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PostPosted: Mon Dec 05, 2016 11:09 am 
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Hi all, I've owned my hobie 16 for about 3 years now and only have the house highest praise for it. It's fun fast and exhilarating but I've been recently thinking is there more out there? Over the years I've been on and off about the hobie 18. Throughout the years my only grievence with the boat is the dagger boards would get caught up on seaweed. Now that I don't sail in the bay anymore, my primary focus is open Lake Ontario sailing so I'm thinking that a boat that's faster, can point better, and can handle more wind would be a better option. Please feel free voice your opinion I'd really appreciate it.



-Brendan Harris

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1981 hobie 16 with carumba sails
http://youtu.be/IRqA38nn7aI


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 05, 2016 1:26 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:29 pm
Posts: 2763
Location: High Point, NC
The 18 could be considered the best all around beach cat Hobie ever made. But it is also a bit heavier to move around on the beach and much tougher to right if capsized. One person has a really tough time doing it.


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 05, 2016 4:59 pm 
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I'm a bigger guy and have a righting bag so that's not too much of a concern for me but my concern is that it going to as much fun to sail solo as a 16

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1981 hobie 16 with carumba sails
http://youtu.be/IRqA38nn7aI


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 05, 2016 5:30 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:48 pm
Posts: 90
Location: South Carolina
I sail a H16 and have wondered the same thing. The cat sailors at my club tell me the H18 is much more stable and easier to sail, despite the size. That probably makes sense given larger boats usually are more stable. Also, they cite the ability to furl the jib. I would be worried about flipping it, and the weight. Also, I would like my kids to take the boat out with thier friends, and they are already hesitant due to the H16's sail area. So I might stick with the H16.

Note: we sail on a small lake. I grew up on the Atlantic and do appreciate the absence of swells and waves with that pointy H16 lee bow.


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 05, 2016 5:40 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:48 pm
Posts: 90
Location: South Carolina
Check out this thread if it helps your decision. A bunch of "old salts" showing thier preference:

http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=24510

btw: I am at the lower end of the thread's represented age range.


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 05, 2016 6:10 pm 
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I'm 16 so going fast and learned how to handle a bigger boat going fast are my highest priorities. I've found with the 16 is that in the big Lake Ontario chop that the boat gets stuffed unless I'm sailing perpendicular to the wind. So With rigging and comfort being completely ignored, as I do with my 16, I'm starting to lean towards the 18.

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1981 hobie 16 with carumba sails
http://youtu.be/IRqA38nn7aI


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 12:13 am 
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Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2013 2:43 am
Posts: 266
Location: Brisbane, Australia
I own and sail both and must stay that if I was to choose one...... I would choose the H16.
Don't get me wrong, i love both cats and sail them both regularly. They are both very different cats suiting a variety of different weather conditions and sailing applications. I guess the main reason to have made this decision is factored by that I solo 95% of the time and the H16 is alot more manageable. It's also alot newer and the product support new/second hand is stronger for the H16.

Yes the H18 is faster and handles swell/chop better but you must have the correct crew weight to do this.

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2007 Hobie 16 - 'Slingshot'
1996 Hobie 18 - 'Onrails'
Hobie Bravo - 'Hobie Bites'


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 11:39 pm 
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Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2011 11:35 am
Posts: 261
Location: Memphis, TN
I went from a 16 ( after 4 years ) straight to a Hobie 1996 20 because its a newer design, big hulls, handles weight great and was cheaper by $1000 to most 1990's hobie 18's. After putting hobie magnum wings on the hobie 20 i couldn't be happier. it's easy to de-power the 20, flatten the main with downhaul and/or furl the jib. It loves big water and big crew. May not win any races because its rated as a Porsche Turbo racing catamaran but its fun to beat a dozen 16's when you have wings, a 50lb cooler full of beer and about 400lb of people onboard.
KEEP the hobie 16 as a solo and a fun fast cat. Friends will love it and the cycle will continue!

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Tim Grover

Memphis, TN fleet 134
Hobie 20! G-Cat5.0 and 2 Hobie 14's
Photobucket now wants $100 to post pics on forums......... pass.


