Just bought a cheap ($400) Hobie 16. It's mostly complete but missing some parts on the traveller and needs some new lines. The tops of the hulls are a little soft. I plan to sail this while I get my SC17 going.


--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

That looks like a low sail number. How old is that H16?

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

gahamby

That looks like a low sail number. How old is that H16?

According to the title, 1977.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

We got our trailer registered. It has a few issues:
1) the crossmembers that hold up the hulls are bent. The story was that some kids were using the trampoline as a trampoline and bent them. We need to straighten those, de-rust them, and paint them.
2) One of the leaf springs was busted. Two new ones are on the way. It seems that leaf springs are all about 25" these days, but the old ones were 32". We'll need to modify the spring mount a bit.
3) all the electrical stuff was trashed, but the trailer came with a new set of LED lights and harness we can install. We had to buy marker lights.
4) The trailer was a little rusty. We have cleaned up the main part of the trailer and the axle so far. Here is the paint job drying:


The boat has a few issues. We are missing the downhaul. The cheek block for the jib halyard is trashed - the plastic disintegrated. The traveler car seems to be missing some parts. The bullseye fairlead for the traveler cleat is missing - probably disintegrated. The lines are somewhat fossilized. There are a couple of soft spots on the tops of the hulls.



Edited by waiex191 on May 19, 2021 - 12:32 AM.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

Is the V tail in the background a Beech Bonanza?

--
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

Is the V tail in the background a Beech Bonanza?

Nope! It's a Sonex Waiex. I've been building it with my son for the last 7+ years. We are done building and down to the paperwork.
First engine start last weekend:
https://youtu.be/uHAaI3cqUjw

Here is the kit company - Sonex in Oshkosh, WI.
https://www.sonexaircraft.com/

They are on the B model now, mine is a classic A model.



Edited by waiex191 on May 19, 2021 - 12:23 PM.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

I thought it looked small for a Bonanza, but there's not many designs with the V tail. Enjoy, been many years since I flew light pistons. My current ride, (certainly not owned by myself), is the Triple 7

--
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
--

We had a lot of ATPs in the glider clubs I used to belong in. It seemed like a common way for the pros to reconnect with the joys of simple flying. Interestingly enough, we also had a lot of sailors in the glider clubs. Soaring and sailing are very analogous to each other.

I've also not flown light piston (or anything!) in almost 8 years - between family and building the airplane that got put on the back burner. I am going to schedule my flight review for this weekend or next and start building proficiency again. I've got some test flying in my future.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

We are still rebuilding the trailer. New hub seals and wheel studs are on the way. I found on one hub the wheel studs were worn halfway through, as though the wheel had been loose a long time. I know I could buy new hubs for $30 each, but they would be made in china. My made in Japan bearings looked like they were in good shape.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

I took off one of the rollers yesterday so I could straighten, clean off, and paint the bracket. After I straightened it, I noticed a crack in the corner. I checked and two others were cracked, and one had been welded. That is the problem with any project on old junk - the proverbial can of worms. We also bought marker lights for the back from Amazon. There were only remnants on the trailer and the SC17 trailer has none. We bought these little 3/4" lights and they are awesome. Needs an 11/16" hole to install properly.
https://www.amazon.com/dp…yo2_dt_b_product_details

One of my sailor co-workers told me about Cajun Rope. Prices seem very reasonable.
https://www.cajunrope.com…e_Shipping%E2%80%8B.html

The jib sheet is broken - I am pretty sure all lines are due for replacement.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

I often hear that "there is nothing more expensive than a free sailboat" and other advice to spend the money to get something good out of the gate. I think there is a lot of truth there. Our trailer project has spiraled out of control a bit. The new studs were spinning in the old hubs. We welded them on but I elected to buy new hubs anyway, especially when some weld spatter landed on the races. Whoops. We have moved the leaf spring brackets and located new holes in the spring mounts. I've ordered all the lines except for batten ties. I need to make a parts list for the boat and get that stuff on order. Summer is coming.

Here is the welding of the cracked roller brackets happening. You can see we have straightened, cleaned, and primed the spreaders. Also the front of the trailer has been cleaned and painted. We are probably about $170 extra into the trailer so far.




