We're building an 18!

Sorry... I know better. So do most of the people I know.

Brian C

Any updates?

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Dave

Truth is treason in the empire of lies.

Campaign for Liberty

I have a buddy that wants me to let him build carbon hulls for my 18. He says creating the molds for the top cap and hull isn't all that complicated. It would require the destruction of 2 hulls as the topcap molds would be lft, rt specific. He will not talk price and I'm very leary of that.

On a side note, I have 2 early '70s MG Midgets and a '52 MG TD that is 90% restored. Dad has a '78 Midget and B. We buy many parts thru Victoria British, which bought many of the MG tools.

Carbon hulls would be amazing! If you do end up going for it, please document the project well!

I do remember seeing pictures of a full Carbon Fibre hulled catamaran on a forum... maybe beachcats? Did anyone else ever see it?

_________________
Dave

Truth is treason in the empire of lies.

Campaign for Liberty

Many A cats and F16s' have carbon hulls, beams and masts. Hobie has plans for a carbon Tiger and a carbon Fox has already been built, according to rumors.

I've been searching for these pictures for a LONG time. Thanks for posting that it was a Fox!

http://www.thebeachcats.com/index.php?m ... temId=8429

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Dave

Truth is treason in the empire of lies.

Campaign for Liberty

I don't think that's carbon, I think its just black. Besides, why build a carbon hull, and still keep the beams, and presumably the mast aluminum? Those are some old pitcures, the boat still has the toilet bowl snuffer on it too.

As far as building a carbon H18, why? There is way better hull shapes out there than that. Get a used F18-HT, that's all carbon plus it has a spinnaker. It still weighs in at 260lbs. Or pick up a used A-cat. They're being built under the minimum 160lb class rule. Crazy for an 18 foot boat.

Doesn't Hobie still own all the rights to the designs? A Hobie hull could probably be built for personal use but not for sale.

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Alan
'86 H16, Sail #89057

Tek Kat - Carbon Fiber Catamaran

http://www.tek-kat.co.uk/downloads/Tek- ... %20Mag.pdf

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Dave

Truth is treason in the empire of lies.

Campaign for Liberty

I believe that hobie should just subcontract the build of the 18 out i know i have family ties in a very reputable boat building company in Australia that has been building foam sandwich boats for a very long time and happends to be the largest and best hobie repairing business in Australia and we would be more than welcome to subby the building of the hulls all we need is the moulds...

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JonJay Kersh
Team Australia
Hobie 18's

You're not the only one who "believes" this, there are 17 and 20 sailors with the same sentiments!

Why don't you bend some ears at the 40th, since the right people will be there, and all waxing nostalgic?

Matt Miller has stated the hulls are minor compared to the spars and other aluminum castings (something about shelf life?).

Please let us know how the response of your conversations

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Sheet In...Max Out
www.fleet297.org
sailflatlands at gmail dot com

I know it took a long time, but I've just now recovered a fully functional connection to our website. This is what Don's "new" boat looked like

I don't think it has to do with shelf life (other than the fact that those parts will probably spend their entire life on a shelf). My understanding is that all the castings, extrusions, and other 18 specific parts require a minimum quantity run to be manufactured at one time. It's not cost effective to make a huge run of all those parts if you're only going to sell one boat. Those are the pieces that another builder wouldn't be able to make.

BTW, that is a very sweet looking boat, I'm jealous.

sm

Yeah the mast section is the major worry as im not sure if we can get them made in Australia as i believe our Alloy is a different grade i belive it is far harder and more tensile than the American grade section, thus would alter the class.
I firmly believe that the 18 is by far the most versitile beach cat in the world hands down and i dont understand why it is not being pushed rather than flogging the F18 wagon.
I have spent a long time racing these F18's and at the end of the series finding that you beat them on yardstick why go and spend $25000 on something your still not going to win a regatta on when there is an old 1978 model Hobie 18 that you only beat by 5 min when you had to give them 8 on yardstick...
It has everything that they have but more because you can use it in three complete different configurations..

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JonJay Kersh
Team Australia
Hobie 18's

I thought I would bump this thread and rev up interest for the new hulls deal that is now cooking