Is $300 a good price for this Hobie 16?

I found a Hobie 16 for $300 and would like some advice. I've never owned a boat before but would really like a Hobie 16. The owner says it's a 1978. It's got the Keoke sails and red hulls. The hulls are not original to the boat. He said they don't have any soft spots. The main sail does have a few small holes from mice and the tramp looks faded but has no tears or holes. He also said it will need new cloth lines for $120. It comes with a trailer as well. I haven't had a chance to actually look at it yet. What do you guys think is a good price?

I would say so, you could probably part it out for more than $300.

Where you'd lose money is is when you start repairing it and the money you've put into it become more and more. I'd get an estimate on the total cost to repair it to sail ready (or race ready if you want to compete) condition before purchase.

Until you start putting money towards the repairs though, don't think you have much to lose since you can part it out.

$300 is not much money. Get it and then do a complete assessment of everything that needs to be fixed or replaced on the boat and trailer, with a cost estimate. Then decide what to do. Don't get emotionally invested in it until you are sure it is worth fixing.

Depending on what you want it for, you can put $3000 into it to make it race ready, and still not be competitive with a new boat, however, if you just want to bomb around on the lake and have fun, if it is complete, it is a great deal. You might put another $300 into in initially, but still worth it. Good boats for just fun sailing are selling for $800-1000 complete. I would have bought this one just for the trailer at that price.

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Steve
2017 Hobie 16 "Cayman" sails 114795
1985 & 1973? Hobie 14 "Sea & Ski"

I've been reluctant to reply to this because I am so new to this sport that I may not have anything of real value to add. What I do have is a $200 H16 and trailer, and although it required a bottom-job, new sheets, and some new rigging, it has been one of the best investments I've ever made. A caveat would be that I am recently retired and have plenty of time to fix, break, and fix again all of the small and large problems that come with a 40+ year-old boat. Mine is basically sound, though, so the time and money were well spent. If you get a chance to inspect the rigging, the hulls, etc, and calculate the cost of fixing/replacing what may not be up to standards, it will be easy to come up with a dollar figure (which you should calculate very carefully, then double it) and decide if it's worth going forward.

I know I'm very happy with mine, but even doing all the work myself, I have another $500 dollars into it.

Good luck

pd

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1974 H16

That's probably the best words of wisdom in this entire thread so far.