New (to me) H18!

Hi,

I'm new to the forum having mostly hung out at catsailor with the Hobie wave I sail--but I just got an 82 H18 for 600 bucks! It's in need of a scrubbing, some hatch replacements (the screw in becksons came with the boat, and rudder slop elimination. That's it! Honestly, I couldn't be happier with the boat or the deal.

Obviously, this is a huge step up from the Wave and I'll be taking the learning curve like a virtual newbie. I went to look at the boat as a source for parts for a Hawaiian outrigger I'm messing with--check http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/07/pro ... /index.htm When I saw the boat, my intentions changed on the spot! It was remarkably clean having had everything either siting in the garage or in the sailtube on the trailer for the last 10 years. I'm the third owner of the boat. It came with boxes of stuff, old replaced parts, spares for virtually everything, and some extras.

I'm trying to get to everything and sort out the stuff. I've got the original rigging manuel and a host of original documents--the last owner was really organized. It even came with a cheetah moter mount! That could be handy in some of the places I sail.

Anyhow, I live in the wentern suburbs of Chicago and would love to sail with and see some other 18's so I can step up the learning curve. Any ideas? It's about to get cold here, but it should hold off until I can get the boat sorted. In the meantime I stripped the lines, washed them to clean 'em up some, and may remove the tramp if I have to store the boat outside this winter. Speaking of which--do you store the boat under a tarp? Hatches and drainplug open?

I have the opportunity to take it down for Thanksgiving to Sanibel, but then it will stay there until I can drag it back--not much work can be done to it and I'll be without it this spring. OTOH, I'll get to sail it in the gulf both over Thanksgiving and over Spring break. Still not sure about that one.

Anyhow, thanks for putting up with my excited rambling and be patient with my newbie questions.

Dan St. Gean

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Dan St. Gean
'82 H 18
'96 H Wave

Welcome to real Cat sailing!.. good luck.

I experienced a very similar situation this summer, where I bought back my '88 H18 after a 13 year absence. You'll find the 18 to be a very stable platform and a ball to sail! While not nearly as high tech as say a Tiger, there is still room to soup up her performance.

Ask away.

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Chris
'88 H18SE Arís

I need to clean her up a bit as it sat outside for the last ten years. I have lots of parts that I thought I'd need to replace, but after a good scrubbing see that they'll be fine. I do have cracked press in hatches and thought of buying new inserts for them rather than remove the old ones and put in the screw in becksons that came with the boat. Any opinions there?

There's a bit of rudder slop that I need to clean up perhaps with one of the new rudder rods either in fiberglass or in SS? I would think that fiberglass paired with a new set of bushings would be best unless the actual rudder housing has been worn--then it looks like I'd need the drill out bushing kit. Other opinions?

The tramp needs a scrubbing, but is in remarkable condition for it's age and so forth. It needs new hiking straps sewn on though. Should I do that myself? Take it to an upholstery shop?

It came with a mast raising system that I'l need If I try to step the mast while solo. The PO indicated he used the trap wires to stabilize the mast while raising. Where would one attacy them to offer any lateral support? Near the foreward beam?

Otherwise, the boat appears to be in great shape. I just ordered the Hobie catelogue to add to the old ones that came with the boat 94-5 was the last one the PO had in his bag of goodies.

Any hints on whether I should get the clevis and cotter pin that is missing from the swept shroud from Hobie or is any aluminum clevis of the right dimensions acceptable? In this age of ordering online, ordering from my local dealer is a PITA.

Dan

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Dan St. Gean
'82 H 18
'96 H Wave

I need to get the cotter and clevis I just wrote about, but what kind of tension do I have on the diamonds and stays? I kept the Wave really loose, but this is a different beast altogether.

Dan

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Dan St. Gean
'82 H 18
'96 H Wave

We have a new to us 1997 H-18SX, and sail Lake Michigan near the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (aka just east of Gary) for the last two years. We have sailed H-16's through the winter, and are planning to do this with the 18.

If you're interested sometime, email me at jwirth1 at comcast dot net

Welcome to the Fleet. As per storage... yes under a tarp. i use a small one to cover the tramp and lines when in use and a huge one to cover the entire boat in the off season times (which i have not really had since i am in florida and sail in the winter) no need to turn upside down but i suggest AGAINST removing the access ports off.... Cats...love to climb in... and i am sure so do mice and rats....

I would remove the drain plugs. Do NOT store your sails outside or in a damp place (basement)... mice and rats and mildew love sails....

Thanks for the tips.

I'm getting it cleaned up a bit first--any suggestions for cleaning gelcoat besides a wax? I scrubbed it with water and a bristle brush to get rid of the dirt and growth on the decks, but the hulls look pretty good so far. I may end up figuring out how to cram it in the garage since my town just enacted a law that states all RV's and boats must be in the side or back yard on a hard slab.

I also just ordered a bunch ofd little do dads to allow me to get the boat the rest of the way together. Rudder bushings, pins, cotters, hatches, new trap bungies etc. Murrays is a great source!

Dan

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Dan St. Gean
'82 H 18
'96 H Wave

Visit your local Hobie dealer once & ask if they will ship to your address. I know there is a dealer in IL. Their knowledge will help you more than the few bucks you can save by going elsewhere. BTW; West Marine is expensive and dosn't have many cat parts outside of line & shockcord.

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1989 Hobie 18 Worlds Boat, Magnum Wings & Spinnaker
1987 Hobie Holder 20 #273

dale.vanlopik"at"att"dot"net

Yes there is a Hobie dealer in IL. I had a problem getting some rudder cams and such delivered via mail and was soured by the experience. I'll give it another try. The dealer that has glass boats is a different guy than the one that only does the rotomoulded boats.

Anyone have a link of how to set up the travler?

Dan

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Dan St. Gean
'82 H 18
'96 H Wave

I used the two trap wires lashed to the foreward crossbeam to stabilize the side to side motion and used the trailer winch and gin pole arrangement. No worries! Now I can see how it all is put together.

Anyone have a rigging diagram of the travler?

Dan

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Dan St. Gean
'82 H 18
'96 H Wave

I checked the archives and found it although the diagram in the assembly manuel covers up the goods with "diagram 37"--not so helpful. The forum was though!

Dan

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Dan St. Gean
'82 H 18
'96 H Wave