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 Post subject: Bought a used 1984
PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 10:56 am 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Tue May 06, 2014 12:43 pm
Posts: 5
Location: Northern Indiana
Hello, I've been looking for my own Hobie 16 for a long time. I finally found a 1984 with a trailer and am very excited to get on the water. Here's an overview of the boat and trailer, along with my concerns and/or questions. I'm hoping for some insight as there aren't any other Hobie sailors near me to learn from.

Starting from the ground - up:

Trailer
Blue paint is still in good shape, very little rust, new tires, greased, lights are inop. It has a forward mast support and all rollers and side supports. Trailered the boat about 30 miles with no issues. It should only be used to launch in the spring and store in the winter. No toybox/catlocker but would love to get one. Worst case, I'll get some 12" PVC.

Hulls
The boat hasn't been in the water for 15 years. I felt I knew which areas to scrutinize thanks to experience and this forum. The fiberglass looks original and has never been painted. No signs of repeated beaching, no soft spots, tapping on the sides sounds similar, except at the pylons. I'm not sure what's in there but I'm guessing it's structural support? The serial number indicated it was produced in July of 1984, but I keep forgetting to look for the red glue. There is evidence of a possible impact on the inside of the starboard hull, about 8"-12" back from the bow. The white candy coating chipped off (about a .50 piece size) and I can see fibers. I am going to pressure test the hulls, specifically to check that area. There are some spider cracks near it. If it's not leaking, should it still be repaired?

Drain plugs are brand new. A little water came out of both hulls. In season, the boat will be on crossbars with pvc covers. Is it recommended to leave drain plugs open when racked?

My son and I scrubbed the hulls this past weekend and they are about 95% white. We then used an orbital buffer with some compound but it didn't remove the light rust stains. We will be buying StarBrite to try.

The black striping on the side is coming off a bit and the top striping is gone. I don't want to paint new lines and would prefer a pre-cut and properly sized (width-wise) kit. Is it better to keep true to the boat's original look or does anything go?

Pylons
I'm really concerned about getting water in the hulls. The sealant looks old and cracked. Will a pressure test show any leaks around the pylons? I'm not very familiar with the vent tubes and how they are meant to "breathe". Hoping for guidance here. Clean and caulk or wait and see?

Deck/Trampoline
All of the corner castings are crack-free and bolted to the pylons. However, 3 of the 4 move up and down on the pylon. The pylon is not moving; it is the castings on the pylons. Is that normal on an older boat?

The trampoline is mesh and loosely laced. I will be re-lacing. It came with an extra blue vinyl trampoline. The side rails have no covering but I would like to put on some carpet. The hiking straps have a 1/2 twist in them between each attachment point. I'm confused by this and almost think it is a mistake. Any ideas?

The rear crossbar and tracker are in good shape.

It came with 4 rudders, 2 tillers, and 1 tiller arm. All appear to be functional.

Mast step looks good.

Jib block tracks only slide about 3/4 of the way outward. They don't look bent and I'm hoping they will loosen up overtime. The fairlead on the port side has deteriorated a bit. I can't determine which one I need on the Hobie parts list. One vendor's description says 11952021 is for the rear crossbar. Will that PN work for the jib traveler?

Mast / Lines / Sails
The mast base is broken, so I have not stepped it yet. We laid out all of the lines and we confirmed all of the necessary equipment is there. The operation of said equipment will have to wait until the mast base gets here. It looks like they have had a few bases installed as there are many holes. I think I read a post where someone cut about a 1/2" inch off the bottom of the mast. I'm thinking we will have to do that to ours.

No trapeze lines. Our lake is small, so sometimes they can be a hassle. By the time you hook on and get going, it's time to come about. My son thinks the idea of hanging out there sounds great (I did, too, at his age!) but I'm not sure we need it. I guess it is nice to have the handle....? Anyone have experience without traps?

I can't remember which pins or parts I used way back when to ease rigging. Does anyone have a "must-have" list of smaller parts?

One mainsail and 2 jibs. All are in great shape. Main and jib are Cat Fever with a 75XXX number but the hulls are '84. The seller did not know the history of the sails. Would this number mismatch mean the sails are not original? I cannot place the lonely jib but if I had to guess, I'd say Carumba.

That's all I can think of for now. I'm sure I am missing a lot, so if you have questions, please ask!

Sorry for the long post. I thank you in advance for any advice you can offer me!


