Wings?

Just trying to get my knowledge up so I can purchasing my first Hobie. Was on the lake today and saw a lovely boat moving at a nice clip, best guess 20 kts. The boat had, what I believe, are wings on both sides. Looked like extra seats that extended off the pontoons. From a novice’s perspective it looked like a great way to get extra leverage when hiking. My concern is can the "Wings" drag in the water off the leeward pontoon thus slowing you down? Is it legal to race with them? Are there other advantages/disadvantages to putting wings on the boat?

Thanks,

Dave

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"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." -- Mark Twain

Could either be a Hobie 17:


Or a Hobie 18 (Magnum or SX):


Or less likely, a Hobie 21SE:

(not many of those still around)

The wings do not dig in unless you are flying a hull very high. They are class legal - in their own classes. The 17SE is the only one that regularly has a class.

Thanks, do they make these for the 16's. Not with a lot of knowledge yet, but I assumed that it was a 16 that had the wings.

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"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." -- Mark Twain

If it was a Hobie 16 with wings then the wings were after market as Hobie Cat does not, nor did not, make wings for the 16. Sit N Sail made wings for the 16, but they are out of business.

And as long as you are "getting your knowledge up"....don't ever say pontoon again. Sailboats have hulls, party boats have pontoons.

You mean we cant have a party on a Hobie? Appreciate the feedback, I play Disc Golf and laugh when people call them Frisbees.

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"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." -- Mark Twain

Sure you can, but you don't get wet on a pontoon boat. Staying dry on a Hobie means you aren't partying hard enough!

Dave,

This is the boat you saw. It's a Hobie 18SX



It is legal to race with wings, if they were standard equipment for your class of boat. So, they are required on 17 and 18SX (for racing), and optional on the H18, no one (at least around here) in 18 class races with wings. If racing is in your future and wings are important start a search for a Hobie 17, they are the largest active racing fleet (again, around here)

John

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Sheet In...Max Out
www.fleet297.org
sailflatlands at gmail dot com

its my understanding that you can race a h-18 magnum (with wings)against a h-18 se (without) with no penalty. The pronlem bieng you have to stay the same configuration all regatta and the wings add 60 lbs.
I had wings for my 18 and only used them when sailing in large places, if your tacking often they tend to get in the way.

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

Well, you're not supposed to. Technically speaking at a Hobie one-design regatta, they should be scored as two separate classes (H18 & H18M). But, at least in our area, we generally let the occasional folks with wings race and get scored the same as the standard 18s. For whatever reason, the guys with wings tend to be the less serious/competetive racers, so no one really minds. I'm sure if someone with wings started winning, they would be asked to take them off or be scored separately.

sm

The FXone can be raced in either configuration, and the wings can be added, or removed as neccesary from race to race.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

It's nice to know that I am not the only one who's skin crawls when hearing the hulls being referred to as "PONTOONS"!

Yes It bugs me too. They are hulls, but lets not be snobs! We are hobie sailers not rich A-hole monoslug sailers.

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I wish winter was not so long in Sask. Canada. It's hard to sail on ice! 1984 16' hobie cat Sail# 84848

WOW, you say you are not a rich a hole mono slug sailor? Then why say it? I am not rich and owned a mono! Sailing is sailing, sounds like you could be the snob

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Bodhisatfa

Yes, and there are plenty of A-hole Hobie sailors too, just ask them!