OK, I need another Cat like a fish needs a step ladder, or maybe a chainsaw, or blender.
However, I saw an ad for a HOMIE CAT, (no shi*t, a HOMIE CAT),14', built in Markham,( a Canadian town).
Thing was, the photo looked bigger, & it had wings.
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-sa…earchNavigationFlag=true
Long story short, I drove 2 hr in the pouring rain to look at it. Turned out the seller has never sailed, but took the boat from the original owner as partial payment for building a deck on his waterfront property. The boat is an '84, with the Blue/white/red/white/blue Olympic sail pattern. It is completely original, owned by the same family since new, sailed on a rather small, ( 2mile x 2 mile) freshwater lake.
No patches, can't find any soft spots, although the boat is dirty, having sat for 2 years.
I think the tramp is the original 3 piece, blue, I'm not partial to the space down the middle, but it's serviceable
The jib is toast, & one board is severely de laminated. Seaway blocks,(jib blocks just look weird), with 3 singles on the boom.
Mainsail is old, but well stored, no patches, tears etc.
Has WINGS, (with "Magnum" sticker), tramps seem OK
Has Hobie Furler, seems to work fine.
The hulls are light blue, at least that is the oxidized color.
I spent a few hours reading H18 posts, to get a feel for it. (thanks Dogboy, Damon & a few others). I am going to pick it up on Wed. Was going to sail it, but with the water getting cold, & rigging looking old, I think we'll sail my N5.7 the last few days & just take this home to refit for next year.
Because it was pouring rain, I didn't take any photos to study.
How do I safely drop the mast?
It looked like several pins go into a base that is held to the front beam by 4 rivets.
Suggestions appreciated, I'll have more questions once I get it home.
I paid $500 for it.

PS...Can I just pull the end pins, fold the wings & tie them together for the drive home?
Will that get in the way of the mast, or should I unbolt them?



Edited by Edchris177 on Nov 02, 2015 - 09:51 PM.

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

Great score. Wings are worth more than $500. To drop the mast there is a through hole in the mast base. The plate on the bottom of the mast is actually hinged. Stick a small screw driver all the way through and drop the
mast. No need to turn it like some Nacras.

You are right on the money with folding the wings together. Look in the technical photos. There is a really nifty
pvc rack to hold the wings apart. I built one and it worked great. Watch the diamond wires on the wing tramps when trailering. They like to wear a hole in the tramps. You will need to hold the wings apart in order to fit the mast between them. You are catching up to me with boats.

edit to insert link to wing support

http://www.thebeachcats.c…pictures?g2_itemId=11711



Edited by pknapp66 on Nov 02, 2015 - 11:12 PM.

--
Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
--

There is H18 manual at

http://static.hobiecat.com/digital_assets/H18%26SX_Manual.pdf

--
Jack B
Hobie 17
BC, Canada
--

Quote

There is H18 manual at

Quote

The plate on the bottom of the mast is actually hinged. Stick a small screw driver all the way through and drop the mast.

Thanks, that's exactly what I needed. I'm pretty sure that step pin is in the base now, looks like they just left it in place.
The boat has those exact jib blocks, & the newer style rotator.
Glad to see the tramps come off without beam removal, though I might pull everything apart as a winter rebuild.
Those wing racks look pretty nifty. However I'll only trailer the boat twice, once to bring it to my main house for this winter, then up to the lakehouse next spring. I don't have time to build the racks, as we are going sailing today, (N5.7, took it out yesterday too, this is the end of the season for us) & picking up boat tomorrow.
I think I'll just remove the wings, as I may want to redo the tramp lacing over winter.
There is nothing in the manual about wings, do I just unbolt the main tube, are there any little parts that might want to fly into oblivion?
They are "magnum" wings. The boat is an SE, at least I think I can read a penciled in sail #, and
18SE on the little manufacturers tag at the base of the sail.

PS I just remembered, my trailer has cradles on front, rollers on rear, no problem for the skeg Nacra, is it OK for the Hobie hulls? Or should I build those blocks,(Dogboy's idea I think) for the rear?
I'll trailer it 250km.



