How many modified 18s are out there?

I know there is another 18 with a self-tacking jib besides mine. There must be a good number of spin equipped as well. What about the squaretops as well.

What have you got and where are you located?

Mine rig is a '82 Magnum(rarely sailed with wings which are not original equipment)
SX 29'6" mast, custom Whirlwind squaretop, 8-1 main, 12-1 downhaul, self-tacking jib, custom Whirlwind jibsail(currently being constructed), Hobie mid-pole snuffer system, Whirlwind spin sails(2), H20 quick connect tiller set-up, Epo2s in carbon(those things are sweet!)
I live in Graham, NC and sail mostly in Windy Hill which is the southern most part of N. Myrtle Beach, SC. Been sailing Hobies since 1981, got my first 18 in 1985 and currently own 3 18s, parts of another one and 2 16s which are basically parts. I also owned a Fox for a couple years.

mine is a standard '88 H18 with a newly installed and yet untried spinnaker rig. made from a Tiger spin recut to fit, Forespar alum. tube pieces for the pole, and standard Hobie parts.

My first cat was a '79 H16, which I raced extensively throughout NJ with moderate success.
My second cat is the same H18 I currently have, bought new, sold in '94 and bought back again in '07 !
I live in central NJ and sail in Raritan Bay, Barnegat Bay, Little Egg Harbor and the Atlantic.

I also crew as bowman/jib trimmer in one design on a J109 in regattas from Annapolis to Block Island.

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Chris
'88 H18SE Arís

Mine's not modified yet, but will be be soon. Trying to decide between a standard kite rig and a reacher on a furler. I like the idea of a reacher in terms of ease of use and range of application, but worry about the additional loads on the hulls.

Oh, and located in Michigan. There are a couple of us w/ modified rigs getting together for a two day point to point regatta in Charlevoix, MI over Labor Day weekend if anyone is interested (The Red Fox Regatta).

1989 H-18. Mods are Magnum wings and a spinnaker. I can select from two masts, comptip or all aluminum. Can be class legal in 15 minutes or have the end pole snuffer for the spinnaker on in less than 1 hour.

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1989 Hobie 18 Worlds Boat, Magnum Wings & Spinnaker
1987 Hobie Holder 20 #273

dale.vanlopik"at"att"dot"net

I have 1988 18 Magnum with wings and a homemade spin kit. I'm in Lake Wylie SC. I 've sailed down at Cabana Shores Hotel in Myrtle Beach which is a great spot for sailing off the beach. The hotel has a great grassy area next to the beach where you can set up and leave overnight if you stay there. This would be a great regatta site.

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HOBIE 18 MAGNUM #15767

Surely there are more! I really look forward to getting on the water this weekend.

1993 H18SX.... beautiful white, black bars/mesh tramp good shine.

1) minus wings (they're at the house w/a crack... but saving me 40+ pounds of weight, yes... ?)

2) plus whirlwind jib

3) plus whirlwind pentex squaretop main

4) 6:1 downhaul adjustable from either trapeze

5) murray's mondo biggie size water bag

6) all new standing rigging, including anchor pins

7) refurb'd trailing edges of daggarboards... fat cat bags... custom tramp bag for fish/ice/drinks/dry storage

Near future: adjustable jib halyard/tension line, neoprene rudder "bump stops" on stern (extra from the sides for no-slip) and a set of EPO rudders... later on.. maybe a reacher/screacher... type spin. ALSO maybe some 3M silver reflective tape along a few higher batten pockets... for a bit more visibility on those just post-dusk cruises...

Rob, how do you like the squaretop? Mine is back with Chip being reworked up top, it was a little flat up there. I was very impressed with the quality of Chips work. My main is white "Challenger" pentex. The cloth is a bit heavier than the Tiger main I had been sailing but feels much stronger. I am very excited to sail the jib he is building me. I have been using a Tiger jib on my self-tacker which is just too small for the H18. The new jib should improve flow on the back and create a better slot.

Any more of you guys out there? What about the "Wind Raider" and the boat down at the gulf with a self-tacker? I hope once we are all accounted for we can start to share what works and what doesn't. Plus some how to for others to follow.

I love the square top...
- my old Hobie mylar radial was blown out and seriously delminated.. so just being a new sail is a lot more power
- there's a fair bit more sail area
- yes, I got the white challenger one
- the top is a little flat, but I'm light and was concerned about the extra sail area up high anyway, so not worried about that...
- reused my old battens, had to cut them shorter
- I have Chip's 5oz white dacron jib... which is also bigger than stock SX jib, by about 8 inches along the entire foot
- wish I had a bigger "tiger style" window in my main and jib... but the main window is decent

WHAT I DON'T LIKE... is the boring white sail. The old hardcore 80s color scheme of hot pink, hot green... some blue and some purple... was SIGNATURE to spot my boat from 2 miles away... literally... the boring white just blends in.... Maybe I'll put a huge tie-dye pattern sticker on my main ?!

I had him trim out the batten pockets in blue to match the spin but its only on one side. I wish I had asked for everything to have the blue trim, the window, leech, everything that is sewn to the pentex. I have blue numbers and the hobie H in blue on the sail.
It seems that pentex cannot be produced in a variety of colors. I have only seen black, smoke and white. It appears that Hobie Europe has a red cloth for the "Wildcat" but I can't find it for sale currently. At least the pentex looks fast, not colorful but very high tech and fast. I sail off the coast primarily and the beach crew says they can see the white better at distance than a colored sail. The white stands out on the horizon.

I race F18s in the S.E. or open so I need all the power I can get and in the light shifty lake wind I really need to get more out of the top. I also race a little heavy so again more power is required. It is good to hear that the cut is consistent. The changes Chip makes to mine can be used for further development of an already solid sail design.

The red cloth is different than the pentex. I do know where some was available a few months ago if you wanted sails cut.

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Rich Vilvens
F-18 5150
[email protected]
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/f-185150sailing/

Thank you but I not only can't afford it I really like the challenger pentex. Haven't fallen into but I think it may have more tear resistance than other pentex cloths.

I like it too. Now if there was a Blue Pentex I would be all over it. Also we have ne 18 in Div 3 running a tiger chute and a SX running a square top main.

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Rich Vilvens
F-18 5150
[email protected]
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/f-185150sailing/

I got contacted I'm guessing from this forum. Alberto if you need to contact me your E-mail keeps getting returned is your in box full?

To answer your question yes it is the same as the Wildcat cloth.

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Rich Vilvens
F-18 5150
[email protected]
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/f-185150sailing/

Hello Rich, thx for getting back to me here. Strange my mail works but I guess not for everyone. I saw this beautiful dark red cloth in the F18 worlds video in youtube, I'll try to post it here. Looks like it is a custom made very sharp looking, don't think it is a stock cloth. I too love the white and grey pentex, had a main sail built by Chip combining these two pentex with some light blue and purple mylar, which is different cloth and not as strong I think. There is red dacron trim all over the batten pockets both sides and the reinforcements.