Edited by waiex191 on May 26, 2021 - 03:29 PM.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

Hey-keep it up and keep posting. My cup of tea. I ended up building new triple rollers, only now I have to re-build them because they don't balance right. Yeah, it may be equal or a little less to build in the end, but you learn and are self-sufficient. And that, my friend is American, apple pie and sailing.

Good stuff!

--
Chuck C
NACRA 500 Mk2
--

Thanks Chuck. We finished our trailer over the weekend. New springs, hubs, lights, wiring, and of course paint. With the shorter springs and moving the axle all the way forward we have positive tongue weight, but it is not excessive like it was before. We did a test run to 70 mph with the boat on and it was good.


New lines and new parts from Murrays are on the way. Hope to have this on the water for Father's day.



Edited by waiex191 on Jun 01, 2021 - 01:15 PM.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

I'm putting the igloo beer coolers aside for a bit and trying to get the H16 lakeworthy by Father's day. My lines from Cajun Rope came today. They look good. Hoping the trampoline will last for this season anyway. It's not great. We took off the Home Depot lacing that was on it.


Also you can see in the picture I bought a $20 harbor freight bumper mount 2" receiver. I'm going to put in a rear mast support that plugs into the receiver. I'll show more pictures later when that is done.

We pulled off the rudders and it looks like I need at least one rudder cam. I'm going to buy the 2 pack from Murray's and just refresh them both, even though only one is broken. We also pulled out the drain plug and the gudgeon. Here is probably the most serious problem with the boat:


There is some fiberglassing in my near future.



Edited by waiex191 on Jun 07, 2021 - 06:34 PM.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

Ouchy! Took a hit, but it's glass and can be fixed. It's not manly, but a loofa sponge, the synthetic kind is pretty good for getting fiberglass out of the skin... Of course, dressing for the occasion is better...

--
Chuck C
NACRA 500 Mk2
--

I'll be dressing for the occasion and using the shop vacuum while I sand. That's a trick I learned from the finest composite technicians at Sikorsky Aircraft.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

Tonight Adam put new tires on the spare rims for the trailer. I did a bunch of welding and fabricating for the aft mast support, and we sanded out the cracks in the transom:


Looks pretty ugly. The wood behind the transom has been wet. At some point this will need a bigger restoration than I'm currently doing.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

For getting glass out of skin, I like masking tape. Pat it on the affected spot and peel it off. Tape, peel repeat.
When I put a stern mast support on my trailer, I set the height off the ground with the mast pinned to the base and the mast head on an 8'-0" stepladder. That gave it a nice angle for raising. It also stores the mast nicely for tarping during winter storage.Makes a nice tent, sheds the snow. If I had it to do over I'd add a foot the height so I stop banging my head. Yeah Hobie and their wood reinforced sterns! Eff that!

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

We did a couple of layups in there, then I made flox by mixing resin with chopped glass and sawdust. Jammed it in, sanded down when it was cured.


Unfortunately I'm missing some battens - two for the main and two for the jib. That's the #5 & #6 I need for the main, and the #3 and #4 for the jib.

gahamby, good ideas on the aft mast support. Unfortunately I'd already welded it up. Also I'd like to be able to use my truck to pull it, and the mast needs to go high to clear the topper. I also keep my boats inside.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

My front mast support is quite tall. Puts the base almost 8-0 off the ground in trail/storage position. This clears the top of my camper van. I do have to mind driveway dips.



Edited by gahamby on Jun 13, 2021 - 04:02 PM.

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

https://www.sportsmobilef…ms1165-picture37144.html


It ends up like this.



Edited by gahamby on Jun 13, 2021 - 03:18 PM.

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

Thanks gahamby, looks good.

I've sewn on one hiking strap. About to do the other.


The original hiking straps were rotten. The tramp is not great, it is pretty stiff. I'll make a new one another time.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

I had to do the same with the tramp on my H14T. That tramp was stiff but held up well.

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

Thanks gahamby, good to know.

Here are my new hiking straps. I'm lacing on the tramp. My first time doing this.


--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

I like the hitch receiver trick for the after mast support.

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

gahamby

I like the hitch receiver trick for the after mast support.

Thanks! That idea made for less fabrication.

We drilled off the old cheek block and riveted the new one on last night.