Edited by Edchris177 on Nov 03, 2015 - 09:17 AM.

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

be sure to replace your stay pins.

there were several years when they were poorly crafted and are notorious for snapping. I learned this in the gulf one day on my h18.

There should be no parts to fall off when you unbolt the wings. You should see a lock nut behind the wing main tube holding the piece in place. Almost all of the 18's I have seen have been on trailers with rollers both front
and rear. The hulls are quite strong. Your trailer should work well.

Great point by MN3 to replace the shroud anchor bolts. They bend and break quite regularly. Important to angle them correctly to line up with the shrouds. Several threads about this issue.

--
Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
--

Thanks. The wind is very light today, 25clicks tomorrow, so we are going to retrieve it today, & sail one last time tomorrow.



Edited by Edchris177 on Nov 03, 2015 - 11:49 AM.

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

One note about dropping the mast - make sure you keep the mast aligned to the centerline of the boat as much as possible (i.e., don't let the mast drift off to the side), otherwise you risk breaking the mast step hinge and the mast will come crashing down.

sm

Dogboy

One note about dropping the mast - make sure you keep the mast aligned to the centerline of the boat as much as possible (i.e., don't let the mast drift off to the side), otherwise you risk breaking the mast step hinge and the mast will come crashing down.

sm

I second this! I've broken more of the mast hinge castings over the years than I care to admit, and they are over $50 now. The H18 is kind of unique in regard to how the hinge works.

--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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make sure you keep the mast aligned to the centerline of the boat as much as possible

Thanks, looking at the photo in the manual, I could see the actual hinge was quite narrow, therefore would not survive a side load. I folded the rotator up against the mast & tied it there, then spun the boat 180*, so bows were downhill, gravity is my friend. Undid the furler, then dropped it straight down, where my buddy caught it.
I had a bit of a tough time getting the mast pin out, had to twist & pull with vice grips. Turned out the pin is slightly bent, causing it to bind. I think the pin has never been removed in 30 years, the captive string was rotten.
10:00 pm, just got home, the retrieve went pretty easy.
My $70 Cat Trax saved the day.
Rather than paddle down the lake to the nearest boat ramp, we stripped the boat, put the Trax under it, & two of us pushed it up from the lake, through the yard to the van.
We had planned to get the boat just to the foot of what we both thought was a steep grass hill, turn it around, so the bows would ride on the lawn, then tow it up with the van.
When we hit the hill, it didn't seem like hernia territory, so we kept going. Surprisingly, two of us pushed it right up to the driveway.
One thing surprised me, how light the wings are. They seem about 1/3 of the wings on the 20' Mystere, (I think those are from a Hobie 21). We pulled them, though cursory inspection shows the tramps/lacing serviceable.
The boom...those SS straps that the blocks hang from could scalp a person, will have to pay more attention than on the Nacra.
I don't have much experience with Hobie rudders, & the manual said they changed them in '87, but, these appear to be a very stiff black blade. There is not a nick in them. There is a large plastic adjustment screw on the lower casting, & what appears to be some sort of black cam/plunger in the casting. I just saw this in passing, as we took them off & tossed them in the van.
Has an Arriba hot stick that works.
No dings on the bottom, but the gelcote is worn in a couple of spots, I'll put a 2" wear strip on in the spring.
Tramp is a little grungy, but seems solid. Hoping a good scrub will clean it up, though I'm not keen on the 3 pc design. Seems like lots of lacing & places for lines/gear to fall through. I do like the idea they can all be removed without undoing the beams.
Decks are grungy, but totally solid. Hulls solid, but chalky. I don't know what color of blue they will wet sand to, but I see several hours with automotive paper & power sander.
Mast is totally straight, still has all the stickers. The halyard ring seems to be old school, a simple ring vs the "Aussie ring".
Furler works fine.
Traveller works fine, but I like the Harken-on-track system of the Nacra better. Not sure what that large bail on centre of rear beam is for.
It has the sail "feeder" on lower mast, I can see that is not a great benefit.
I think the standing rigging is original, white vinal. I will change it all, along with shroud anchors. IIRC there are some threads re a short bar that goes under the deck lip, an upgraded system?
I will peruse all the H18 threads for intel.
Wife couldn't even complain, as she continually espouses the benefits of wings. She did mention that we had too many boats, & perhaps I should sell one if I wanted another. Being the in touch, modern feeling guy, I took that to heart, & sold one. We no longer have a canoe.

