79 Hobie 16

Im looking at a original 79 hobie 16 for sale. I havent checked it out yet but anything i should look out for in particular?

Cheers

I have a 1979 H 16 and it's in great shape.I've sailed it a lot and still do, but I've replaced a lot of things over the years and have taken very good care of it. You might be looking at a great bargain or a pile of junk.
First off, chech both hulls THOROUGHLY for soft spots - every inch - top, sides.....every inch!
Check the mast. It should be straight and no dents or creases.
A new tramp is about $450, so check it out. I replaced mine about 10 yrs. ago.
check the sails. I've had mine re-worked at a sail shop several times over the years. They don't have to be new to be in great shape.
Check the trailer for rust and structural integrity. Move it back and forth and listen carefully for any crackling or grinding sounds coming from the hubs and wheels. (rust or sand?)
Check the stops on the mast step and mast base. I've had both replaced about 6 months ago by our Hobie Dealer. (About $250 including labor)
Don't be too concerned about standing and running rigging. If you buy the boat - REPLACE THEM!!!
I'l let others add to this list.
Don't be afraid to walk or run away from a bad deal!
You should be looking for a boat that requires little or no work so you can start sailing ASAP.
Your boat should be safe and fun!
Good luck!
Richard

This is probably the most asked question on this forum. A quick search will get you so much information that it will take you a week to wade through it. In the end you will be the expert. Along the way you will learn all kinds of stuff about this wonderful lifestyle. Do it.

Make sure all the parts are there... ie. missing a boom can be expensive.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Dear YoungSailor,

What mmiller sez times a hundred. Last year I bought my 1st 16. it's a 1981 that had not been sailed for about 10-15 years. I thought I had looked it over pretty well before I bought it. Then I had even practiced rigging the boat 3 or 4 times in the back yard before I took it out the 1st time just to make sure I had everything worked out. A previous owner had replaced the anchor bolt on the starboard side with some funky piece of hardware that failed(straighted out like a limp noodle the 1st time we went to the lake and the boat was subjected to sailing conditions)On the 3rd tack I heard this weird twang, looked up and watched the mast coming down in slow motion. My wife and daughter, both brand new to sailing and Hobies were real impressed. Man, I was so thankful the no one was injured. We got a tow back to the beach and that was the end of our 1st time out. Believe it or not ,they both have gone out with me since then and we have had some great sailing.

If you have anyone that can look the boat over with you, make sure you get and heed their advise. I think that anchor bolt cost me 22.00 bucks and if I had known enuff about the boat that mistake could have been avoided. Believe me , Every time I rig the boat I check all the fittings 2x before I go out just to make sure.

Another thing that I dont see alot of talk about is making sure that whoever you buy from has the title for both the boat and trailer, if they are required in your state. I had no idea that I needed these, and spent a lot of time and money to get them so we could go sailing.

_________________
Mono slugs of various sizes and shapes
H 14 About 15 years ago
H 16 1982

Making Wake on A No Wake Lake!!!!!!

I live in BC so i will check that out. The main reason i may buy this hobie is because of its spot at Jericho where the waiting line to get in is around a year