Hey Guys,
I posted on the technical site, but I'm reposting here.

I want to get back into catting after 30+ years away.

I found a Hobie 16 only a mile from my house in Gaithersburg, MD.

It has been sitting for what looks like 2 years and needs to be power washed. Somebody used it and then just forgot about it. The battens have been in the sails, so there were some small tears on the mast side of the sail. The screws holding the plates at the bottom and top of the main sail have rotted away, but the sail beneath seemed in good shape. That's fairly minor, no?

I pressed down on the hulls with both hands and most of my weight and didn't feel any obvious soft spots. Is there a better way to test for this?

All the non metal rigging is rotten and needs to be replaced, but the stays and cleats and blocks were OK.

My main concern is the hulls. Can somebody advise me on the best test for them?

As near as I can tell, it's a mid 80s boat. It has a sticker on the trailer "'87 Fleet 32"

My feeling is that the bones of this boat are good and she's worth restoring to her original glory. But I'd like some second opinions.

Thanks Much!
Ron

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Yes, that's my real name
Hobie 16
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IMHO
really the best method i know of is your hands
walk around and touch every inch - push and tap and feel and listen

you are mostly feeling for the separation of the inner layer and outer layers and it may not feel like an entire area is soft. but you may actually find whole areas that are soft too

most likely spot of catastrophic failure seems to be in front of the front beam - and if someone put access ports in that spot - even more likely a spot for failure

IF it's been sitting for years and the running rigging is shot, the standing rigging is probably suspect and should be updated

same with the tramp - if it's shot that would be a few $100 more. add this all up before pulling the trigger. throw that in with some sail work to fix the holes - may be cheaper to find a boat in good repair with newer rigging

It was designed in the late '60's, surely there are better designs out there. Pete

Right in front of the crossbar and up to the tip of the bow is the most common place for soft spots on a Hobie 16. Also on the inside of the hull under the tramp (where you would stand to right the boat from a capsize). Tap the surface of the hull/deck firmly with your knuckle or a coin. It should have a sharp, crisp sound. If you hear a dull “thud” then there is likely delam. You can also press firmly with your palm. If you feel significant movement (more than 1/16” to 1/8”) or crunching, there is delam. Walk away.

The 1980’s were a transitional period for the Hobie 16 in terms of manufacturing process and quality. I probably wouldn’t consider an early 80’s boat unless it was in really good shape. Quality improved in the mid to late 80’s. So the specific year of manufacture is pretty important to know.

sm

Better is a subjective word. Are there more modern designs out there? Absolutely. There are a whole bunch of H16 one design racers that don't think anything is 'better' than a H16.

That said, I would not trade my F16 for one. Especially after a week of sailing last week. We did a lot of 2 up sailing on the F16. I thought this would be an area of suspect for the boat but I was very pleasantly surprised how well it sailed. Oh, did I say it only weighs 240#s? And I can rig the boat with all 3 sails in just under an hour or cat rigged in 20 minutes.

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dk

Blade F-16
Hobie 14
Corsair F-242
Mirage 25 (Sold)
Hobie Tiger (Sold)
Hobie Tiger (Sold)
TomCat 6.2 (Sold)
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I suspect that since the screws are corroded this is a salt water boat? That just means closer inspection and most likely replacing the standing rigging. Sounds like you have a handle on checking for soft spots, but as mentioned check the sides as well. They will flex some just should not be excessive or hear crunching.

There will be an HIN number on the transom near the top and the last two numbers signify the year.

Is the trailer in good shape? What is he asking for the boat? Great thing about the H16 is parts are everywhere and relatively cheap.

I am a big fan of modern boats and their technology. With that said I would never steer someone getting back into the game away from any of the vintage 16's be it Hobie, Prindle, etc. They are super easy to rig, relatively light, durable and simple with no boards to deal with. They are also cheap enough to easily resell when moving up. I have an old one at a friends place that I toss off the dock and sail like I stole it. Much fun.

Hopefully someone here is close enough so that they can take a look at it with you. There are lots of boats for sale so look around if this one does not feel right. I know close to home is tempting.

There is a wealth of knowledge here so ask questions.

Pete

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Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
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Thanks to all of you for your thoughtful answers.

The trailer is shot. Both wheels flat, I assume the bearings are wrecked and the springs are completely rusted. No idea if the lights work.