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

Edchris177

I think I'll just remove the wings, as I may want to redo the tramp lacing over winter.
There is nothing in the manual about wings, do I just unbolt the main tube, are there any little parts that might want to fly into oblivion?
They are "magnum" wings. The boat is an SE, at least I think I can read a penciled in sail #, and
18SE on the little manufacturers tag at the base of the sail.

The wings will fold upwards, hinging on bolt at the beam inside the hulls once you remove the bolt or pin that attaches the wing to the tab on the outside beam bolt.

Once you've folded them up you need something to hold them in place, don't lay them on the mast, the diamond wires will cut them to ribbons.

Use something like this.
http://www.thebeachcats.c…pictures?g2_itemId=11711



--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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Edchris177

I had a bit of a tough time getting the mast pin out, had to twist & pull with vice grips. Turned out the pin is slightly bent, causing it to bind. I think the pin has never been removed in 30 years, the captive string was rotten.

Do you mean that the boat was being sailed with the pin in all this time? I'm amazed you were able to get it out at all! Performance should be a little better if you let the mast rotate.

--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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Performance should be a little better if you let the mast rotate. icon_biggrin

Ahhhhh!
I never thought of that. While waiting for my buddy to finish something, I attempted to rotate the mast, via the diamond wires. It didn't turn. I thought it was way different from the Nacras, but didn't have time to investigate as we were stripping the boat, with no previous experience.
I think the pin has been there forever. The boat has never left this small freshwater lake, I didn't see any corrosion of any sort.

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

Quote

Use something like this.

Yes, Peter sent me that link. I didn't have time to cobble something together, & wanted to have them available in the off season to fully go over the tramps & lacing, so we just removed them.
They are extremely light, compared to the wings on the Mystere 20.
I thought I could toss them in the van, but they are too long, so we ended up lashing them on the tramp.

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

Quote

don't have much experience with Hobie rudders, & the manual said they changed them in '87, but, these appear to be a very stiff black blade. There is not a nick in them. There is a large plastic adjustment screw on the lower casting, & what appears to be some sort of black cam/plunger in the casting. I just saw this in passing, as we took them off & tossed them in the van.

Black blades are not stock.. that's good, if you had original ones, they would probably snap on ya just from age

plastic adjustment screw is to adjust when the rudders kick


i am pretty sure (unless they are customized) those are newer version castings (post 86) The older had a metal cam (not a plastic one). my h18 had to older one until i hit shallows ad cracked the casting. i purchased the upgrade kit. $700



http://www.murrays.com/50-60331010.html
just like your mystere's, lube that cam every sail. will make kicking up, and pulling up much easier and could save your transoms from damage if they don't kick on shallows



Edited by MN3 on Nov 04, 2015 - 10:01 AM.

Quote

Black blades are not stock.. that's good,

They appear to be a fibreglass material, I can just make out some of the fibres in one spot that has a bit of wear. Condition wise they are about 9.8/10, there are not even any scratches on them
They definitely have the black plastic cams.
I searched to day for any cracking, or signs of corrosion on the beam ends, block fitting, can't see any.
It will need some new lines, the jib sheet is some Home Depot 1/4" line, & the main halyard has shed the cover in one spot.
I took a rubber block & 400 grit wet/dry & gave it a 30 second rub. It completely changed from whitish, to a sky blue, almost the same color as the tramp.
100 sheets of automotive paper, & a couple days work, it should cleanup very nice.
I tried to build an album, but the site won't seem to upload any photos.

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

Quote

I searched to day for any cracking, or signs of corrosion on the beam ends, block fitting, can't see any.