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 Post subject: Re: Bought a used 1984
PostPosted: Tue Jun 28, 2022 5:21 am 
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Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2018 10:49 am
Posts: 26
I bought a 1984 H16, manufacture date June 1984 (K), about 4 years ago.
Here are some answers.
Mine does not have the red glue. It started in production sometime in 1984.
When not on the water, my drain plugs are open.
Pylons - A pressure test will show if there are leaks around the pylons. If they leak they should be sealed. A lot of water can go in at those points.
There is a vent tube in the forward pylon to equalize the pressure between the inside and outside as the sun warms up the fiberglass
during the coarse of the day. Fiberglass does not like to expand.
Deck - The corner castings should not move at all. The two hulls are going to move all over the place when under way. You want rigidity.
I would cut up a coke can and use as shims to stop the movement.
Trampoline - Don't use carpet. That's old school. They now have rubber grip with adhesive backing that is far superior. Some people put
twist in the hiking straps to make it easier to slip your feet into them.
Jib tracks - You can pry up on the jib track to open it slightly using a large screwdriver. Get a new jib car at West Coast Sailing in Oregon.
Its called a Hobie H16 jibsheet car with block. Their SKU is 20323
Trapeze lines - There is no need to hang both trapeze lines. Just mount one set.
Sail numbers - Near as I can tell, in 1984 they were at the 50,000 series numbers. So your sail is not original to that catamaran.
Any other questions, let me know.

Greg
1984 H16 Tequila Sunrise


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 Post subject: Re: Bought a used 1984
PostPosted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 1:57 pm 
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Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Sat Dec 08, 2007 1:02 pm
Posts: 186
Location: Lake of the Ozarks
skiteton wrote:
Hello, I've been looking for my own Hobie 16 for a long time. I finally found a 1984 with a trailer and am very excited to get on the water. Here's an overview of the boat and trailer, along with my concerns and/or questions. I'm hoping for some insight as there aren't any other Hobie sailors near me to learn from. Welcome!

Starting from the ground - up:

Trailer
Blue paint is still in good shape, very little rust, new tires, greased, lights are inop. consider Harbor Freight magnetic lights It has a forward mast support and all rollers and side supports. Trailered the boat about 30 miles with no issues. It should only be used to launch in the spring and store in the winter. No toybox/catlocker but would love to get one. Worst case, I'll get some 12" PVC.

Hulls
The boat hasn't been in the water for 15 years. I felt I knew which areas to scrutinize thanks to experience and this forum. The fiberglass looks original and has never been painted. No signs of repeated beaching, no soft spots, tapping on the sides sounds similar, except at the pylons. I'm not sure what's in there but I'm guessing it's structural support? This is where the pylon "shoe" is located. Are the hull sides smooth at these locations? If so, OK The serial number indicated it was produced in July of 1984, but I keep forgetting to look for the red glue. There is evidence of a possible impact on the inside of the starboard hull, about 8"-12" back from the bow. The white candy coatingGel Coat chipped off (about a .50 piece size) and I can see fibers. I am going to pressure test the hulls, specifically to check that area. There are some spider cracks near it. If it's not leaking, should it still be repaired? Yes, cover the area with gelcoat, Formula 27 (gray) or Marine-tex

Drain plugs are brand new. A little water came out of both hulls. In season, the boat will be on crossbars with pvc covers. Is it recommended to leave drain plugs open when racked?Yes, and bows high to drain if possible. Hopeful you'll seal all the leaks, but check after every sail

My son and I scrubbed the hulls this past weekend and they are about 95% white. We then used an orbital buffer with some compound but it didn't remove the light rust stains. We will be buying StarBrite to try.anything with Oxalic acid while get the stains out of the (microscopic) pores in the gelcoat, then seal with your favorite wax

The black striping on the side is coming off a bit and the top striping is gone. I don't want to paint new lines and would prefer a pre-cut and properly sized (width-wise) kit. Is it better to keep true to the boat's original look or does anything go? I like original look but, it is YOUR boat

Pylons
I'm really concerned about getting water in the hulls. The sealant looks old and cracked. Will a pressure test show any leaks around the pylons? YesI'm not very familiar with the vent tubes and how they are meant to "breathe".it's a tube from inside the hull exiting out the top of the pylon, meant to equalize the pressure. Hot boat in cold water Hoping for guidance here. Clean and caulk or wait and see? Caulk after your pressure test. Leak check all along Hull/Deck seams, the red glue area

Deck/Trampoline
All of the corner castings are crack-free and bolted to the pylons. However, 3 of the 4 move up and down on the pylon. The pylon is not moving; it is the castings on the pylons. Is that normal on an older boat? follow gford advise

The trampoline is mesh and loosely laced. I will be re-lacing. It came with an extra blue vinyl trampoline. The side rails have no covering but I would like to put on some carpet.indoor/outdoor remnants are cheap, or gford The hiking straps have a 1/2 twist in them between each attachment point. I'm confused by this and almost think it is a mistake. Any ideas? Newer factory mesh tramps are made with twist, per gford reason. Older solid vinyl had no twist

The rear crossbar and tracker are in good shape.