It’s been a while since I’ve dealt with trailers, so after consulting with a trailer guy it seems the boat is not even transportable in its current state.

The guy selling it inherited in with some property and is asking 2k for it. He knows absolutely nothing about boats. Less than me. I could offer him $500 or at top $1,000. (What are sails amd a hull with no rigging worth?) It’s going to be a lot of work and there are nice boats out there that are known quantities, have way better rigging, beach wheels, etc.

I’m thinking it’s probably not worth bothering with, which is too bad because the seller is half a mile from me.

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Yes, that's my real name
Hobie 16
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For $1k you can pick up a pretty decent H16. If you were in upstate NY, I know a guy trying to get rid of two of them.

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dk

Blade F-16
Hobie 14
Corsair F-242
Mirage 25 (Sold)
Hobie Tiger (Sold)
Hobie Tiger (Sold)
TomCat 6.2 (Sold)
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Hey dssaak,
Where in upstate? I have family up there and am on vacation, so if the boats have decent trailers, it's not too crazy an idea to grab one of them.
I'll PM you.

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Yes, that's my real name
Hobie 16
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We are in the Albany NY area. Lots of boats in the New England area. What type of sailing are you planning?
Lakes or coastal? What kind of winds do you normally see? Solo mostly or crew? Total crew weight?
Might want to adjust your target boat to conditions.

Pete

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Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
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My plan is to mainly sail recreationally on the Chesapeake and Delaware Atlantic coast.
Crew would be mainly my kids and me, with some occasional solo
I’m not much for light wind sailing, mainly because if I’m going to drive for 1 to 3 hours, I want to enjoy some speed. Winds here in the Mid-Atlantic are great.
I’m open to Nacras, Prindles, maybe even a Hobie 18, but I have experience with H16s, so they are sort of my default. My budget for this project is $3,500.
Does that help?

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Yes, that's my real name
Hobie 16
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At $2000 the seller is dreaming. $500 is probably too much.Is there a classified ad you can post?
By the time you get the trailer road worthy and the boat seaworthy, you'll be close to $2k. It adds up fast and it's a lot of labor.The advice the other members gave is good. You will need all new running and standing rigging. The rudder hardware will probably need replacing. If the tramp is rotted it will drop you in the water. If you were to take apart the tramp frame the rails would probably be corroded inside the castings. Sail repair is expensive. The trailer will rack up expenses quickly. Lights, harness, suspension, wheels, hubs, tongue
jack, mast support, winch, tie downs...it goes on. Are there transferable titles for the boat and trailer? I've been there!

There are A LOT of cats on the market right now.You're in a buyer's market right now! For$3,500 you should be able to get a real nice cat in tow/sail away condition. Preferably one that's sailing this season. I live in the DC Metro area PM me if you like. Start with the local Craig's List. Sailboatlistings.com is good.
Heck FB Marketplace turns up a cat sometimes.
The boat you have described will take a while to work up. Remember there is nothing so expensive as a free/cheap boat.
Here's a nice one.

https://washingtondc.crai…17-super/7161159083.html



Edited by gahamby on Jul 18, 2020 - 04:28 PM.

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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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I am guessing this is the one.

https://www.facebook.com/…e/item/2705665149675042/

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Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
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ACK! Now that's a weed cat! I might haul it away for a grand.
It looked so little like a Hobie I missed it when I searched earlier.



Edited by gahamby on Jul 18, 2020 - 08:11 PM.

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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
--

Pknapp66,
Yes, that is the one. And I don't know where the "2005" comes from. It is obviously an 80s boat.

gahamby,
Thanks for that. I'll PM you.

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Yes, that's my real name
Hobie 16
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Do not buy that Hobie!

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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
--

Worry not, my friend. I just messaged the seller telling him thanks but no thanks.

--
Yes, that's my real name
Hobie 16
--

Good call, If the seller hopes to market that boat, he needs to clean it up.

--
'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
--

Not to pull you away from a hobie 16. But there is Nacra F17 just listed in the classified section for $3,300. Since you solo at times it might be a good alternative. And I would think the load weighting would be better than a 16 for carrying passenger(s). More modern design with spinny. Just an option. And no, the boat for sale is not mine.

I found a very nice H17 with a good trailer and a genoa here in the DC area. It's the same boat that gahamby provided the link for in this thread (above).
I checked it out yesterday and was impressed.

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Yes, that's my real name
Hobie 16
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