I had a hidden crack in my rear beam
i can't recall what was blocking the view, but when the old chandlery guy took the beams off for some reason, and he saw some cracking. appernelty also not that uncommon on old hobie extrusions, esp ones that live in salt water and are ridden very hard and put up wet

I brought it to a welder who repaired the crack and was sailing that weekend. you may want to remove and inspect over the winter

If the blades are black with fibers showing, then they are likely original EPO rudders. A stock upgrade from the standard lexan blades. If they sat out in the sun for many years, the fibers will start to become exposed. You will definitely want to sand off any loose fibers and re-coat them with epoxy and/or paint to seal them back up. Otherwise, they are very good rudders.

The bale in the center of the rear beam is the tie-off point for the traveler. Traveler line goes through the cam cleat, through the center of the traveler car, and then through the hole in the bale and tied with a stopper knot. Be sure to have a stopper knot in the traveler line to also prevent the traveler car from going out to the end of the traveler track. If it does, the car can pop out of the cutout in the track.

There are upgraded anchor kits for the front crossbar and the shrouds. The original was just a bent piece of stainless channel with a hole through it that the anchor bolt passes trough. The upgraded anchor has four holes in the side for 1/4" bolts to pass through the hull. 1984 to 1986 hulls had issues with cracking at the hull/deck flange. If your boat is from this vintage, then you definitely want to install these upgraded plates.

I definitely agree that you should pull both crossbars off and inspect. The front crossbars have a tendency to crack near the mast step rivets. Look them over closely. If the boat was sailed in fresh water only, then it's probably OK.

sm

With wings you definitely want the upgraded anchor kit for the front crossbar. I think an '84 has them from the factory. If not get them. An '84 boat has the newer hulls that are not as strong as the earlier ones. Coleman took over around then and changed the way the hulls were made. Sounds like a great boat for the money.

--
Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
--

pknapp66

I think an '84 has them from the factory. If not get them.

An '84 would have come from the factory with the upgraded anchor plates at the shrouds, but not at the front crossbar. The crossbar upgrade did not come standard from the factory until a few years later. 1984 was right at the transition year when Hobie changed the hull layup process to reduce weight, so the boat may or may not be the lighter construction. You can pop open the deck port and look inside the hull where the deck is joined to the hull (will likely need a flashlight and mirror). If the glue that was used is red, then it is one of the lighter boats.

sm

Got the album to work.
http://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures?g2_itemId=120185
It's pretty grungy on the hulls, but I think it will clean up nicely. I took a rubber block & 400 grit wet/dry to a few spots. They came out pretty nice, it's not actually a white boat!
I appreciate all the suggestions, & anything else people might notice from the photos. I would sooner do pre-emptive work, based on others experience, rather than reinvent the wheel.

Quote

If the blades are black with fibers showing, then they are likely original EPO rudders.

If you go to the album & select max size, you can just see what looks like fibres.

Quote

There are upgraded anchor kits for the front crossbar and the shrouds.

Is this the upgrade? If so, should the bolts still be changed out?

Quote

The front crossbars have a tendency to crack near the mast step rivets.

There are no visible cracks on either side.

The front crossbar does not appear to have the upgraded anchor.

The rear traveler seems to run on one "ball",(left side) & one "slug", (hidden on the right). Is that normal?


What is the difference between the H18 SE, SX, & Magnum models?
I think the mainsail has "18SE" written on it in pencil, from the manufacturer. I see what looks like "SX" written on the underside of the tramp.
The mast measures 28'1".




Edited by Edchris177 on Nov 05, 2015 - 11:17 AM.

