Your best modifications

<<<<I would say that a 25 year old boat would be uncompetitive no matter what it weighs.

The weight change happened in 1983.>>>

I know....Matt.

I'm just sayin'........and I think most would agree it was a bad decision.

Thistle #1 is still racing....Hobie 16 #68774 is not competitive.

Water over the dam. I just went and bought a newer boat. Still, we wonder why the fleets have dwindled. People with older boats ought to have a fair place to race. Maybe it isn't in HCA-NA.

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Jack Woehrle
Wave #100
H20 #287 "Tallahassee Lassie" (down in FLA)

Forgive my ignorance, but if an old boat is maintained it should still be competitive with occasional mods etc. (In a one design class)

The new hobie with lighter hulls, different profile rudders etc etc is a damn fine boat but is quicker which is an unfair advantage over the older boats - money again determines who wins.

To retrofit and modify the older boats to a newer spec is too expensive. Maybe hobie should make the parts more affordable for the rest of us.

In todays age hobie has to be competitive with newer design, manufacturing and material choices etc, so it is nice to see the new machines. Surely the handicap rating would be different, or should be.

The trap guides that hobie sell in the catalog don't mention whether they are race legal or not - mounted under side rails.

These aren't all changes that happened over night. One design or not there should be progression in performance. The improvements and changes made have been spread out over almost 40 years. That should be plenty of time for you to work it into the budget.

So since holes in the deck lip aren't allowed, how does one normally install a hawaiian style righting line (or a chicken line)?

I guess the catalog says that no tools are required for installing these, so there must be some way other than drilling a 3/16" hole in the deck lip on the transom. Anyone know what the instructions tell you to do?

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1984 H16 - #80541

Tie the ends to the ridder pins/castings.

Incidently, a better sailor on an older boat will beat a worse sailor on a newer boat. To a degree, anyways.

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Tim
Unofficial Fleet 72 Communications Officer and Div 4 Webmaster
http://www.hobiefleet72.org
http://www.div4.hobieclass.com/

VERY TRUE! I have been sailing with newer boats that have "better technology" but a lot comes down to how well you can sail YOUR boat! I've been faster than most I've been around with newer boats!

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'83 H16 Tequilla Sunrise and Cat Fever

Not necessarily with the H16. It's still one of the largest one design fleets in the world as it stands right now. Major changes to hull/ rigging/sailplan will never happen. Competition wise, racing Hobie 16's is pretty inexpensive compared to other monohull, developmental cat classes, and cat classes with looser class rules. I see people pony up for the $50 titanium shackle to save a few grams on their A Class all the time. That's about $45 more than I sell a stainless one for a Hobie 16. Don't get me started on the $2000 PBO rigging and the 50' of $4.30 Maff mainsheet. The 16 is really affordable racing. The 'arms race' gets really expensive.

If you spend the $8900 on a brand new boat, there is nothing you can really buy for it to make it faster--just easier to use/ personalized. That's not the case with a lot of other classes. I've built stock 16's (and other Hobies) for people on the beach, hours before a regatta, and had them win many times. And several times they have placed pretty high in Worlds and North American events with no modifications or extra gear to buy. That's the beauty of one-design racing.



Word! No amount of gear beats tiller time.

I think this might be a tangent from the OG post. I really like the trap return mod though.

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Sail Revolution
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There are very few one-design classes for which that is true. Usually they are keelboats (J-24's) that have been extensively rehabbed.

Most popular one-design classes have very short competitive lifetimes. Top level Laser sailors get a new boat every couple of years.

A new Hobie 16 will be competitive for over 10 years (with replacement sails - jibs last 2-4 years; mains 4-6 years)

All I have to say about this is that I love my Hobie 16. Yes, I do spend money (that sometimes I may not have) to make it a more "race worthy" boat, but if it hadn't been the overall affordability of the 16 I wouldn't be a sailor, period. The affordability of this boat is what got me hooked. I spent 800 bucks on my first Hobie, it has paid itself off in memories ten fold. If something breaks, I get it fixed, no worries. I can't imagine what it cost to fix one of the newer designs. Granted, I'm not big in the race circuit, although I want to become more involved. If I could afford it, I'd have a new 16 in a heartbeat, likely over other designs, because I like the abuse that a 16 can take. But getting together with a bunch of folks that just want to sail is way more important to me than making sure my boat is the most competitive one on the water. I think that this boat is a great design, although I think it sails better 1 up, without crew in most conditions. For the money, you can't beat a 16. And the minor mods that are made don't discourage me from time on the water, although everyone wants a lighter boat. I'm just happy the 16 is still around, and going strong.

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James
86' Redline Hobie 16
Sail # 76909

Apples and oranges. Early Thistles are wood - including the mast. They last much longer than the fiberglass ones.

Thistle #1 was completely restored because of its historical significance.

It doesn't have a wooden mast anymore.

Thanks to everyone for the wealth of info and the inspired thought rendered on this post. I concur with many of the opinions submitted and rebuttal many of the issues of legality, although I understand the need for some of the lines that are drawn in the sand by Hobie. I can't imagine how many times the rules have been amended by Hobie to protect the general OD population from some idea that has slipped through the cracks of equality and fairness.

I will sail my boat in whatever venue that will allow me to have fun on the water. So far, the venues in the Long Beach, CA haven't disappointed me yet. I've owned my boat for 5 years (been sailing it for 4 years) and have made many modifications to my boat were I didn’t stop to ask the question “I wonder if this is class legal.â€

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Happy Sailing,

David