After almost driving to Michigan for a Mystere 6.0 XL, looking at a project Hobie 21SE in Houston, agreeing on price to buy a SuperCat 20 in Austin, and all three deals falling through for one reason or another I found a Prindle 18 two streets over that's in decent shape for $400 bucks. Needless to say, I am the new owner of a Prindle 18. Thanks for all the help you guys willingly or, more often unknowingly gave me.

See you guys around!

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Hobie Getaway
Prindle 18 - Sold
South Padre Island, TX
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Is this the one that needed a jib & new tramp ? Pete

Yep, but the tramp looks pretty good after giving it a bath. I am interested in that jib though.

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Hobie Getaway
Prindle 18 - Sold
South Padre Island, TX
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Email me @ pbegle@charter.net

Sent, and you weren't lying about using clr. I gave the boat a scrub with water and a brush, then wipped down with clr and it really started to shine. I got one heck of a deal

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Hobie Getaway
Prindle 18 - Sold
South Padre Island, TX
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Chump Two-Three

You got a great boat... the Prindle 18 was my first cat and I have come full circle back to it after owning many other boats.... If there was a Beachcat Hall of Fame, I would say the first two inductees would be the Prindle 18 and the Hobie 16 And, I have the same colors... white hulls and yellow tops....

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John Schwartz
Ventura, CA
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Thanks! I'm looking forward to getting it on the water this weekend. I just bought a used jib from Pete. It was the only thing lacking on the boat.

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Hobie Getaway
Prindle 18 - Sold
South Padre Island, TX
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I finally got the boat on the water last weekend. I told my non-sailor friend and crew for the day that it would either be a disaster or really fun. Turns out it was mostly a bit of both.

First time raising the mast, and bent one of the pins in the mast bracket. Crew lost a shackle pin, then took about 15 tries (not exaggerating!) to shackle the bow tangs and forestay. Put the boat in the water, raised the main only to find out it wouldn't raise all the way. So, we tied it off and put out anyway. The access to/from the marina is very narrow and the wind was plowing nearly dead on (prevailing wind should be fine, just odd day for September). After trying to tack upwind a couple of times, my crew and I not being on the same page (he didn't understand what I was asking him to do, my fault), and running into both a dock and sea wall, I decided to jump overboard and walk the boat out of the marina. Once out I quickly realized the main sheet was run incorrectly (I assumed it was correct, and you know what they say), but it was serviceable. So we sailed around (limping is more the correct term) with the main about 2' to low, a jib sheet the was too short, one rudder that was difficult to keep down, and a screwed up main sheet for about an hour.

After an hour we needed to head in (Aggies were playing UCLA at 2:30). Knowing we would be headed straight downwind into a small narrow marina, I pulled up to the entrance, dropped the main, and walked her back to the boat ramp. Fortunately, getting her out and broke down was much faster/easier. All in all it was a good morning with A LOT learned! I have replaced the missing shackle pin, bought extras, replaced the jib sheet, rerun the main sheet, and worked on the rudders. I still need to take a look at the mast head to see what its deal was, but I imagine the next time I get out on the water things will go much more smoothly.

Oh, I also had very little water in the starboard hull, none in the port, an old trampoline that supported over 400 lbs without issue, and no damage to the boat or people!

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Hobie Getaway
Prindle 18 - Sold
South Padre Island, TX
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Wow, that sounds almost about like what my second day of sailing was like, only I didn't break anything and I was solo. I launched from a small cove and got out fine, but getting back in, I ended up walking the boat along the shore until the small channel I needed to cross got deeper, then I sailed very slowly to the make shift boat ramp lake access I was launching from. Thank goodness for beach wheels. Good thing I practiced for about a month in my back yard before setting sail for real.

Sounds like an adventure for sure.

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Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
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Yeah, during the summer jumping in to walk the boat is no big deal, but come winter I won't be so excited about it. The adventure is what makes it fun though.

Oh, like you mentioned in your thread, this was MY first time sailing in about 15 years. I can't believe it took me this long to get a catamaran! I've wanted one since my first sail about 20 years ago.