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

the ball and slug is normal. you can also run two slugs, i prefer ball and slug as it's easier to get in and out for repairs or changing the bearings. these wear down quick, i've had them pop out on me while sailing. you can purchase new ones at murrays.com, they call them the traveler "ball" and "cylinder".

i've always been under the impression those anchors under the rails of the hulls are for greater support for wings/shrouds, and came on the sx, but i could be mistaken. i'm pretty sure only the sx came with them and not the se. the sx has a longer mast, but you shouldn't have any major problems running an se sail. pretty sure the magnum is just an se with wings. se and magnum have a 28'-1" mast and sx has a 29'-7". you may have a bit of frankenstein on your hands.

as for cleaning rent a power washer. it'll be looking brand new real fast. be wary of power washing any soft spots on the hulls to powerfully. strip the tramps off, all of the lines, and power wash those too. i've done this with a number of hobies donated to the sailing program i run, and they come out looking like they just rolled out of mr. alters garage. good luck!

The rudders look like EPOs. You can clean them up with a little elbow grease and some relatively inexpensive materials. A quick overview of the process I've used - knock off loose fibers and scuff up the surface using 150 - 220 grit paper. Paint on a coat of epoxy resin (one side at a time). Sand down to a dull finish. Recoat with epoxy and repeat if necessary. Shoot with two coats of flat black spray paint. Wet sand up to 1500 grit.

Your boat also has the upgraded rudder castings.

You have the upgraded hull anchors on the shrouds. These should also be added to the front crossbar, especially if it is a red glue boat. The screws for the existing shroud plates do not need to be replaced, but you should check to make sure they're tight.

Your boat is an 18 magnum. The SX would have a longer mast (29'-6"). It would also have a comptip which your boat does not have, and SX wings (your boat has magnum wings).

The only other thing I would suggest would be changing out the access ports. Your boat has the original pop-in ports. I would switch these out for screw-in ports. The problem with the pop-in ports is that over time, the pull up/push down action required to install and remove them will eventually flex the deck to the point that it causes it to go soft.

sm

You got a great deal, the rudder castings alone are worth what you paid! And so are the wings!

The boat has some nice upgrades, someone was taking care of it once upon a time.

The mast step needs a new mast step bearing kit. The screw head should be above the plastic, it is digging into the mast base hinge.

http://www.murrays.com/01-4045.html

Agree with Dogboy on changing out the access ports to screw-in type.

--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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as for cleaning rent a power washer. it'll be looking brand new real fast. be wary of power washing any soft spots on the hulls to powerfully. strip the tramps off, all of the lines, and power wash those too.

I soaked all lines in a bucket of hot water & oxyclean overnight, then threw them in the wash, on HOT, again with more Oxyclean. Despite knowing better,(and not being able to locate the wife's' bra bags)I just tossed them in. They came out looking nearly new, but, looked like hangman's noose & spaghetti thrown against a wall. Took 1/2 hour to untangle.
I went over every inch of the hulls yesterday, there are zero soft spots. The high load/wear areas are all solid, probably due to no hard sailing. The lake it lived on since new is tiny,down in a hollow, it would never see waves/swells. I also confirmed it is not a "redline", the glue is black.
I have a gas washer, so went at it for over 3 hours yesterday. The tramps came out looking new. Took all the algae & dirt off the mesh & hiking straps. I don't think they are original, they are in to good of condition.
The boat took quite a bit of time. The worst is the non slip. Every small ridge blocks the spray, & leaves a very fine line of grunge. You have to go at it from all 4 directions to get it completely clean.
I also recommend a mechanics stool, with wheels. You need to be able to move along the hull, & precisely control the power wand, or you will eat the speed lines. By holding the wand a few inches from the end, you can strip within an 1/8" of the lines.
The boat came out looking very nice, though it left a stream of blue/white water running onto the lawn. Maybe the chinch bugs will eat it & die!
I was going to order a quart of heavy compounding solution, but I think 70% of the oxidation stripped off with the washer. I'm going to go with light compound/polish in the spring.
Added full size photos to the album.

What I thought was black anti skid is actually just grunge


Hulls totally cleaned. The tramps are hanging in the background, on the lightpole to dry.

For its age, the boat is fairly free of dings & dents.

Now parked in the backyard for the winter. I know it's not ideal, the trees are oaks, they don't tend to come down in storms.




Edited by Edchris177 on Nov 17, 2015 - 12:00 PM.