I've also got the tramp all laced on and have stuck my feet through the hiking straps for the first time. They seem good.

We had lost one of the gudgeon screws and I didn't have a replacement in my collection. We drove over to the EAA hangar to check the hardware stock there, and discovered they are 12-24 threads. I never heard of that before. Ordered a 10 pack on Amazon, drove back to our hangar, and found the screw.

This old cat has aluminum rudder pivots and steel gudgeons. I ordered up a 12 pack of aluminum rod, 12" long. Last night we also cut down a couple to 8" and drilled holes in the end for cotter pins.

I bought a new Seasense rope cutter from Amazon for about $30. It works well though I stripped out one of the element holding screws and had to fix it. We cut our ratchet straps to length and trimmed the tramp laces with it.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

Quote

Ordered a 10 pack on Amazon, drove back to our hangar, and found the screw.

: )



Edited by MN3 on Jun 17, 2021 - 11:18 AM.

I'm working on getting the rigging set up again. We had used some Home Depot rope temporarily to pull the halyards down and I removed that crap put the new Cajun lines on. Also putting the stays back on. Question, my mast tang only has one hole. The owner's manual is newer than my boat and shows a larger tang with two holes. Is it ok to just use the one hole for stays and trap wires?


Should I/can I upgrade the mast tang to the newer one? I think my mast is a little dented underneath the mast tang.

Also the recommended halyard rope lengths have a lot of line that goes well beyond the bottom of the mast. Is there a reason for this? It seems the longer the line the more you have to stow somehow when sailing. But, too short and it's probably hard to get a hold of when the mast is stepped. Any wisdom that somebody can impart regarding line length?



Edited by waiex191 on Jun 17, 2021 - 02:30 PM.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

These are the tools i made for tighte4ning the tramp. 3/16" stainless steel rod with a hand-sized bend on one ens and a hook for the lacing on the other. 3 diff lengths so you can switch to shorter hooks as you work from front to back.

--
1978 H18
1983 H18 (some of it)
--

raisehull

These are the tools i made for tighte4ning the tramp. 3/16" stainless steel rod with a hand-sized bend on one ens and a hook for the lacing on the other. 3 diff lengths so you can switch to shorter hooks as you work from front to back.

Looks like that link isn't shared - I can't open it.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

Hey, measure the width of the mast, Bryan. I have an extra Hobie hound that looks pretty new, I think. Just need some dimensions. Make absolutely certain you use at least sealed stainless rivets, if not monel rivets. But, to be honest I've never found a primary source for monel rivets... Let me know.

--
Chuck C
NACRA 500 Mk2
--

Don't bother changing the mast hound (tang) for the sole reason of getting one with two holes. Two holes are so you can have your trapeze wires on a separate shackle above the shrouds. If you feel the original is strong enough you can still make it work, just put the trap wires on last, if the eyes are too small, get two small shackles to go on each side of the big one. The main thing is to keep the wires from wearing each other when you are trapezing. Remember the mast will be rotated when you are sailing and that helps keep everything up there that's loaded apart. The halyard length should not be any longer than what you absolutely need regardless of what the manual says. If having all that extra line when the sails are up bothers you cut them in half, connect them with sister clips and after you hoist your sails remove them.

--
Bill Townsend
G-Cat 5.0
Sarasota
--

Thanks for the replies, guys. Chuck I'll measure my width but probably will not rush to change out the hound.

We got a lot done tonight. We figured out and installed the outhaul, downhaul, main sheet, and traveler. The gooseneck was all screwed up. See picture. I looked at the manual and figured out that the part that was pinned to the gooseneck swivel should actually go to the tack.


The way the gooseneck was put together, all the downhaul forces would go through a cotter pin. That seemed sketchy to me - what is the normal setup? I ended up using an AN4 bolt and an all-metal lock nut. I have lots of airplane hardware.

I have to figure out what length I need my main sheet. I have a 5:1 with the two pulleys on the boom. I'm intending to use the end of the main sheet for the traveler.

