old hobie fixup help - where to start

Well a friend gave me this boat. It is old and has been sitting around for many years but supossedly used to work fine. It has all the rigging . the sails look a bit weathered as does the boat. But there are no cracks in hull and metal seems fine. The trampoline is gone and needs new one. The trailer axel is rotted and needs to be replaced --does anyone know what size this axel is ? I dont know if its standard hobie trailer? So my first mission is to get that replaced so I can haul it out of here. Then can anyone tell me what year this boat is and what to do next --where to start. My guess is I will need new sails . Any info or direction is appreciated --I am a newbie and I have little sailing experience and lingo. I have a house in Cape Cod and this boat will be fun there.

Thank You.

Eric
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Trailer first . . .

Axle - it's the size of the bearings that's critical - more specifically, the diameter of the axle that goes through the bearings. Current standard sizes are 1" and 1.125" diameters. Old trailers tend to have odd-sized bearings that are hard to find - and it's even worse trying to find an new axle in an outdated size.

To get at the bearings, remove the dust cap on the hub and there'll be a castle nut underneath with a cotter pin in a bunch of grease. Wear disposable gloves. Remove the cotter pin, then the nut. The outer bearing us behind the nut. Remove it and clean it up (wash in solvent). You should be able to read a number on it that you can Google to see what the specs are. Use an inside caliper to see what the axel diameter is. If it's a new standard size, you're in luck. If not, then you'll need to get a new axle, bearings and hubs.

I've had good luck with http://www.trailerpartssuperstore.com for all kinds of stuff from axles to lights.

Boat:
While you're cleaning it, you'll be able to feel any soft spots. Unless they are relatively small (< 1 sq. ft.), you've been given a parts boat. Even if there aren't any soft spots, you're looking at spending ~$2,000 for new sails, new trampoline, new standing and running rigging.

Where are you located? The serial number can be find on the back of each pontoon above where the rudders mount. The last two digits should determine the year.

thanks for answering ....what are soft spots ? I didnt rub down anything at all, so I have no idea. The rigging except what is attached to boat now is in cellar (including trapese wires and harness stuff) Does or should rigging be replaced anyway? Same with sails ? I was up at a friends place and just inquired about the boat sitting there --he said no-one uses it anymore but in good shape- obviously needs work etc. I never opened sails or looked at how straight the mast is ...The whole axel , including wheels is rusted thru and I have no plan of retrieving any part of it --it will be completely brand new. Trying to figure if its a standard assembly. The frame on trailer was 59.5" across from frame to frame. I dont mind putting a few bucks in it but if its going to be ridiculous .....I'm in Massachusetts , boat is in NH 1 1/2 hrs away ....so my answers are very limited.

Thanks

Eric

I would go with what Mbounds said, look first for soft spots, in front of the trampoline on the hulls (the top of em)... soft spots are parts of the hull that will crack under your hand, and seem to cave in when you press on them (shouldn't take much force). I repaired a huge are of them (about 5sq foot), so i wouldn't say it's a parts boat, if everything else is ok... it costed me about 150$, and 15 hours of labor + tonnes of internet research.

after that, once you got it home, clean it, it'll look a ton better after that. Then Replace the Anchor pins, and standing rigging, and trampoline (if you don't want to spend big bucks, i got a tramp last winter on ebay that's been great! although most will tell you to get a hobie tramp as it will last probably 5x longer).

it looks like it could be a fun boat! Good Luck!

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1985 Hobie 16 86068

Measure the length of the old axle and the length of the leaf springs. Go to Northern Tool.com or their retail outlet if you have one close by. You can buy the whole axle assembly for less than $200. Bolt it on, add tires and wheels ($100 for the pair) and go. Amazing how many trailers don't have lights or licence plates.....
The boat:Used sails,you can find them on Craigslist, or here, on this forum. I just bought a decent set for $250 from a forum member.
Clean up the running rigging (all those ropes (lines) on the boat, replace what you need. Standing rigging (wires) from West Marine, (You can make it up yourself,using the old shrouds and forestay as patterns). Tramps on Ebay for $159.00. Lots of Elbow grease and rubbing compound and you should have a boat that you can sail. Probably alot less than $1,000 total investment.
Compare to new at ????????

There is so much bad advice here, I don't know where to start.

Northern Tool - OK, that's good, but be prepared for some goofyness when you go to install the springs on the frame. Like the springs won't be the same length. Like you might need a welder and / or a drill / and / or new bolts to attach the springs to the frame.

No license / lights - that's just asking for trouble. You need to bring this over the highway to get to your cottage on Cap Cod? There's a reason trailers have lights, and it's not so you don't get pulled over. That's just stupid.

Standing rigging - how many times do we have to say this? DON'T MAKE UP YOUR WIRES AT WEST MARINE. THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE IN USING IT. You DO NOT want the mast to fall down. This is not something to be cheap about.

eBay $159 tramps are crap.

Used sails - OK for just fooling around.

"Free" boats are usually anything but. However, for $1,500 - $2,000, you can have a decent boat that will provide years of enjoyment - and get you back to shore in one piece.

There is no comparison to a new boat.

You're right. I'm wrong. Spend $2000 on a boat that won't bring $1000 on Craigslist if he decides he doesn't like it.

Glad you agree with me.

I never said it was a good investment. Boats seldom are. Especially ones that have been sitting under a tree for years - even when they're "free".

