I'm short on storage space and want to roll the boat on to its side against a garage wall for winter storage. Is this a no no? It seems that it would put some weird stressors on the beams and top hull but thought about using hangers as to reduce the amount of downward pull from gravity. Has anyone any experience in this matter?
Thank you

HobieDave70

boat storage

From an engineering point of view, the side force on the hulls pales in comparison to the force of sailing. However that load is spread over the hull. The foam core sides will not like being loaded from the side unless you are dumping play sand to spread the load a lot. Setting each hull on, lets say a 4x4, would destroy the boat. Perhaps the rails could take loading better.
I think most folks here would say take the beams loose and store each hull like a canoe.

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FYC, Nacra 5.2 "Chris's Flyer" & Nacra Playcat & Farrier Tramp
Previously owned: Trac 14, H14, H16, H18, N5.0, G-cat 5.0
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Storing the boat like this could be hard on the bottom hull if it isn’t well supported. You would definitely want to put padding under the lower hull to spread the weight over a large area of the hull. Any point loads on the hull sidewall could cause damage or deformation over time.

Like the previous poster mentioned, taking the boat apart would be a better option. Then build a rack to store the hulls upright, stacked overtop of one another. It will be better for the boat and safer. The other advantage of taking the boat apart is that it offers an opportunity to give everything a thorough inspection.

Hobie 18’s are pretty easy to disassemble. Remove the tramp and there are eight crossbar bolts to take out. You will want to have a hex bit socket (I believe it is 5/16”) that you can use with a ratchet wrench to remove the inboard bolts, otherwise it is a major PITA using an allen wrench. With a little practice and the right tools, you should be able to take the boat apart in around 30 minutes.

sm



Edited by Dogboy on Oct 16, 2023 - 10:31 AM.

Years ago I ran across a sailor who used to store his boat indoors during the winters... He rigged up a system to hang it from the rafters in his garage. Something like this... May be worth investigating... I have adopted for this for bike and paddle board storage in my garage.





Edited by JohnES on Oct 16, 2023 - 09:48 AM.

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John Schwartz
Ventura, CA
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Rather than lean it aginst the wall on the ground, rig it to be hung just off the ground by straps that go around the crossbars. The H-18 bows will push it away from the wall a bit, but I would rather deal with that, than completely disassemble and reassemble every year.

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Sheet In!
Bob
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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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Dogboy

Like the previous poster mentioned, taking the boat apart would be a better option.
...
Hobie 18’s are pretty easy to disassemble. Remove the tramp and there are eight crossbar bolts to take out. You will want to have a hex bit socket (I believe it is 5/16”) that you can use with a ratchet wrench to remove the inboard bolts, otherwise it is a major PITA using an allen wrench. With a little practice and the right tools, you should be able to take the boat apart in around 30 minutes.

Well, yeah, except...

When I had to disassemble my 18 (years ago, to replace a hull - a tree fell and lopped off a bow over the winter), I did not feel the love. One of those (Allen) hex cap screws had seized into the nut and I wound up twisting it off. You might think that's not a big deal, so you have to replace a nut and a bolt, but that turned out to be the major PITA, as the nut is a custom part (part cylindrical, part square) and I was lucky to find one at the Hobie dealer in Toronto - even so, I lost days on the water over it.



Edited by jonathan162 on Oct 17, 2023 - 06:39 PM.

Storing on it's side will be fine for a few months. If you're concerned, build a brace between the hulls.

On the disassembly conversation: I disassemble my Tornado each time and it is stored in the shop upside down. I have screw eyes into the rafters and set the hulls at the beam sockets on landscape timbers with 4:1 block and tackle on forward and a small 2:1 on the transoms. Mainly to keep it out of the sun as it is clear coated wood. But, one should pull the boat apart every five years, just to keep bolts moving. I installed the bolts on my 18-2 with LanoCote. Everyone will have their preference as silicone will work as well. Just use something.

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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)
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