We also got our rudders and tiller on. When we got the boat the left and right tillers were swapped. We put new rudder cams on but keep getting the starboard side stuck in the locked position. We could use some advice on what we are doing wrong.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

Grease - need to grease the cams. I don't know if the 16's have the same screw to tighten the spring loaded ball, but if it's jammed too tight that may affect it, though not as much as the part in the tiller that grabs the cam (forget what it's called), but it's adjustable and could be too far forward...if it's close to the same as other Hobies.

--
Chuck C
NACRA 500 Mk2
--

charlescarlis

Grease - need to grease the cams. I don't know if the 16's have the same screw to tighten the spring loaded ball, but if it's jammed too tight that may affect it, though not as much as the part in the tiller that grabs the cam (forget what it's called), but it's adjustable and could be too far forward...if it's close to the same as other Hobies.

Thanks - we will grease them. I assume a plastic safe silicon type grease is good, like used on brake systems. Or is something else preferred?
My only adjustment is the preload on the spring loaded ball.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

Yeah I use Superlube, but only because I've got it but actually with Delrin (I think it is), I think you're good with most anything you stick your hands on. I thought marine grease was recommended by Hobie, so i wouldn't stress. Think you'll kill the cams before they dissolve.

--
Chuck C
NACRA 500 Mk2
--

Jib halyard cheek block: Usually folks just bust off the damaged sheave (so it doesn't chew up line) and use as is with a little more friction. Uncommon to find a older used mast with any sheave at all!

I always figured the #12 gudgeon screw thing was to boost part sales! Good news is that, if you strip the hole, it's easily tapped to 1/4 " and those screws are readily available.

I also make my own aluminum rudder pins from hardware store stock.

As long as the hole isn't worn excessively, the one hole mast tang will work fine. Most common issue is that the thimbles for the trap wires can get bound up pointing skyward (which can happen with the three hole tang as well). If you make sure they are pointing the right direction just before raising the mast you'll be good.

For storage, it's common to run the free ends of the halyard lines down around the horn cleat, up through the halyard shackle, then back down to the horn cleat with a few wraps and hitches. That might account for the extra lengths.

Interesting gooseneck! Do you have the vertex (Hobie Part No. 50772031:https://westcoastsailing.…-gooseneck-hinge-vertex/) to which the boom pin attaches? If not, let me know....I may have a spare I can send you. The cotter pin holding the downhaul ring is huge....never seen one fail. A Trentec gooseneck bearing is well worth the $10: https://westcoastsailing.…entec-gooseneck-bearing/

Recommended mainsheet length for 6:1 is 44', and that's actually a few feet too long. For 5:1 I think they called for something closer to 40'. (Maybe add a little for when you get sick of those Seaways and upgrade to the Harken triple blocks? )

Rudder kick up/lock down stuff: There's a really good FAQ on hobiecat.com regarding maintenance and adjustment. Excessive wear/slop in castings, gudgeons, etc. on older boats adds to kick up issues, but just a good cleaning may help. If (big IF) you can get that big delrin screw out of the lower casting, maybe take it all apart, clean, and reassemble (put some anti-seize compound on the delrin screw threads). Make sure the plunger has a smooth dome shape on top....a flat spot will cause issues. White lithium (marine) grease is commonly used on the cams and plungers. You need just enough tension that the rudder will stay locked down on a screaming reach. Lastly, for whatever reasons, the whole assembly will often act completely different while wet and under sailing loads as opposed to dry sitting on the trailer.

Did you find the battens you need? I may have some old rough ones I can send, but they probably aren't even worth the the (oversized) shipping cost. On a $400 boat, I'd be tempted just to stick some plastic screen molding or such in there and snug it up just enough to keep the leech from flapping.



Edited by rattlenhum on Jun 19, 2021 - 08:27 AM.

--
Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
--

rattlenhum

Interesting gooseneck! Do you have the vertex (Hobie Part No. 50772031:https://westcoastsailing.…-gooseneck-hinge-vertex/) to which the boom pin attaches? If not, let me know....I may have a spare I can send you. The cotter pin holding the downhaul ring is huge....never seen one fail. A Trentec gooseneck bearing is well worth the $10: https://westcoastsailing.…entec-gooseneck-bearing/

Did you find the battens you need? I may have some old rough ones I can send, but they probably aren't even worth the the (oversized) shipping cost. On a $400 boat, I'd be tempted just to stick some plastic screen molding or such in there and snug it up just enough to keep the leech from flapping.Edited by rattlenhum on Jun 19, 2021 - 08:27 AM.

