Hi All,

Getting back into sailing, after a very long lay off. I'm looking at buying a second hand beach cat, possibly a Hobie 18 or similar. The Hobie 18 is appealing as it can take the family (Mrs and Master 9) on a good sail, or solo or two of us for a more adventurous sail.

What general pointers would you pass on when looking for/inspecting a pre-owned cat?

Cheers,

Johno

Quote

What to look out for in a Used boat

The Hobie 18 is a very well constructed boat however two common problem areas are soft spots in the Deck just in front of the rear cross bar where the skipper sits. Also be sure to inspect for cracking where the front crossbar attaches to the hull. If you are getting an excessive amount of water in the hulls, the most common point of entry is the dagger board trunk. Check the seal both at the top and the bottom. The area at the top is very often where you will find the problem. As with all Hobies, be sure and drain water out of the hulls after use, and leave the port off to allow humidity to escape. Used boats are generally priced in the $1000 to $3500 range depending on age, condition, and whether or not it has wings.

http://hobieclass.com/hobie-classes/hobie-18/

If there are soft spots in the hulls, can these be repaired easily or just avoid?

--
1335 XTSea Nacra 5.8 NA
605 Nacra 4.5
Cleveland Yacht Club
Brisbane, AU
--

Hobie 18’s went through some changes over the years with regard to the layup of the hulls. Early 80’s and before were pretty heavy and more prone to delamination. Probably best to avoid boats from that era at this point unless you find one that is in really good shape. Mid to late 80’s were lighter but had some problems because they were actually too light and the hulls could crack under the deck lips where the crossbars attach. Check under the hull flanges closely. Haiine cracks in the gelcoat are ok, but any significant cracking is a sign that the hulls are fatigued. There was also an upgraded stainless steel bracket introduced to reinforce the hull where the crossbars attach. Make sure the boat has these since they are no longer produced by Hobie and are difficult to find used. Late 80’s and onward, the hulls are still relatively light and reinforced where needed for strength, so pretty much no issues with those other than they’re hard to find due to low production volumes in the 90’s and on.

sm

On any of the older cats, the condition of the standing rig needs to be checked. I know of many that have never had the wire changed. If you need new rigging, it can add, but isn't a deal breaker. Any corrosion, cracks or loose wires are an indicator it is due. are a wear item. Again you may need to replace and account for that cost. Running rigging needs replaced if stiff, badly stained or worn. Sails are the most expensive component to replace with new. If sails are original, they may be serviceable, but the boat will be better with a refresh if you want to do anything beyond recreational sailing. A boat with newer sails is worth more.

Hulls are actually easy to assess. Wear, cracks, crazing and soft spots all show up pretty quickly. A boat with beach wheels is a huge bonus. Hobie 18 is a huge fleet and the history of their construction. Don't overlook the NACRA 5.7 (skeggs), 5.8 (centerboards) or even the 6.0 if you want to carry the family. What part of the country are you looking in?

--
Tom
NACRA 5.7 (1984 Sail 181)
Pennsylvania
--

When I bought my nacra 5.2 I looked my future purchase over for all the obvious weak links Hulls ,mast ,rigging,sails. don't discount how and where the seller is storing the boat. When I bought mine the cat was covered and stored in an old barn, other than dust it looked mint the sails and rigging very nicely stored in a separate building away from rodents and sun also looked great this just shows you someone put in some effort which translates into confidence that the rest of the cat is probobly in great shape also.
My 2 cents

johnoau

Hi All,

Getting back into sailing, after a very long lay off. I'm looking at buying a second hand beach cat, possibly a Hobie 18 or similar. The Hobie 18 is appealing as it can take the family (Mrs and Master 9) on a good sail, or solo or two of us for a more adventurous sail.

What general pointers would you pass on when looking for/inspecting a pre-owned cat?

Cheers,

Johno

Quote

What to look out for in a Used boat

The Hobie 18 is a very well constructed boat however two common problem areas are soft spots in the Deck just in front of the rear cross bar where the skipper sits. Also be sure to inspect for cracking where the front crossbar attaches to the hull. If you are getting an excessive amount of water in the hulls, the most common point of entry is the dagger board trunk. Check the seal both at the top and the bottom. The area at the top is very often where you will find the problem. As with all Hobies, be sure and drain water out of the hulls after use, and leave the port off to allow humidity to escape. Used boats are generally priced in the $1000 to $3500 range depending on age, condition, and whether or not it has wings.

http://hobieclass.com/hobie-classes/hobie-18/

If there are soft spots in the hulls, can these be repaired easily or just avoid?

Regarding the delamination right where the skipper sits, I had this very same issue on a Hobie 18 that I picked up many years ago for $100. The method of injecting epoxy is not meant for large areas, but having only paid a buck for the boat, I figured I would roll the dice and fix this area which was over 2 ft in length. I documented the process with photos, but never did a write up. Basically, I drilled holes every two inches and started injecting epoxy, covering the holes with masking tape as epoxy started to exit them. The only issue is that the deck became so hot I literally thought it might ignite.