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

I removed the beams to check for corrosion,(and to make comounding/polishing easier) things look OK.
Can anyone shed light on this sticker, re, "new style beams".
Is the difference just black anodized vs the older "clear" beams?

This is the only crack I can find on the shroud anchors & front beam attach.
I've found 4 of the improved anchor plates to reinforce the front beam, & will add the internal glass tab in the spring.
From the anchor pin threads being the same diameter as the pin, and the pin being non magnetic, I'm pretty sure they are old style. When viewing under loupe, I see no sign of any cracks, but if $70 prevents a dismasting, I think I'll replace them.



--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

Hobie changed the design of the internal casting for the inboard crossbar bolts early on. I believe that is what the sticker refers to. Check around the inboard rivets for cracks, make sure the traveler dead eye is secure and not corroding the crossbar, make sure there are no cracks around the mast step, make sure the mast step is firmly riveted to the crossbar and the dolphin striker rod is tight.

sm

Boat is now completely disassembled. No cracks of any size were found in either beam. New hatches on order, along with a complete set of standing rigging. Still waiting for the front beam anchor plates to show up, though it may not get warm enough for epoxy work til spring.
In the meantime I decided I did not want to look at those chalky hulls sitting in the backyard all winter.
I wet sanded both hulls with 600 grit, to remove the worst of the oxidation. The good news is, oxidation is pretty soft, & comes off without much real work. The sides are easy, it's getting into all the small places that takes time. I removed all hardware except the gudgeons, which would have greatly simplified the sterns. Total time, around 5 hours.
Next, I hinted to my wife that #1 Daughter should get me a soft start/variable speed automotive polisher for Christmas, & further convinced everyone that we should open 1 gift each..., surprise, a polisher!
I spent another 2 hours with new polisher & Bass Pro Cleaner Wax with PTEF, using lambswool pad. Cleaner waxes have an ultra fine compounding added to the wax. BP brand is 1/2 the cost of Maquires/Mothers/StarBrite product, so I gave it a try. I used 2/3 of a 16 oz bottle to do the entire Cat.
It got rid of the swirls & shined things up, (though in hindsight I should have added an extra stage using either a straight medium, or fine compounding product)using lambswool pad. I can still see some oxidation in a few spots, the hull is not completely sky blue.
Finally I hand applied a 2nd coating of Star Brite Premium Marine Wax to only the left hull, buffed out with the Simoniz buffer I use on the cars. I only did the left hull so I can compare the two waxes longevity. I got the wax in a 16oz tub, as I find the tubs go further than the bottles. You actually use very little of the pure wax, this tub will do 10 Cats, maybe more.
The difference between now, & when I picked it up are dramatic. I would encourage anyone who buys a neglected Cat to consider restoration before painting, unless you want a totally different color.
These hulls were totally white,with copious grunge, showing none of the optional blue gelcote. I think the retro mid 80's color will look great when paired with the dark blue '84 Summer Games sails.
Before;

How they look today. These are dry hulls, on a heavy overcast day.;





--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

Not sure what epoxy work you're refering to, but the front crossbar brackets are just a drill and bolt on installation. If your boat had red glue hulls, or if there was cracking under the hull flanges then you would probably want to add some glass inside the hull. But based on what you've described, I would just install the upgraded plates and be done.

Otherwise, the hulls look very good. Nice job.

sm

Dramatic difference!! Great work, Ed!

--
Tim
81 Hobie 16
87 Nacra 5.7
Austin, TX
--

Quote

Not sure what epoxy work you're refering to, but the front crossbar brackets are just a drill and bolt on installation.

First, thanks for all the great advice/knowledge re the H18.
I was reading a bunch of threads on the H18 Forum, there seemed to be a problem with the early Redline boats, & those utilizing WINGS.
In one thread Matt Miller said, if you have wings, & the patch under the front beam was only the width of the beam, to fair the hull/deck joint with thickened epoxy, then add a patch appx 12" wide.
I understood this to mean all boats with wings, not just the Redline boats.
Are the boats with wings holding up with just the 4 screw anchor plates?
I'm not adverse to glass work, it looks pretty accessible with the hatch mounting ring removed, which I intend to do anyway in order to install the screw in covers. But if it really isn't needed, I won't bother. We are not heavy weights, but I foresee the odd time we would have guests that weigh in at the wing limit.