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Hobie Getaway
Prindle 18 - Sold
South Padre Island, TX
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I was launching the NACRA 5.7 stern first from the beach with wheels under the bows. I walked around back, and lifted to let the boat roll into the water, thinking I would just set it down, and walk around to the bow to launch. Nope! My wife thought she should help by pushing the boat, so it pushed me into deep water and ran over me.

After my swim, I could only laugh. It's what makes sailing fun.

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Tom
NACRA 5.7 (1984 Sail 181)
Pennsylvania
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Tom, has she recently taken out a new life insurance policy on you? Watch out man!

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Tim
Collierville (Memphis), TN
Supercat 15--sold :(
Hobie monocat--given
Vanguard 15--traded for...
Nacra 4.5--sold
Nacra 5.7
Hobie 14–sold to make room for...
Supercat 17–sold
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Yup been run over by my boat on a few occasions. Normally by myself though without help. The dolphinstriker isn't just for Dolphins. I think I've broken something on all my boats the first or second time out. Sounds like you made out pretty good.



Edited by Wolfman on Sep 08, 2016 - 12:28 AM.

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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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I almost took out my kids play structure trying to step the mast the first time when I first bought my p16

LOL, I almost took out our basketball goal with the mast while moving the boat on the trailer.

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Hobie Getaway
Prindle 18 - Sold
South Padre Island, TX
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So, here is my newest story. I had wanted to try to put the boat in the bay on some flats just outside of town, unfortunately it had recently rained and the road was a bog. I have 4x4, but didn't want to drag my trailer through that mess. So we headed to the local marina. Being a Saturday, there was lots of local bay boat traffic on the ramp, and after we had the boat rigged I still had to wait my turn. Once in the water, I raised the main and we had favorable winds this time for an easy sail out. Once in deeper water I was able to lock the rudders down, and off we went! Sailed great nearly flying the hull without really trying for about 20 mins.

Then we heard a loud pop! I turned upwind an we looked over the boat to see what it was. It appeared the forestay had snapped, and the mast was being held up by the jib. (Thanks again for that jib, Pete) I immediately dropped the main to lighten the load, then climbed out on the front and tied a second line between the jib grommet and the bridle wires to add a little reinforcement to the tiny line holding up my mast. I had to jump overboard and physically tack the boat and head back to the marina. We slowly putted back in trying to keep the mast from banging back and forth in the swells. We also need to head up wind a bit, but without the main and all the wind force being applied to the jib it was very difficult. Ultimately, we limped in without issue, pulled the boat out of the water, and noticed the forestay hadn't snapped, the turnbuckle had simply come lose and unthreaded. Another adventure/learning experience on the water. I think I may have all the bugs worked out next time I head out. I hope.

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Hobie Getaway
Prindle 18 - Sold
South Padre Island, TX
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Sounds like you are learning a lot on those sailing adventures for sure. I haven't been out since Labor Day, waiting for the lake water level to drop a bit more so that I will have some beach to land on instead of having to moor away from concrete sea walls. Hope your next sail is nothing but waves, wind, and fun!!!!! Happy Sailing!!!!

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Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
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Just to keep all my stories in one place. I just finished installing new leaf springs, hangers, hubs, fenders, and lights to my trailer. I noticed the previous owner had used 3 hose clamps to keep the leaf springs in place after the bolts holding them to the trailer had completely rusted through! Needless to say, some serious work was in order. Most of the hardware on the trailer came apart in rust flakes when a wrench was applied, or I had to grind them off.

So, with a fresh trailer and new standing rigging, I am ready for the season. Now if the wind would just die down a bit. 25-30 mph is a bit much yet.

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Hobie Getaway
Prindle 18 - Sold
South Padre Island, TX
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I think you will love this boat the P18 is awesome. A few hiccups and adventures but you'll get it down. They are like a tank on rocky beaches as well just drag em on up. I had an accident on the freeway a few years ago and drug one hull of a P16 about a 100 yards down the freeway. I though it would be toast. Turns out it barely even removed any glass. I had about a 1/8 - flat spot on the bottom. Took some minor side hull damage. we slapped some duct tape over it and sail the whole weekend with no trouble.

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Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association
1982 Prindle 18
1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook.
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