Jerome,
I don't have the vertex. I didn't know I was missing it until I saw your post. I'd take you up on your offer. I'll shoot you a PM.

I did get a full set of battens. My mains came yesterday, and my two missing jib battens should arrive tomorrow.

Many thanks for a helpful post.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

We found a batten tensioner solid model on thingiverse and printed out enough for the battens that didn't have one. Here they are gluing on.


We designed a pocket end for the other side. Same thing, these are gluing on with epoxy.


Is this a legitimate hiking stick for the helm or is this somebody's hombrew thing? It seems to be steel.


Tonight we are going to install the battens and step the mast another time. I want to make sure we have the jib rigging set up.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

My kid edited some rigging video and posted it. No sailing, just setting up.
https://youtu.be/yxnXHrzOkf0

I didn't get the battens in, except for the #1 and #2 jib ones. The rest go in today. I think we are down to that, plus:
1) Sealing the mast at the top
2) greasing the rudder cams
3) installing bungees for the trap lines

Then waiting for the first good day. I think it will be on the weekend and no more than 10kts for our first trip.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

Battens are in. Most of my batten ends are 3D printed.


I discovered that the seal for the mast is under the halyard pulley. Hopefully that seal is good. Do they go bad? Should I yank the pulley off and re-seal that part?

This sail has been repaired. Several batten pockets have been restitched. This was done by a professional sail maker. After seeing the workmanship, I have no concerns about my own sewing work.

In the prior post I said our first trip would be on the weekend. I meant to say weekday. Less rental kayaks to mow down.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

The plugs can go bad and the boat is very old. One way to tell is to remove mast, submerge it, look for bubbles, and listen for water sloshing around in there. If you capsize and the mast takes on water, the boat may be a bear to right.

Maybe put that on your off-season to-do list if nothing else.

FYI.....there should be another plug a foot or so up from the mast base, and all fittings/rivets on the mast should be sealed.

--
Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
--

Thanks Jerome, we will put that on our off-season list. Probably would be a good time to update the mast hound as it's a little busy up there with 3 stays and 4 trap wires on one hole. We had to use another couple of shackles for the trap wires.

Also thanks for that vertex. My gooseneck looks good now. Question, is the boom pin supposed to pull out this far?


Our swivel was bent, so I took it off and straightened it. Seemed hard to cleat the traveler with it so low to the tramp.


Some practice on the trapeze:


Here are some questions I posted over on the Hobie forums, but I'll repeat here in case any beachcats members know the answers but are not on the hobie forum:

1) Shroud tension - how tight should they be? They have to be a little loose for us to be able to connect the forestay. Then when we crank the jib halyard tight, we can still push the mast side to side a little bit. If I move both adjusters 1 hole tighter I can make that go away, but we would need to loosen them up for stepping and dropping the mast.

2) Rudder cam tension - we had a broken cam and replaced them both. The guys over at the beachcats forum let me know I had to grease the cams, which I did last night. When down and locked, it seems easy to push on the bottom of the rudders and get them to unlock. We have the delrin screw in as tight as it will go. Is this normal/OK? I am worried the drag on the rudders will pop them back but I don't have the experience to know.

3) Mast stepping - when raising the mast, the ball on the bottom of the mast seems to go forward of the socket. We always need two people, one to push the bottom of the mast aft to get it to drop into the mast base. Are we doing something wrong?

4) Mast base - the hole for the stepping hinge is cracked. Not all the way through, but I think I'll want to replace it sometime. Do I need to replace the mast base and step as a pair? Or would a new base be compatible with my old step? I don't want to change the rake if I don't have to. It seems that I'd need new shrouds and also it sounds like the 5:1 mainsheet is not optimal for a more raked mast. Hard to justify a $400 6:1 on a $400 boat/trailer.

5) Jib Halyard - it seems to bind at the top. Is there something to look for or am I just not used to how it tensions up? Hard to see what is going on with the little pulley when it is up that high.

6) We have one trap harness and for the life of me I can't figure out how to wear my PFD and the harness at the same time.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

So how scary is this crack in the hole for the step hinge?


