Floatation

9.5 Hull flotation blocks as supplied by the HOBIE
CAT CO. shall not be removed or reduced in
size.

7. DESIGN FEATURES AND APPROVED
CHANGES
Nothing may be changed or removed from any
Hobie Cat that will in any way alter the structural
integrity, design function, or built in safety features
of the boat. All changes shall have prior
written approval.

Dear Matt,

This just to acknowledge the receipt of your e-mail.

I see the problem and will have it discussed ASAP with the Advisory Council and the Rules Committee in order to find possible solutions one way or the other.

Thank you very much for paying our attention to the problem.

Best regards

Erik Olsen
IHCA Rules Committee Chair
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Hi Erik,

As you may know, we are having a bit of a resurgence in the H-14 class here in the states. As a result, a lot of older boats (25+ years old) are being refurbished and used for racing.

A significant problem that frequently occurs in old boats is that the foam flotation absorbs and holds water, making the boats very heavy (two boats at the North Americans weighed nearly 300 pounds - 60 pounds over minimum).

The IHCA rules specifically state that the blocks shall not be removed or reduced in size, but what about replacements? Realizing that the block cannot be removed in one piece without removing the deck, some people have extracted the block (in pieces) through an access port and then "replaced" it with foam swimming "noodles" (a photo is attached in case you are unfamiliar with these). This is definitely not class legal as the rules stand today, especially since there is no standard for the volume of flotation required.

Would it be feasible to establish an "old boat" rule whereby boats over a certain age (say 20 years) can replace their flotation blocks? (We would have to establish a minimum volume as well.)

Thanks for your consideration.
--
Matt Bounds
Editor, Hobie Class Association HOTLINE
www.hobiecat.com/hobieclass