Newbie Which boat to choose

Hi Great Forum

I am a new member

I must get a Hobie cat this season. I will be sailing on Lake Ontario. I am an experienced monohull and laser sailer and enjoy going fast. I like high winds. I do not mind waves and have a wet suit. I am 53yrs and 220 lbs.

I have narrowed it down to a H16 or a H18se. Due to my budget a used boat. Most of my sailing will likely be solo. From reading the forums it sounds like the 18 may be too much for a first boat. But bigger is faster and more comfortable and make it more likely to attract my fair weather non sailing friends to come along for the ride.

All comments and advice appreciated

Manfred

Lake Ontario is pretty big - where on the lake are you?

We could hook you up with some locals that would probably take you for a sail to get a feel for what's involved with both boats.

Becouyaman - I'm hoping you'll be able to take M. Bounds up on his offer. That would be your best bet.
Some things to consider:
At 220 lbs. you'll be fine on either a H16 or H18. If your friends are large, go with the 18; especially if you take along more than one friend.
The 16 is drier. You'll catch more spray on the 18.
Don't get a 16 if you want to get experience on it and then sell it and get an 18. If you want an 18 in the near future, get it now. Go out in lighter winds, sheet out, travel out, point higher until you feel more comfortable with it.
The 18 has daggerboards; the 16 has asymetrical hulls and is easier to sail singlehanded going out and coming back in.
Both the 16 and the 18 are fast.
The 16 is easier to right after capsizing.
There's no such thing as a perfect boat. You'll have to make some compromises when choosing the boat that is best for you. Your budget might help you make that choice.
Good luck and welcome to the forum.
Rich

You have to sail both boats. I started on the 18 and never really got the feel of the 16. I just never liked the way it sailed. That bieng sid I am partial to the 18. The furling jib makes it nice and can be single handed on just the main alone. Then as you learn the boat add the jib or add it in light wind.

Just my $0.02. Enjoy and good luck.

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

I also recently (March 2010) bought a HObie after sailing 505, 470 and Lazers for most of my life. I am 46 and 220 also and love the 16. It is fast, easy to move on the bach or yard, simple to rig and sail (ask advice on tacking it is really different to monohuls)

I sail it sol and also with my friends and kids - great all round boat and well worth the money so dont be afraid to buy an older boat as long as the hulls are not soft, tramp is good and sails are decent (mine is an 81)

Buy it and have a blast!

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1985 Prindle 16

I went from a H16 new in 1979 to a H18 new in 1988. The only drawback is that it is a lot tougher to muscle around the H18 on the beach by yourself. I had no problems doing it with my 16.
The 18 is a far more stable boat. True it is wetter than a 16 when sitting onboard. But the ability to power through waves and reach downwind without burying that thin 16 bow is a huge plus... and she'll turn better with the daggers.

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Chris
'88 H18SE Arís

I'm 56 and around 205 lbs (have been up to 240), sail often (40+ days a season), solo most of the time (90%) and sailed a H16 for 20 years before switching to a H17Sport in 2002. As much as I liked the 16, I would never go back. The 16 has a tendency to pitchpole (especially in puffy conditions) so you can't drive it as hard as the 17. The H17Sport is also a great boat for the older soloer, the wing seats make a great back rest in lighter winds and allow me to get my weight out without trapping when the wind comes up. When I do capsize, I can right the H17 with just a righting line even when turtled (with the 16 I usually had to use a righting bag to help). I like the H17Sport with it's jib and boomlet over the H17SE (uni-rig & boom). Also the swing-up centerboards of the H17 have save me a couple of times when I've strayed into the shallows (I would hate to think what would of happened if I had a H18 with center boards). For the soloer I would also suggest a set of beach wheels to aid with launch and recovery. Good luck

becouyaman,

I like the statement, "I must get a Hobie cat this season.". That sounds like me last year in June. A couple of web searches later I located a '81 H18 that had only been posted a half hour earlier, and less than two hours drive away. Seemed like it was meant to be mine, so 1500 dollars, plus a couple hundred to get it squared away and I was set. Came with two Hobie harnesses that I have yet to use, looking forward to that.

Now, if it seems like that's not the best way to decide which boat to buy, it's probably not. I didn't realize what a hotrod the boat was, but, I'm very, very happy I lucked into the 18. I don't even know any other sailors personally, and didn't find the forum here until after the purchase. But I feel like I have a cross between a Corvette and a Cadillac. The boat get's a lot of attention at the lake, because people around here never seen such a pretty sight on the water. It's all bass boats and watercraft at the lake and not one of them have a clue about right of way for sailboats. I sail during the week to avoid the insanity.

I'm 52, 205lb., solo, trailer sail, inland lake, no beach.

I say the H18 is a lot of boat, but not too much boat for determined solo sailor. Plus you have more experience sailing than I. It will be a challenge, which I bet you're up to. And I think you would have a boat that would not need replacing in the future. I'll probably never get the best out of mine, but it's fun learning and trying to figure it out.

Took it out 8 or 10 times last year between June and Sept. It was a wild ride while I figured out how to slow the damn thing down. It was like I was dumping the clutch on a hotrod at every light at first. But I got it down pat now, and just had the first outing of the year on Apr. 6.

It was 14 knots plus gentle gusts, beautiful day. I sailed with main only for quite a while, then added the jib when the wind settled to 9 or 10 knots. Covered more than 15 miles on a finger lake. The wind was going to last til sunset, so I milked it for all it was worth. Headed back to the ramp with the sun setting behind me as a formation of geese flew right over my masthead. ...........ha, just remembered it took me three tries to approach the dock successfully.



Can you tell I'm trying to steer you toward the 18? Is it working?


Y'all have a Hobie day.

Thanks for all the advice, it is very helpfull. I didn't even know the 18 has dagger boards.

I will be sailing out of Toronto on Lake Ontario, 90% solo.

Since I am a bigger guy I am leaning for an 18. Problem is there are three 16's in the club and I would be interesting to race against them but I'm not sure about that just yet. Most of the sailing will be recreational.
Also Lake Ontario is deep and I should not have too many problems with the daggers in shallows, I hope.

Any other advice much appreciated

Goto to the Etobicoke Yacht Club on June 20th (Fogh Marines Hbie Day) or the following weekend for a Hobie regatta. You will meet alot of great people and get pointed in the right direction. If you feel like traveling to London, ON I would gladly get you out on a H17 and/or a H16.

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Division 10, Fleet 185
Hobie 17 and Hobie 14

Go with the h16 and get into that race situation, simple, fast, fun,#1 popular cat,84 or newer mate!.

Doug - you bringing your new ride to EYC for the regatta? I can try to rustle up the 17s for the event.

I really wish I could. Dan and I have been chatting back and fourth about that. Looks like the earliest one I can make it to will be the Water Rats Regatta.

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Division 10, Fleet 185
Hobie 17 and Hobie 14