Hi all. Greetings from Australia.
I'm about to buy my first Hobie - a Hobie F18 Tiger in generally good condition. I've owned and sailed several smaller catamarans over the years and have a hunch this is going to be quite a handful.
There's just one significant problem with the boat, and I'm hoping people in this forum might be able to offer helpful advice. The trampoline has perished where it wraps around the wire stays beside each hull, primarily toward the stern of the boat. The current owner has covered that with gaffer tape to conceal the tears. A new trampoline would cost more than $1000AUD, adding significantly to cost I'm facing to get on the water.
So my question is whether I can make a cheap repair by removing the trampoline and having it reinforced at a canvas repair store, using a section of an old trampoline. Is that feasible?