Huge Jib on Hobie 16 - (Is this right???)

Hello, just bought a used Hobie16 for my son, and we thought we would check things out before we went to the water...
Does this look right to everyone? Or does the jib seem a trifle big?


It sticks out on the other side of the mast, and the picture below doesnt even show the battens sticking out!


Could this jib be for a different (bigger) boat? Or am I not hooking it up correctly? I'd like to find out before I just go buy another jib.
Thanks for any info on this!

where's the top of that thing?

IAS - mine overlaps like that too. also, my battens stick out like yours. however, from the pic, it appears your lower batten is not fully inserted which would explain why it sticks out much further than those above.

I don't see the Hobie class logo, but it also looks like you've got zero mast rake too. Set up the jib as low as possible on the adjuster and add some mast rake.

Brian C

I dont recall a Hobie logo on the Jib (it's down now, and in the garage), but there was a very faded cloth label that said "Hobie" on it, located at the bottom of the jib. As to raking the mast... When we finally got it up, the front shroud (forestay?) was only just able to fit into the top hole on the adjuster, so I can't really tilt the mast back any more. Does anyone have what the length is supposed to be on these wires, and how far up the mast the tang is supposed to be? Three masts came with this boat. One short one, and two longer ones. The long ones are about 25 feet, and from what I have read, that is the proper length for a Hobie16 mast. The short one is appx. 20 feet, and I dont know if it is for a special purpose, or for a smaller boat. (Ah the joys of being new to this sport )
We are going to fix the battens, replacing the missing ones, and caps. Also we will make sure that they are the correct length. I was just trying to set it up to make sure we had all the parts before we tried this near the water.

Can't tell for sure from the photo, but it looks like you have bare wires (no vinyl covers). That means they're old and probably set up for when the 16 didn't have as much mast rake.

And if they're really bare wires, you ought to think about replacing them. Cause those of some old wires. I don't think shrouds and forestays have been offered bare for over 10 years.

Wire lengths are here:
http://www.hcana.hobieclass.com/default.asp?id=2169

Your shrouds are probably longer and your forestay is probably shorter. And it sounds you probably have a stock jib. Mast length on a 16 is 26'6". The Wave mast is 20', but has a different mast foot. H14 mast is 22'.

I don't currently have access to the dimension on where the tang should be on a 16 mast. That would be an excellent question for Matt on Monday since he has the production drawings within reach of his phone/computer.

Did you have the jib tack attached as low as possible on the front adjuster?

Brian C

It's difficult to say if that is the correct jib, but, asided from the one batten being too long, it looks like the correct jib. The correct jib on the 16 does overlap the mast a bit. The overlapping jib also tends to get it caught on the halyards while tacking, but with enough wind and proper technique the jib shouldn't get caught on the halyards. The jib may need manual help coming over in light winds, meaning grabbing the leech in hand and pulling it over.

Also, you may want to heed The Dog's advice about checking the shrouds for wear and proper length.

If your shrouds are that old, replace them. Don't even think about it. It only costs about $200 and it will prevent the mast from falling on someone while sailing. This is the first thing I do when I buy a new to me boat.

Do a search on this forum for this topic. You will see plenty of good information about it.

_________________
Nick

Current Boat
In the market
Previous boats owned
'74 Pearson 30
'84 H16
'82 H18 Magnum
St. Louis, MO

That looks like the old style Hobie 16 Jib to me!

Our 75 had a large jib like that. The newer jibs are cut differently.

What year is your 16? It looks around 1980 at least, as you do have the multi-hole jib clew (Which we did NOT ahve).

The Jib is correct. All Hobie 16 jibs overlap the mast.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

We just found out our portside mast shroud was hanging by several threads up top after we got back to the launch site this past labor day weekend. Put in new ones yesterday. Prior to that we raked the mast way back, a couple holes worth, last year to move the drive of the main sail more aft. We were having to watch the lee hull like a hawk in the 20 plus knot winds by Rio Vista. It seemed really super hairy and would begin to submerge and then start to pitch pole at the slightest increase of wind speed even with both of us standing as far back as possible on the windward hull and dumping wind out of the main and jib. That lee hull was acting much like a submarine.. dive dive dive . Since we raked the mast back more the boat is really well behaved now and have not had any pitch pole worries in the stronger winds. She just takes off like a rocket , smooth and steady and is much easier and more responsive to control while using just a single trapeeze wire. However even with the increased mast rake I still have to yank the jib around the mast when tacking in light winds and it still gets hung up by the battens on the mast halyards now and then. Looks like your jib is about the same or similar in size to the one that we use.
-kepnutz-

Convert the jib halyard system to an Aussie system. Put a small cheek block on the mast just above where the top jib batten hits the mast. Place the block as far back as possible. Make sure it's on the same side as the stock cheek block at the base of the mast.

Hoist the jib, put the halyard behind the small cheek block, run the halyard around the stock cheek block and up to the jib cleat. Tension the rig and you should never have the jib battens hang on the halyard again.

In light air they may take some help sliding across the mast but it's no where near as bad as with the stock halyard.

_________________

What a great idea! I'll try it.

You'll never go back.

_________________

Thanks for the tip. Thats a cheeky solution mate
-kepnutz-