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Dramatic difference!! Great work, Ed!

Thanks, that was my first try at rejuvenating old fibreglass. I think I'll polish both Nacras in the spring, it isn't that much hard labour with the power tools.
I constantly see people here buy an old boat, & immediately want to paint. I'm thinking you have to do almost the same prep work before paint, if you want a good job. Might as well try a restore first.
When I first bought the boat I thought it was white. Apparently the colored hulls were an option. I test sanded a few small areas, then talked to a couple of auto detailers & a marine shop. They both told me to ditch the 400 grit & start with 600-800 or heavy compound, & to buy a decent power polisher.
The boat is in such good condition that I decided to restore it to original.
I wish I was in Texas, & could put it together & launch! We put things away a bit to early, last sail was Nov 8th, we could have been sailing this week too, with wetsuits & booties.

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

Edchris177

I was reading a bunch of threads on the H18 Forum, there seemed to be a problem with the early Redline boats, & those utilizing WINGS.

I know, I've added the patch to my boat (a red line) and I actually started a thread showing how I put the patch in.

http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=49780

The older boats were a heavier construction than the '85 red lines. It's your call. If you look under the hull flanges where the crossbars attach and there are no visible cracks, I probably would not worry about adding glass patches. If you want to do the job right, it is somewhat involved as you're working in a fairly tight space which makes grinding and sanding difficult. The tough part is grinding away the excess glue from the hull/deck seam. You need to grind the glue away and then create a fillet with thickened resin in the corner for the new glass to lay properly without any voids. When I did the job, I actually used several layers of 6oz carbon cloth and laminated it in in several steps. I would say the project will take at least a couple weekends between the prep work and the curing cycles. It's definitely easier if you have the hulls apart too.

sm

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I wish I was in Texas, & could put it together & launch! We put things away a bit to early, last sail was Nov 8th, we could have been sailing this week too, with wetsuits & booties.

We're pretty spoiled down here. It's supposed to be near 80 degrees tomorrow with 10-15 mph winds. The 5.7 is gonna get wet!

--
Tim
81 Hobie 16
87 Nacra 5.7
Austin, TX
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I'm in Tennessee and its going to be 75 deg with 14 mph winds... the boats are getting wet up here too



Edited by fxloop on Dec 10, 2015 - 09:50 PM.

--
Tim Grover
1996 Hobie Miracle 20
Two Hobie 14's
1983 G-Cat Restored
Memphis TN / North Mississippi
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I know, I've added the patch to my boat (a red line) and I actually started a thread showing how I put the patch in.

That is a very good write up. I actually came across it while perusing that forum on last weeks Hongkong layover.
I also saw threads regarding cracks & corrosion. I have now inspected everything, & found nary a crack, or hint of corrosion, the pro of a lightly used freshwater boat.
I have the boat completely apart, & built some stands that screw to the sawhorses, allowing me to rotate the hulls to any orientation.
With the hatch flanges out, access is not bad. I'll do the patch in the spring, but use FG vs Carbon.
I had the end cap off the boom yesterday, to clean/inspect/replace traveler bearing & bungee. All was good, just needed a cleanup, (except for the bungee). I had read about problem with the screws on the outhaul line cleat being seized, mine came out easily, looking like new.
Hobie used SS rivets on the end cap. The cap is under tension, & the flange holds all the loads, the rivets only keep it from falling out. Is there any downside to using AL rivets when I put it together?
Also the H18 manual calls for 7' of 1/4" bungee. From that, I assume it loops through the end of the traveler, then deadends at the two holes in those boom cleat clamps that reside inside the boom.
What do you use to prevent bungee from wearing through at the traveler? It seems that thin metal will wear it quickly.
Is there supposed to be some sort of thimble, or do you just replace it often?
Took the sails in yesterday to have them gone over. This is not my boat, but an identical one to mine, the sails are only a couple hundred numbers apart.




