lighter hobie 16s

Anyone know what year hobiecat started to produce the lighter hobie 16s? How much was the weight difference, versus the 70's boats.?
Thanks

84, RED LINES!

!984 - 20 pounds lighter (320 pounds)

_________________
1980 18 foot class A Unicorn catamaran
1977 Super Sunfish (sold)
1979 Hobie (sold)
1983 Hobie 16 Hawiian Sunset (sold)
1981 Hobie 16 Tequilla Sunrise (sold)
2008 Hobie 16 (sold)
2023 Hobie 16
Founding member of the "San Dimas Yacht Club"
John

Was it only the 84's that were lighter or did it continue from that point forward all the way to the modern 16's?

The years of light boats were '84 to about '88 The closer you get to '88, the more chance you have that the boat is heavier.

After '90, the boats were more consistently 320#, however, boats gain weight as the age.

The newest boats are lightest. Most of the late 2000s boats are underweight (310 - 319#).

A little off topic but in the same vein...I'm looking around for a H14T to play with. Were the 14's lightened around '84 too? What exactly changed in the manufacturing process at that time?

The 14s were lightened in '84 too. I have an '85 that's only 2# over minimum weight (240#).

The layup process was changed (vacuum bagging) that allowed for a tighter laminate with less resin. It was a win-win for both Hobie and the sailors - the boats were lighter (better performance) and used less resin (less $).

Thanks, Matt B., I knew you would have a great answer. Now, I am also assuming, that the improved layup method and vacuum bag method, also produced the tighter fiberglass sandwich, which is why many older hobie 16s , before 1984, had many more problems with delamination. I have had to fix the delamination on one hull on a '78 hobie 16, and both hulls on a '79 hobie 14. So, besides being lighter and less costly in materials, the newer hobies are also stronger.

There are a lot of things that influence delamination. Sun/heat exposure, repeated flexing (using the deck as a step), freeze-thaw cycles can break down even the best built boats. I don't think the boats made after 1984 are any less prone to delam. There are a lot fewer out there than the 78 to 83 model years (peak production) and they tend to be better taken care of.