Hobie 18 Modification thread

Which jib are you using ? I tried a jib that had small battens, similar to a halcat and square top main and to me it felt more responsive. One of those can't prove it moments. Can imagine getting the correct combination must be very difficult. Found the existing jib sheet setup very cumbersome especially when trapezing. Bonus to get those blocks out the way.

Have you done any mods to the daggerboards and rudders, lighter smaller etc. The tiger rudder setup is ideal but very pricey. Would like to try the tiger daggerboards, making a case to support them would be a mission though.

Handicaps are always a pain. How do you find your handicap now with all the mods ?

Thanks

I am running a standard Tiger jib with the little taped on battens on the leach. I didn't have it quite right at the last race, it vibrated going to weather. My control lines are a little long on the tacker.
The only mods on the tiller system are the Miracle 20 x-bar system and some carbon EPO2s. I leave my boat on the beach a lot and people sitting on it at night always bent my crossbars, now I just remove it and carry along with the sails.
I race in a region that is pretty open about portsmouth numbers. Went to Catsailor to get a firm number of 66.8. There is argument about the number assigned to the Formula 18. There are 2 versions of the Formula 18, one US built and the other European. The EU version is the original SX, taller mast, mylar main and spin. The US version is a standard 18 with white powdercoated beams and mast. I'm competitive with the assigned number so I will let it go for now. If you build a hotrod 18 it must be rated somehow.
I have also considered Tiger daggers because of the lift they create but feel the chance of getting the boat properly balanced and the difficulty of creating plugs for the wells is not worth trying. Maybe a longer version of the stock board with a blunt end would work?

Any rigged photo's yet ?

Work is getting in the way of sailing.

Thanks

Not yet, she is still sitting in the driveway.....waiting......patiently waiting. I hope to get out at least one more weekend before covering her up for the winter.

Hope you do get a last sail in or two. Your winters are very harsh compared to ours. Good excuse for further mods and touch up repairs etc.

Did you ever consider a Tornado jib? Would have to shorten the pigtail but does look like it could fit in there.

A Tornado jib would most likely work. I felt converting to a proven sail plan would be easier to tweak than piece mealing it. The Tiger jib is designed for the Tiger main and as such getting the slot, trim angles, etc should be much easier. There is also a lot of info on tuning the Tiger readily available so I am not reinventing the wheel. My main was Dan Delaves, it had been damaged and repaired so the price was right. I got a jib from one of the sailors in my area that had converted to a battened jib, again not expensive. My self-tacker came off a chartered I-20 and had been rubbed by the diamonds while trailering, quite a good deal there. Bought my EPO2s used but new, saved a hundred there. You get the point, spend some time shopping and asking around, deals are out there.