....if you haven't already, be sure to hook up with the Texas City Dyke gang....

http://www.tcdyc.com/

Great group of folks!



Edited by rattlenhum on Feb 22, 2015 - 09:54 AM.

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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
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Rattlenhum - Will do! Met a few already swapping parts.

Here's the picture: 3 cam cleats and a lance cleat. (outlines anyway) What do each of these cam cleats go to, and are they necessary?





Edited by greddawn on Feb 23, 2015 - 07:34 AM.

greddawn

What do each of these cam cleats go to, and are they necessary?

The lance cleat, as suspected, is almost certainly for the jib furler line to take the place of the crappy stock cleat.

The other three cleats, your guess is as good as anyone else's. Most likely they were rigging controls for a spinnaker or positive mast rotation device, but really could have gone to anything.

They are certainly not stock and certainly not necessary if you're sailing the boat in it's stock configuration (mainsail & jib only).

sm