you guys have been great in answering questions I've had with catamarans, I just wished I could answer some questions. Guess that will come in due time.

I'm having a little trouble with the lingo.

When one refers to a H18 (hobie 18) does this include the Tiger? I have a Hobie catalog and don't see H18. I'm thinking this is a former model.??

Is the Tiger very different from the H18?

Who makes the F models like the F18? or F18 capricorn?

I tried to Google it, but all I got was cats for sale.

Thanks, Jim

The tiger is different than the h18 and not in the same class. The h18 is older design (80's i think) and the tiger is much more modern tech.

H18 are no longer in production... thats why you cant find it in their catalog.

there are many different builders for any class, and even homemade boats can fit in a class. There are specs that boats have to fit to be considered in a class (i.e. f16 or f18, a-cats, etc)

Capricorn makes the "Capricorn f18", hobie makes the "tiger f18", mystere made the "twister f18", Nacra makes a "I-18", and several others.

When you refer to a Hobie 18 (H18), you are talking about the Hobie 18 classic--the older design. Hobie Tigers are also 18 footers, but they are generally just referred to as Tigers. They also fit in the F18 category, but you would probably say, "F18 Tiger" to differentiate from the Nacra 18 footer. They are generally just referred to as F18s or Nacra F18s. I think it is understood that you would be talking about the 'older' Nacra in this case. Nacra also has a newer model called an Infusion, which is an F18 and generally referred to as an Infusion or F18 Infusion. A Capricorn is an F18, but is like the Tiger where it is understood that it is an F18.

The "F" means "Formula"

The H18, Hobie Magnum and Hobie 18SX are all the same platform, but the Magnum is a standard H18 with wings and the SX has a taller mast, different wings and (sometimes) was outfitted with a spinnaker. I think it also had Mylar sails.

Now, not to be too confusing, Hobie came out with Formula models of the basic boats (16, 17, 18) that were dressed up versions of the standard boats. That didn't last too long and I think they only difference was mylar sails and the beams and mast were covered in white tape. You don't see many of those around and really don't hear much about them. I would venture to say that it was a marketing scheme that really didn't do much for the brand. They looked cool, though.


There are other manufacturers of 18 footers that are "classic" in design like Prindle (Performance catamaran) which makes the Prindle 18 classic, Escape (newer club version of P18 classic) and the Prindle 18-2. Sol Cat made the Sol Cat 18. Performance also had the Nacra 5.5. There are probably others.

There is another old class called 18 'square' that had 18 foot long boats (generally Nacra 5.5 hulls) with very wide beams and (I think) an 18 square meter main sail, no jib. I'll probably be corrected on this one...

The other 18 footers are single-handed A cats (or A Class), which there are several models. They are typically referred to as the manufacturer name, then A-cat, like "Boyer A-cat". The A class rules make them a formula boat, but they aren't referred to with F in the name. There is an F18HT, which is another formula boat, and very similar to the A cats except that it is beefier, is a double-hander and has a spinnaker. These boats really aren't generally considered 18 footers like the other boats I mentioned because they are in the A class or F18HT class and are completely different animals.

The Hobie Tiger and the Hobie 18 classic are completely different. There is no mistaking the two. The 18 is out of production, though.

Thanks guys, this helps to clarify things.

Quote

Capricorn makes the "Capricorn f18"

to politely correct Andrew for what was probably an oversite, AHPC makes the Caprcorn

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Philip
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I was just making sure you were awake Philip!

Congrats you passed the test! ;)

Hey Dan,

Thanks for taking time to write that up. It's good to have a recap of the Hobie 18 history in print.


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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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