I made a similar post on the Hobie forum but just in case there's a knowledgeable 21SC owner here I wanted to cover my bases. I recently acquired a 1997 Sport Cruiser, Serial #945. Amazingly the former owner had the gennaker but not the other important bits like boom, main sail and jib. It looks like there are a couple companies that can make the sails and the boom can be purchased new through Hobie. I was able to confirm that the 21SC boom uses the same aluminum extrusion as H16 boom.
Are there any 21SC owners out there that could verify the length of the 21SC boom stock? I'd like to find out if I could modify an H16 boom as they are cheap to pick up used and I have the reefing handle assembly.
Also, I've found that Whirlwind and SLO both offer replacement 5 or 6oz Dacron sails. Are there suggestions for any other sail makers that could produce an inexpensive main and jib that I should consider? Or any productive comments about SLO or Whirlwind? Thanks.
Hobie 21 Sport Cruiser Boom and Sails
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- Rank: Lubber
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Posted: Dec 12, 2019 - 01:53 PM
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- Rank: Master Chief
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Posted: Dec 12, 2019 - 03:01 PM
I had a very good experience with Chip at whirlwind. he made me 3 dacron jibs this year. all well made and very cost effective.
I had very poor experience with SLO sails and canvas. I contacted them years ago about making me a tramp (after asking people on this site about their results with slo sail and canvas).
They hadn't made one for my brand before so asked i send in my old one with lots of measurements of the track the tramp attaches to.
I was promised a quick turn around (without request). I was also offered a pretty light price for the work since this was their first time (again without request)
After they were a month late or so i contacted them. was promised it would be done "this week" (I even stated "I wasn't asking for a rush job, just please don't tell me it will be ready this week if it wont be. Take your time, do it right". They failed to do it "that week", or the next, or the next. I contacted them again and was again promised "this week". After that ... they stopped communicating with me (didn't return calls, didn't return emails). That was the last i heard from them.
They never made the tramp , they never returned my old one.
If i knew then what i know now .... i would have sued them.
you can search this site or google for "don't do business with SLO" and read the entire story if you care. I know others have had success with slo sail and canvas but i came to find out they are unscrupulous and would NEVER do business with them again.
After the fact it came out that they had "gone dark" on a few other customers in the past.
I had lots of people contact SLO on my behalf. Their responses were " we got swampped, we were in the midde of a move, I was a pain in the ass as a customer, the work will get done"
Same extrusion doesn't mean same length. I would be shocked to find out a 21 foot boat has the same size sail foot as a 16' boat. aka: highly doubt they are interchangeable. I saw your post in the hobie forums. You can ask Matt M. to confirm (or dispute) what i said. he would know - he is da man!!!!
again - i would suggest you contact Tackle Shack and ask Andy or Jimmy about a boom - they have a huge warehouse in back full of random catamaran parts -
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Posted: Dec 12, 2019 - 03:17 PM
SLO sails and canvas ... I can offer the totally opposite experience that MN3 describes. We have had several folks from our cat pack order from SLO and everything was top notch including the service. It would be interesting to hear the other side of the story from the SLO view point. I often, but not always, find the truth tends to be somewhere in the middle.
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dk
Blade F-16
Hobie 14
Corsair F-242
Mirage 25 (Sold)
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Posted: Dec 12, 2019 - 03:24 PM
I would be interested too in Karl's side!
I surveyed this site to learn about his reputation before ever reaching out to him. it was 100% positive reviews until this issue happened. then a few others came out and had similar issues with him
if you want to hear how Karl (from SLO) responded to others about my issue: there are several comments in this thread from friends of Karls who reached out to him - https://www.catsailor.com…b=showflat&Number=217140
there were 2 other people in that thread that had similar experiences where Karl when "Dark" on them and didn't complete the work
Edited by MN3 on Dec 12, 2019 - 03:29 PM.