Edited by Edchris177 on Dec 19, 2015 - 04:36 PM.

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

The boom end cap is one of the few places on the boat where aluminum rivets are OK. As you noted, all the load is inboard so the rivets just keep the cap from falling off.

As long as there are no sharp edges, the bungee will be fine passing through the outhaul car as designed. It should last several years.

sm

Congrats on the boat and the progress.

Not sure what opportunity you have, but the BIGGEST thing I've learned since moving from a few years on a Hobie 18 to an F16 would be this: "Don't overcomplicate things" aka Keep it Simple..S..

Basically, and folks will almost universally agree, when the 18s were built they didn't know design limits for materials as well nor the loads they will encounter.... so more was better. So the boat is overbuilt. Fine, no problem. However, the down side can, and often is, more parts are used than necessary, which can lead to unnecessary weight (not a big deal), unnecessary complexity (could be an issue), and therefore multiple points of failure (definitely an area of concern).

Then the balance is simplicity AND convenience while sailing. Each sailor has to find their own mix.

That said, there are a LOT of things on the original H18 design which can be simplified or made more convenient (which may add complexity, but it's purposeful) by examining the rigging and layouts of more modern boats. I'm finding it real interesting.

Cheers - Rob.

An update on my progress.
We had a shi**y spring, along with Wifey wanting top floor of one house painted, interior trim/doors changed, so things got delayed.
Got the bottom wear strip done last week, along with the front beam interior patch to alleviate wing loading problems. Pressure tested the hulls, found one tiny leak in a dagger trunk, 1/2 way up, must have got a small rock caught at one point. It was an easy fix, good access through hatch.
Traveler, & outhaul have new parts installed, new Viking Marine hatches put in, & will assemble boat today, or tomorrow.
Speaking of hatches, am I the only one who wants to slap Viking Marine?
I ordered the H18 hatches,(from a Hobie dealer), & figured it would be a 10 minute job. Guess what...the damn rivet hole pattern does not match up with the old,(also Viking hatch). I tried rotating it, made no difference, had to drill new holes, right beside the old. This meant I had to epoxy small tabs under the perimeter
What were they thinking?

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

Don't know much about the Hobie brand, but I must congratulate on you bringing new life to an old boat...

With some of the new rides costing as much as my first house... well condo.... glad to see some of these yard queens getting a second chance...

--
John Schwartz
Ventura, CA
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Update.
I've had the 18 out a few times now, most of the kinks worked out, but I have a few questions.
Daggers- Hobie says 4' of 1/4" bungee. It seems near impossible to stretch the 2' length from the dagger through the deck lip hole, & have enough to tie a knot. Before I cut any, what do you guys use? (I was thinking a single strand of 5/16"). How much "pull" does one need to keep them in place?
I rigged using some old bungee. & stretched it with a piece of line, so tension is adjustable, just to get on the water.
I purchased some of that 3M strip dagger well liner. Where in the well do you use it, & how much?
Is it just at the front/rear, top/bottom edge, or a strip along the side?

Rudder kick up- I have one set pretty good, the other tends to let go at high speed. The spring adjust screws turn easy, to start with, then they get pretty stiff.
Should I take them out, drop the spring & clean? (The boat is sitting on a lift in the water, are there any plungers, or other parts that might fall out & disappear?)
It seems a large screwdriver won't fit up through the casting, a smaller one doesn't have the bite to turn the screw. Any tricks?

I did the reinforce patch back in May.

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The tough part is grinding away the excess glue from the hull/deck seam. You need to grind the glue away and then create a fillet with thickened resin in the corner for the new glass to lay properly without any voids.

Mine is a black glue boat. I found the glue to quite brittle. Rather than grind, I used a wood chisel, & a small hammer. It was VERY east to set the chisel right at glue edge, one or two taps & the excess broke of, almost like obsidian. It came off in large chunks which I shop vacced out.
I had the hatch fittings removed, (installed new screw in hatches), the extra room is so useful, I would remove the rings, even if installing the same hatches.

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--