--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

Boom pin: Yes, it's longer than necessary, but the boom will slide all the way forward when installed and outhaul set.

Main traveler cleat: Someone probably stepped on it during mast raising. Can bend it back up with a couple of vice grips or such without removing it.

Shroud tension: First, set shrouds for desired mast rake. Then jib halyard tension is a matter of preference/opinion. I generally run mine pretty dang tight (mast still needs to freely rotate) except when wind is real light. You're running the jib halyard around the cheek block and up through the fiddle block to get 3:1 purchase, right. Even when the rig is very tight, the leeward shroud will seem loose once sails are loaded up.

Cam tension: Sounds about right.....doesn't take a whole lot of tension to hold rudder down. I can easily move my cams with my thumb.

Mast raising: Not uncommon with ill-fitting hinges......you're not doing anything wrong. The Hobie mast hinge has a shoulder on it that catches on the sides of the hinge slot during mast raising. At first, the hinge rotates on the bottom pin. Once the shoulder catches, the mast rotates on the upper pin and the ball goes right in the cup.

Mast base: That looks like a potentially bad accident waiting to happen. I've heard differing stories on compatibility of old/new base/step......would talk to a dealer or ask Mmiller on the Hobie forums about it. Will be a big expense and a lot of work regardless. I'd just look for a good used old-style base.

Jib halyard: See above regarding 3:1 purchase. Also, the hole in the sheave in the center of the fiddle block is probably elongated. If so, it may stop spinning once loaded a bit.

Put on harness then PFD. Helps to have a high-waisted PFD like kayakers use.

I don't think you can call it a $400 boat anymore...maybe 400 man-hour! It's about time to sail the crap out of it and see what breaks. If something minor, then good for you. If it's a hull, then be glad you didn't pour any more time or cash into it!



Edited by rattlenhum on Jun 27, 2021 - 09:07 AM.

--
Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
--

Thanks Jerome for the answers. Quick report: just got back from the first sail. All went well. Video to follow.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

First time out. Not the most awesome sailing on YouTube but a big deal for us.
https://youtu.be/GOX88EIhWDw

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

rattlenhum

Shroud tension: First, set shrouds for desired mast rake. Then jib halyard tension is a matter of preference/opinion. I generally run mine pretty dang tight (mast still needs to freely rotate) except when wind is real light. You're running the jib halyard around the cheek block and up through the fiddle block to get 3:1 purchase, right. Even when the rig is very tight, the leeward shroud will seem loose once sails are loaded up.

Jib halyard: See above regarding 3:1 purchase. Also, the hole in the sheave in the center of the fiddle block is probably elongated. If so, it may stop spinning once loaded a bit.

We don't really know what our desired mast rake is. But it seemed good out on the water, so we will leave the shrouds 3 up from the bottom for now. It did tighten up nicely at that setting and we are using the 3:1 with the new cheek block we riveted on. It seemed ok overall, but I'll check the jib halyard pulley.

rattlenhum

Cam tension: Sounds about right.....doesn't take a whole lot of tension to hold rudder down. I can easily move my cams with my thumb.

The rudders were good. Didn't pop up until we pulled into the shallows.

rattlenhum

I don't think you can call it a $400 boat anymore...maybe 400 man-hour! It's about time to sail the crap out of it and see what breaks. If something minor, then good for you. If it's a hull, then be glad you didn't pour any more time or cash into it!

Definitely not a $400 boat anymore. I'll total up the total expenditures when I get a chance. Definitely good to have the start of sailing the crap out of it behind us!

After a couple hours of sailing, we had about 2 quarts of water in each hull. Is that a lot? I'll do the shop vac exhaust/soapy water trick and look for the leaks.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

Excellent! Were those humpback whale calls I heard in the background? We had two good sailing days on our local lake this weekend, too (unusual for summer).....but no humpbacks.

Maximum rake will be determined by your mainsail condition (stretch) and mainsheet system's stack height. You want to be able to sheet in hard but not quite go block to block. With the 5:1 and an old main, you'll probably be powered up pretty good still and not want to rake any further forward than that.