It came with 4 rudders, 2 tillers, and 1 tiller arm. All appear to be functional.

Mast step looks good.

Jib block tracks only slide about 3/4 of the way outward. They don't look bent and I'm hoping they will loosen up overtime. The fairlead on the port side has deteriorated a bit. I can't determine which one I need on the Hobie parts list. One vendor's description says 11952021 is for the rear crossbar. Will that PN work for the jib traveler?PM me a photo, I probably have the proper car.

Mast / Lines / Sails
The mast base is broken, so I have not stepped it yet. We laid out all of the lines and we confirmed all of the necessary equipment is there. The operation of said equipment will have to wait until the mast base gets here. It looks like they have had a few bases installed as there are many holes. I think I read a post where someone cut about a 1/2" inch off the bottom of the mast. I'm thinking we will have to do that to ours. If you can't find a place for new holes to mate to new part, I GUESS I would cut off a 1/2" (as a last resort)

No trapeze lines. Our lake is small, so sometimes they can be a hassle. By the time you hook on and get going, it's time to come about. My son thinks the idea of hanging out there sounds great (I did, too, at his age!) but I'm not sure we need it. I guess it is nice to have the handle....? you NEED the handle Anyone have experience without traps?gford nailed it, let your Son have fun

I can't remember which pins or parts I used way back when to ease rigging. Does anyone have a "must-have" list of smaller parts?you'll figure out YOUR list after a few trips

One mainsail and 2 jibs. All are in great shape. Main and jib are Cat Fever with a 75XXX number but the hulls are '84. The seller did not know the history of the sails. Would this number mismatch mean the sails are not original? all my '84's have been in that range and slightly higherI cannot place the lonely jib but if I had to guess, I'd say Carumba.

That's all I can think of for now. I'm sure I am missing a lot, so if you have questions, please ask!

Sorry for the long post. I thank you in advance for any advice you can offer me!

_________________
1984 H16 "Mister Rogers"
1984 H14 "Sundays"
2000 H20 "Jet"
Sheet In, Max Out


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 Post subject: Re: Bought a used 1984
PostPosted: Wed Jul 06, 2022 3:41 am 
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Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2020 2:13 pm
Posts: 107
Location: Conway, New Hampshire
Most hull cleaners are Oxalic acid based. (Barkeepers, Starbrite...) Had little effect on my '85 H16 hulls, cleaned okay, but left the staining. Muriatic acid worked! It can be found at most hardware or big box stores. Use it with all the cautions recommended, gloves and good ventilation. Wipe on, let sit a couple minutes. No rubbing, just rinse off well and trailer it might be on too.
It's strong stuff. Once rinsed and dry, re-apply a good wax coat to hulls. Super bright clean hulls. I had a couple posts on this problem for me last year with pictures. Listed under 'Hull stain removal'

_________________
Image Image
'89 H14 'Jaws'
'85 H16


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 Post subject: Re: Bought a used 1984
PostPosted: Wed Jul 06, 2022 8:44 am 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Tue May 06, 2014 12:43 pm
Posts: 5
Location: Northern Indiana
Update...(pics soon)

We were able to raise the sails yesterday and spend some time on the water!! The seller had called me on Sunday to let me know that he found another mainsail (Carumba), trapeze rigging, and a harness. I picked them up on Monday and found that the "new" mainsail was in better shape than the another one!

It's been about 20 years since I sailed but I guess it's like riding a bike. My son caught on very quickly as we headed downwind and then tacked back home. Winds were about 10-12 and we were able to fly a hull twice, so I'm pretty sure he's hooked now! The boat's speed felt slow at times, partly to the windspeed and more likely, my rigging. I want to make the rudders hum so I hoping you guys can "rate my setup" based on these pictures and my descriptions.

Here's how it went stepping the mast, raising the sails, and most of the general rigging. I hope to include some pictures at the end of this post. Please give me feedback on them as I know things may be incorrect and could be improved on. My goal is to aid and speed the general rigging procedure. The boat will be stored on crossbars, up and out of the water, so when we want to sail, all we need to do is carry the sails out of the barn, rig it, and go.