On the other hand, I paid $160 for a complete H16 with bad hulls, less sails. Then paid $200 for a set of hulls with a good frame and bad tramp.
$250 for used sails. Trashed the bad hulls and switched out the tramps. I have a trailer that I got for free when I bought a complete and sailable H18 for $200.
So.....$160 + $200 + $250 + $00 = $610.
I have lots of useable spare parts and I'm ready to sail in April. Deals can be found. It takes some time and common sense to put together a reasonable boat, but it doesn't take $2000.
I guess that I should mention that I work for West Marine and do most of my own rigging work.
I also own a 29 foot cruising sailboat and a 33 foot coastal/offshore racing sailboat. I don't have much over $2000 tied up in either one of them and sail them both regularly. Just returned from a two week cruising vacation on the Chesapeake Bay on the 29 footer.

That explains a lot.

I bought my fist Hobie for $900. Spent about $800 and this is what it turned out like after 3 months of work. It was a lot of time invested, but I sold it, and now have a great boat.

If you want to check it out, here is a youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CeNpOCA8sk

I did have good sails, rigging, and tramp however.

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http://www.GetWetSailing.com It's A Great Day To Sail!

I bought my 88 16 for a grand with decent sails, ok trailer, bad lines, questionable rigging, vinyl tramp that the squirrels proceeded to eat (??!) and beach wheels.

BUT the hulls were solid, mast straight, rudders smooth so like the OCD maniac I am, I went and got new sails, tramp, 12-1 downhaul, 6-1 harken main, jib travlers, all new sheets and rigging, rebuilt the rudder cams and shims, arriba hot stick and a whole bucket of tlc, I've got the next best thing to a new boat for less than 4 gees!

Lots of stuff I've done is just cause I'm mental and can't help tinkering, but on an older boat, definitely replace the rigging and associated hardware, just to be safe. Getting hurt after a demasting is not a good time!

Until I lose a race by 15 feet, I'm sticking with my 88!

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Blair T

I love these calm moments before the storm, it reminds me of Beethoven...


'02 Hobie Tiger USA 1152

Softspot are exactly that. If you press on them, the bend much more easily than other areas. If you tap them with a screw driver handle, they make a hollow "thud" sound rather than a crisp knock sound. They are common in front of the tramp for sure. If it has been sitting on the ground a long time, you may want to look for blisters etc around the bottom of the amas.

You won't really know what you have until you get it on a trailer and hit it with a pressure washer. Then if there is damage you can see it better.

As for the trailer. As insane as this sounds, it really depends where you live and how you intend to use the boat. Here in Georgia, it is not remotely uncommon to see trailers that have not been registered for a decade in land slips around the lakes. They rarely leave the lake area so no one registers them. I am certain the lights don't work etc. Note I say rarely, not never. Personally, I would get it in working order, properly tagged etc because, with my luck, if it were not, I would get into some sort of mishap on the road and have a massive headache ....

Take this with a grain of salt but ...... When I went to register my hobie trailer this year, the sheriff had to come out because there was no serial number plate on the trailer so I had to get him to certify such so I could get a new serial number from the DMV. No joke, he asked me why I was bothering to go through such aggravation for a small trailer "Nobody's gonna bother you pulling a boat around as long as the boat is registered" I did not take his advice, it is properly tagged and registered it as I planned to take it it other states but.........

Those sails look trashed, you should look around for another set and expect to replace all the running rigging.

Good luck with it. I just picked up an older 16 fairly cheap (good trailer, good tramp, and a few soft spots) and am getting ready to repaint etc.

The beauty of these forums is that you can get a lot of information, you just have to sort through what is information versus what is fact I personally have had excellent experience from West Marine swagged standing rigging on a wide variety of boats (FDs, Lightnings, NZ Javelins, Ranger, Coronado) and never had a problem - the FD and Lightning probably being the closest comparable here - although I would never accuse West of being "cheap" at least not on a cost perspective. With that said, I am brand new to hobies so there may be something inherent to their rigging I don't know which would cause a problem????

With all that said, in my 35+ years of sailing, the only time I have seen standing rigging fail is if it was neglected/not properly maintained or an error was made during stepping (much more common on trailered sailboats).

Your boat looks a lot like the '83 i picked up this time last year (same rainbow side-decal). You'll probably be surprised how quickly a little elbow grease cleans up the hulls. My boat had been parked for about ten years, and looked as weathered as yours. I brought it home in October, and did a quick once over with a pressure washer, and then buffed it out with Maguires oxidation remover in the spring of this year. I didn't buff until my original color was restored, but only until I had a mirror-like finish. I scraped the decal off, as it was pretty much shot, and removed the decal glue with Goo-B-Gone. My hulls have been remarkably water tight this summer, and have no soft spots. Be sure to replace your standing rigging, as visual inspection in woefully insufficient. I first sailed my 16 with the original shrouds, in light wind, just to check out the seaworthiness of the hulls, and a couple individual strands of steel popped. I immediately replaced all the standing rigging, and have been very happy to have done so. Buy new drain plugs as well, it is likely that the gaskets are shot.

I second the trailer parts superstore recommendation, they were very helpful. It also helped that their showroom is only about an hour away from me. The key measurement for the axle replacement is the distance between the spring centers. Measure carefully, as a difference of as little as a half inch will make your life difficult. I had to replace my axle as well, the old one came off in three pieces.

I have to admit that I replaced my tramp(s) with aftermarket, but I was also buying for my 14 at the same time, and just didn't have the cash for two Hobie original tramps.

Good Luck, and I'd bet you've gotten yourself a really good boat. Price seemed just about right, too.

Eastern Bay Ed
Grasonville, MD