When you do the bubble test, be sure to check the deck lip/seam where the decks are glued to the hulls. A bead of silicone will do that trick, or...even better...you can flip the boat and do a bead of thin epoxy. Other likely leak spots are the gudgeons and drain plug housings. (Proceed with caution on gudgeon screws....they may be seized with corrosion between SS screw and Al backing plate. Use Lanacote, anti-seize, or such when replacing.) When I've acquired older boats, I just skipped the bubble test and resealed all this easy stuff. If badly worn, the hull bottoms can leak as well. Also the foam plugs inside the pylons can leak. (There are small vent tubes in the forward ones, so bubbling there is normal.) If you capsize and the lower hull takes on a lot of water, those plugs are likely the culprit, but I wouldn't take the boat apart for the amount of water you're getting now. Less time working on boat equals more time sailing on Humpback Lake!

--
Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
--

I think the humpback call was the starboard rudder. Maybe I need a couple of bushings?

We did have all the gudgeons and drain plug housings out. We resealed them when we put them back in.

I'm not sure I know where the foam plugs are. We did have the stern of the boat buried a bunch of times in light wind. Probably makes sense to silicone the seam as you say and save a major rebuild for later.

Thanks for the help!

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

FAQ on rudder hum/whale noise: https://www.hobie.com/sup…om/support/tech/hum.html

Pics of pylon plug and other hull guts: https://www.thebeachcats.…47c461159ced83de963a2bb1



Edited by rattlenhum on Jun 29, 2021 - 08:48 AM.

--
Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
--

Thanks Jerome! My starboard rudder has trailing edge damage. I'll sand that out first and see what happens.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

We got the whole family out. I took out my wife and younger son, while my oldest went solo in the Snark Sunflower.


Three people is too much, need to get the SC17 going for the second boat. We buried a hull once and came to a stop. Low winds so no real drama, but a good learning experience.



After a bit my wife and I took the Snark, and the boys tooled around on the Hobie Cat. We did the swap on the lake.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

Our latest video:
https://youtu.be/3Mew_e3mBMI

Nothing too exciting. Winds were low. Good family fun though.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

I hooked up the shop vac exhaust to the drain plug. Warning, if you have a big shop vac it can be too much. The hull made some alarming noises and I turned it off. I ended up drilling four 3/8" holes in my shop vac adapter tube that I had made, to reduce the pressure getting into the hull. Here is some video of one of the pylon leaks:
https://youtu.be/nSVUYlWflG8

Hopefully I didn't destroy anything too badly. Also there were a bunch of old patches on the boat. Looks like they may have been done with plumber's putty. They all leaked. I sanded them out and glassed them over.


We may sail tomorrow afternoon, and definitely Monday. I'm hopeful there will be less water in the hulls this time.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

I often see the suggestion to use a ship vac to leak test. In my opinion, that is clumsy, you need power cords, an extra hand to hold it, & it’s bloody noisy.
Go to your local Dollarama, buy a balloon pump & make yourself a test rig.
Here’s what I did, years ago.
https://www.thebeachcats.…ictures?g2_itemId=118697

--
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,
That's a great solution. I had drilled a hole in an old drain plug and done a hands-free adaptation to the shop vac. I had a small piece of rope to hand the shop vac hose from and required no help. Still noisy and able to overpressurize the hull. I think my adapter and a balloon pump would be ideal.

Yesterday my son flew the hull on the H16 for the first time:
https://youtu.be/nwSUO2dAS-Q

Suddenly, this $400 boat has become the best investment I've made in a long time. Two brothers, 18 months apart, having fun together and not trying to kill each other. Plus my younger kid is an introvert with a weird sleep schedule and it's hard to get him out of the house.

We still had some water in the hull after the patches and sealing, but it was a lot better.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

I have good news! My mast seems watertight. It floats nicely.

Ok, good news out of the way. I pitch poled. That bad noise I was worried about when I pressurized the hull - I think it was really bad after all. The port hull snapped up front from where the noises came from.

We got a tow in as close to the launch as we could, took off all the stuff, flipped the boat right side up so we could paddle it back to the launch. We tried righting it out in the lake but the hull was so heavy from the water I don't think we had a chance.

Video to follow.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

My kid is still processing the GoPro video. But I've got this:
https://youtu.be/VJ3GRi3LqNU

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

waiex191

I have good news! My mast seems watertight. It floats nicely.