I sailed the boat for 10 years. One point is that the issue arose in other areas of the boat, which I repaired, but finally decided it was too much. Found replacement hulls for free, and cut up the old ones.

The point is that if you find a really cheap boat with this issue, the repair can work quite well. But just know that delamation will probably continue, so you have to keep an eye on it.

Photos of repair are below. Sorry, but you'll need to click on each one to view:

http://www.catsail.com/projects/delam/

--
Bill Mattson
Prindle 19 "Gelli Bean"
Prindle 19 "Cat's Pajamas"
Nacra 5.2 (Will sail her a bit and let her name herself)
--

sails, everything else, and sails

Thanks for the helpful replies all. Definitely not excluding the NACRA's, if the right boat comes up for the right price, I'll jump on it. Based in Queensland Australia.

--
1335 XTSea Nacra 5.8 NA
605 Nacra 4.5
Cleveland Yacht Club
Brisbane, AU
--

Found this article, i assume most of it is relevant to any pre-owned cat https://funtosail.blogspot.com/2015/10/hobie-16-blue-book.html

--
1335 XTSea Nacra 5.8 NA
605 Nacra 4.5
Cleveland Yacht Club
Brisbane, AU
--

johnoau

Based in Queensland Australia.

Note that my comments on the history of the hull construction of the H18 were based on boats manufactured in the US. Not sure how the Australian manufactured boats compared.

The other big thing to check on these boats (really any beach cat) is the presence of corrosion and cracking on the crossbars especially if the boat was used in salt water. Unfortunately a full inspection requires disassembling the boat which may not be feasible before purchasing. The 18 crossbars have a tendency to crack by the mast step on the front crossbar and heavily corrode on the rear crossbar where the inboard bolts pass through.

sm

I don't know the H-18 well, but generally feel the hulls for soft spots. Check the bottom of the centerboard trunks. My Nacras had huge problems with the trunks. Look around the crossbeam attachments for spider cracks, especially if the area or the boat has been recently painted. Typical thing of checking the edges of the boards and rudders for any delamination. Press on the deck for soft spots. Don't be shy in bringing a small rubber mallet (not black as it can leave marks) to tap the hulls for delamination. On the rigging, check on the swage fittings for rust. Rust is a easy telltale sign for cracks. Hold the fitting and move the wire back and forth to look for broken stands that may be hiding at the fitting. Check the wire for heavy rust. Check the furler assemblies. For sails, the main thing to check are the corners; headboard, tack board and clew board. If these are not maintained, they corrode out pretty easily. Check the batten caps. Look for missing screws or broken caps. I would recommend pulling each batten out and check for straightness. Check all the fittings that are attached to the crossbeams; look for corrosion especially with stainless and aluminum mixing. Check the dolphin striker assembly. So, basically act as if you are going to pull the boat completely apart. And after you buy one, I would recommend pulling the entire boat completely apart. This way you know the exact condition and the age of parts. It can be a lot of work, but it can save ya if some damage is hidden.

--
Scott

Prindle Fleet 2
TCDYC

Prindle 18-2 Mod "FrankenKitty"
Tornado Classic "Fast Furniture"
Prindle 19 "Mr. Wiggly"
Nacra 5.8 "De ja vu"
Nacra 5.0
Nacra 5.8
Tornadoes (Reg White)
--

It sounds to me you're more likely to be a recreational sailor so why fool with centerboards and dagger boards. We all agree they can be a source of problems in older boats. The little bit you loose in going to weather would be worth the trade off. There's a nice looking Prindle 18-1 on Craigslist in Ft. Lauderdale. And don't forget Nacra 5.7/570.

--
Bill Townsend
G-Cat 5.0
Sarasota
--

I just saw you were based in Queensland. The Prindle I mentioned is a little far!

--
Bill Townsend
G-Cat 5.0
Sarasota
--

Quote

Hobie 18 approx 2000 model with broken rudder for sale. Good tralier , hulls , sails , everything in good condition except broken rudder and rudder casting on one side. Comes with all the gear too. There is two trapezes and one harness.

This has come up for 2k (AUD), any thoughts/opinions, obviously it's had a repaired soft spot, which he's repaired by injected resin and then covering.

--
1335 XTSea Nacra 5.8 NA
605 Nacra 4.5
Cleveland Yacht Club
Brisbane, AU
--

Bought a Nacra 5.8, now to test out rigging it and then some righting drills, I'm a little EXCITED!!

johnoau

Bought a Nacra 5.8, now to test out rigging it and then some righting drills, I'm a little EXCITED!!

Awesome.. I have had two of them. Great boats.. Do check the inside back of the centerboard trunks for wear and potential leaks. A buddy had a 5.8 and together we had 4 sets of boards, all different cord widths. Racing, we picked what set of boards we wanted for the wind.

Look forward to seeing your experiences posted.

--
Scott

Prindle Fleet 2
TCDYC

Prindle 18-2 Mod "FrankenKitty"
Tornado Classic "Fast Furniture"
Prindle 19 "Mr. Wiggly"
Nacra 5.8 "De ja vu"
Nacra 5.0
Nacra 5.8
Tornadoes (Reg White)
--