We had some difficulty connecting the forestay. I held the mast while my son tried to get it connected to the 3rd or 4th hole. After one attempt, we lowered the mast so I could rest my arms, and then we tried again. He was able to get it connected to the 2nd hole. Which adjustment hole is best and what is the easiest way to connect it?

Image

I tightened the shrouds to the 2nd bottom hole but there still seems to be a lot of slack in both shrouds. How tight/slack should they be? What is the best way to check?

I had ordered a new mast step link and it came with a bolt with locknut and a pin. The instructions were a bit vague, but I installed the bushing into the link and then connected the link to the mast step with the bolt and nut. Then, using the "16" hole, I connected the mast base with the pin. Once the mast was stepped, I pulled the pin, allowing the link to drop, but it's still installed in the mast step. Is the link meant to stay connected to the step? Or should I remove it entirely? I guess I never noticed that the mast just floats in the step. I just want to make sure the mast doesn't "jump" out of the base.

The mast base has been repaired numerous times and looks like Swiss cheese. Hope that's not a structural issue.

Image

The jib seemed slower to trim than the last boat I sailed. How can I improve that based on my type of jib system?

Image

I would like to upgrade my mainsheet blocks so I don't have as many. I believe the newer boats only have 2 triples? Can I upgrade for less than $200?

Image
Image

I need to get the hulls cleaner and slipperier. Rudders could be cleaned and slicked up, too.

Image

Hit me with everything you've got. The replies have been great and I'm hoping for more of the same! Thanks!!


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 Post subject: Re: Bought a used 1984
PostPosted: Wed Jul 06, 2022 9:13 am 
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Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2016 2:04 pm
Posts: 74
Location: Central California
For the forestay, all it is doing is holding up the mast until you tighten he jib, then the jib takes all the weight and pressure, so just connect to the top hole.

You can get a brand new block set from Nautos, their lower is part # 92083 and is the same part that comes with new getaways and the upper is 92061, that would run you just a hair over $200

_________________
Image


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 Post subject: Re: Bought a used 1984
PostPosted: Fri Jul 08, 2022 11:02 am 
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Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2018 10:49 am
Posts: 26
How tight should the shrouds be? - When the sails are NOT up, the forestay and two side shrouds keep the mast up. All three are very slack. This is
normal. When you raise the sails, main first, you use the jib halyard to bring the shrouds tight. Not banjo tight but definitely not slack. I pull on the
jib halyard and reach over to one shroud to check tautness. The jib halyard is going to be quit tight to accomplish this. That's why the jib halyard is
set up with a three to one purchase. The forestay will now be loose while sailing.

Mast step link - I remove it entirely. If you do the above procedure, there is no way the mast can fall out of the step. Even in a capsize.

Greg
1984 H16


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 Post subject: Re: Bought a used 1984
PostPosted: Thu Feb 09, 2023 2:27 pm 
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Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2020 2:13 pm
Posts: 107
Location: Conway, New Hampshire
Use Muriatic acid (not oxalic acid) on the hulls for fully clean white. Check out my post on 'hull stain removal'. Use all precautions on label, ventilation and gloves. Rinse well, then wax.
For singing rudders, adjust and align so that the bottom is just a tad closer to the hulls vertically than the top. Also, adjust so that both rudders angle inwards just a tad as well.
I like my 'rug' on side rails, but have put neoprene on sides of hulls for trapezing foot comfort.
You can buy a trailer rewiring package with harness and taillights at any Walmart, Tractor Supply or online. Easy to do, I've done more than a few boat trailers.
Make sure your trailer bearings are good, (wheels spin without resistance) and regrease them.
Once mast has been stepped and forestay connected, pin is pulled on step so mast will rotate. I take my step off while sailing as it reconnects easily.

_________________
Image Image
'89 H14 'Jaws'
'85 H16


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 Post subject: Re: Bought a used 1984
PostPosted: Mon Aug 07, 2023 5:23 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:00 pm
Posts: 560
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Trailer lights: I absolutely love the Blazer C6304 lights, which are now also sold under the Hopkins name at Tractor Supply and Auto Zone. So portable. Any trailer instantly has lights. Store them in your car when they aren't in use. They work really well.

_________________
'00 H16 #104691
'78 H16 #32692 ex-rental [gone]
Old Holsclaw trailer
My Hobie 16 pages


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