Ok, good news out of the way. I pitch poled. That bad noise I was worried about when I pressurized the hull - I think it was really bad after all. The port hull snapped up front from where the noises came from.

We got a tow in as close to the launch as we could, took off all the stuff, flipped the boat right side up so we could paddle it back to the launch. We tried righting it out in the lake but the hull was so heavy from the water I don't
think we had a chance.
Video to follow.

Damn, that’s ugly to watch. Dont beat yourself up, your overpresururization via the shop vac might have only been the final straw. It seems that deck was weak to begin with.(soft decks probably).
I would not even try to add glass Matt to that hull. Remove it, chop it up, & burn it, (they do burn nicely once lit).
Old H16’s are cheap. Look for a parts boat, (there are many that come up for less than you will spend trying to resurrect that hull, even though I know you have skills, & technical help) & use the required hull to make what’s known as a Frankenboat, or use both hulls for a match.
The H16 has more hulls than almost all other Cats combined, BUT, they are an old design, & very prone to pitchpole. Most H16 sailors, if they could, would position themselves 3’ BEHIND the rear beam. If you could lay hands on a Nacra 5.0, or it’s bigger brother, the 5.7, you find you can drive it till the front beam is underwater, spray shooting in your face, & it will recover. Despite some friends really ham fisting my 5,7, in 5’ seas, we have only managed to PP it once.
Anyway, I enjoy your posts. You have the skills & tools to fab up many parts, & you don’t seem to give damn about looks or bling, & that my friend, is a good thing.
As written by Kenneth Grahame, in the kids classic, Wind in the Willows, “Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”

--
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
--

We are looking for another old boat. Easy enough to swap hulls. That hull was in the worst shape - very soft forward. Here is the video:
https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

OH noooo sorry to see that

looked super fun until ...

agreed super easy to swap hulls

any other gear damaged?



Edited by MN3 on Jul 06, 2021 - 11:09 AM.

MN3

any other gear damaged?

Most or all of our 3D printed batten tensioners failed - and at least 1 jib batten snapped. Otherwise I think we are good. Just need another hull!









Edited by waiex191 on Jul 06, 2021 - 11:16 AM.

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Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

Print a new hull!!! :)

Kidding but glad you can salvage the boat -

I would recommend in the future (if at all possible) to retrieve the sails and mast if you can prior to being towed - this will reduce a shredded sail, bent boom, and possibly save your batten caps

I am sure being turtle would make this a lot more challenging



Edited by MN3 on Jul 06, 2021 - 01:24 PM.

MN3

Print a new hull!!! :)

I am sure being turtle would make this a lot more challenging

If only we could print a new hull. I think failed batten caps is not a bad thing. They are cheap and easy to replace and I'd rather have them break than the battens.

It was hard to get the parts off in waist deep water, because it was upside down. Not sure how we would have managed in the middle of the lake, with swarming kayaks asking if they could help.



Edited by waiex191 on Jul 06, 2021 - 05:46 PM.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

Nothing like a recip saw for quick modifications! When one of my early bombardier Invitations,(a Laser with a bigger cockpit), was sailed to death we cut it up with a chainsaw.
Hopefully you can find a couple of decent hulls & get back on the water.



Edited by Edchris177 on Jul 06, 2021 - 10:52 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
--

No response from the Rockford/new Milford guy. The Wisconsin boat I mentioned seemed to have fallen through. Unresponsive seller, and they were not sure when they were going to get to the lake. My kid found another Wisconsin boat, no jib, no trailer. It has a small soft spot forward of the tramp on the port deck, but mostly solid. Had a title and a bunch of light duty hardware store turnbuckles for the stay. Also had a mast, boom, rudders, and was registered. We got it cheap.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--

Not sure if I should start a third catamaran thread or not. Here is the boat:


Another view:


Some of the hardware store stuff I found on the boat. Thank God they never tried to sail it like this, or even step the mast. The #8 screw turnbuckles were especially scary.


I am still looking forward to the SC17. One thing you have to admire about the H16 is there are lots of boats and parts out there.

--
Bryan in Poplar Grove, IL
Supercat 17, unknown year. Future project
Hobie 16, 1977 - died a spectacular death https://youtu.be/Y7O22bp2MVA
Hobie 16, 1978 - current boat
--