I just picked up a 70s 18’ Alpha/Hobie cat for a friend. The front crossbar is not really secured and can slide side to side, well it slid too hard and punched the hull... I can do Fiberglas work and fix it, but my question is how do I prevent this and how is it supposed to be secured?



I put the zip ties on after to keep the pole from sliding down during transport.

i have hauled my Hobie 18 all over wisconsin,, just flat on the trailer. never saw a need to tilt it up like this. My mirrors work better off the sides of the blazer than up and down.
To your situation though, either secure the cross bars on the trailer or reinforce the hulls, i guess. Or,, maybe a (wooden?) spacer between the hulls, then, clamp crossbars to the spacers would be easiest, most effective. i can see here that almost anything to the trailer would still allow too much side-side movement.

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1978 H18
1983 H18 (some of it)
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i have hauled my Hobie 18 all over wisconsin,, just flat on the trailer. never saw a need to tilt it up like this. My mirrors work better off the sides of the blazer than up and down.
To your situation though, either secure the cross bars on the trailer or reinforce the hulls, i guess. Or,, maybe a (wooden?) spacer between the hulls, then, clamp crossbars to the spacers would be easiest, most effective. i can see here that almost anything to the trailer would still allow too much side-side movement.

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1978 H18
1983 H18 (some of it)
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Your cat is an Alpha Cat 18 with a 10 foot wide beam. Referring to it as a Hobie in generic terms just confuses people. It possibly had a front trampoline held up by the front crossbar, but it looks like you will have to remove the hull to properly assess the damage and effect repairs. If the blue decking can be pried off, you may need to do this as well.



Edited by klozhald on Jun 14, 2019 - 03:04 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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thanks for clarifying that.... i have had my hobies but not active enough to know all about other cats well. I can see where a 10ft beam is problematic.

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1978 H18
1983 H18 (some of it)
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raisehull

i have hauled my Hobie 18 all over wisconsin,, just flat on the trailer. never saw a need to tilt it up like this. My mirrors work better off the sides of the blazer than up and down.
To your situation though, either secure the cross bars on the trailer or reinforce the hulls, i guess. Or,, maybe a (wooden?) spacer between the hulls, then, clamp crossbars to the spacers would be easiest, most effective. i can see here that almost anything to the trailer would still allow too much side-side movement.

Ya, a 10' beam makes it 6" too wide and would require a wide load permit. I was thinking some kind of brace or something that would keep it from moving that presses on the inside hulls of each pontoon?

klozhald

Your cat is an Alpha Cat 18 with a 10 foot wide beam. Referring to it as a Hobie in generic terms just confuses people. It possibly had a front trampoline held up by the front crossbar, but it looks like you will have to remove the hull to properly assess the damage and effect repairs. If the blue decking can be pried off, you may need to do this as well.Edited by klozhald on Jun 14, 2019 - 03:04 PM.

Other pictures of these boats (and the manual) do not show a front trampoline. The blue is just non skid type of paint. The manual does not really show enough detail to answer the question. While sailing it doesent seem to be an issue...its just odd its free to move line that. Other cats ive had, like a prindle 18, is just some metal eyes that are screwed into the hulls that the forestay wires go down to. I would expect a beam like this to be fiberglassed into the hulls more.

Quote

Ya, a 10' beam makes it 6" too wide and would require a wide load permit.

legal dimensions are 8'.5"
you are 18" too wide -