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 5:46 am 
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Joined: Mon May 24, 2004 10:33 am
Posts: 686
Location: Clinton, Mississippi
Lots of people, especially bigger guys as you say, solo H18s, so I don't see that as a problem for an experienced sailor. I'd have two concerns. First would be handing it on/off the trailer and around the beach as mentioned above. They are a bit of a tank.....I would think some rubber tire cat trax with cradles would be a must. Second would be launching. You mention the big chop, but do you have a sheltered place to launch/land? Launching/landing a board boat in the surf, especially solo, is a whole new challenge compared to a H16. If you're good on those and can find a solid boat (they're not getting any younger), then I say go for it!!

P.S. All that said, don't sell the H16....sail them both!!!

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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 12:18 am 
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I'd say go for it. I love my 18.


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 13, 2016 6:28 pm 
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Joined: Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:11 pm
Posts: 313
Location: West Point, Utah
If you are just looking for the extra length for wave handling, why not go to the tiger. A lot lighter than the 18 and modern hull shapes. I guess there are not alot of them around, but should be able to find one if you are motivated.


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 6:23 am 
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Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 8:31 am
Posts: 5
Being an owner of a H18 and H16 I solo both boats normally but started inviting my mom out to regattas to be extra weight and maybe tack the jib here and there. I am a college I agree that the H18 is a mess when capsized when sailing solo. I am 210 pounds and I have a water bag to help but most the time it still does not help. I love both my boats and I have a lot of sentimental love for both of them. I preferably love sailing my H16 a lot more because it is easier to update, a lot lighting for moving on the beach with cat trax, more people have them. The times when I would say the H18 is more fun then the H16 is when the winds are any higher then 25 knots and really gusty. Like he said it is a TANK!!


H18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIbl6A4JV6Y

H16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQRoC1wa49w


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PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2017 9:41 am 
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Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 1:20 pm
Posts: 493
Location: Clearwater, FL
After watching the video of you sailing your H16 in icy conditions reminds me of what die hard Hobie sailors will do in order to go sailing.


Image

Image

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Tim
84 H16
82 H16
87 H14T
Tortola Sails: 115222
Blue Prism Sails: 88863
Clearwater, FL
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2018 10:52 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2018 10:38 pm
Posts: 1
Sodusbayhobie wrote:
Hi all, I've owned my hobie 16 for about 3 years now and only have the house highest praise for it. It's fun fast and exhilarating but I've been recently thinking is there more out there? works wonders years I've been on phentermine over the counter equivalent and off about the hobie 18. Throughout the years my only grievence with the boat is the dagger boards would get caught up on seaweed. Now that I don't sail in the bay anymore, my primary focus is open Lake Ontario sailing so I'm thinking that a boat that's faster, can point better, and can handle more wind would be a better option. Please feel free voice your opinion I'd really appreciate it.
-Brendan Harris


I used to have Hobie 16 that I traded a couple of years back with Hobie 20 (of course, I had to pay extra money). For a few weeks it was fun, but to tell you the truth I miss my Hobie 16. I still regret my decision of not trying another boat before disposing of the one that I owned and loved. My advice would be to test drive the new one before making any decision. Learned the hard way!


Last edited by AnthonyMoore on Fri Jul 07, 2023 2:13 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 10:00 pm 
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Joined: Fri May 15, 2009 8:42 am
Posts: 43
Location: Chicago/SW Michigan
We have a 14, 2@16's, 18 that we use on Lake Michigan.

In waves there is NO COMPARISON with the 18 being the absolute best choice boat. It rips through waves and the surf.

With the daggers, you realize your ride ends 75 yards from the beach, and you just slog in from there.

Launching solo in the surf is a little more challenging. We have a shallow sandbar just offshore, so we end up sliding pretty far downwind until crossing sandbar and dropping daggers. As a solo, you virtually go in to irons drop the daggers, then resume you sailing.

The 18 is way lower to the water and is a wetter ride.

Great two man boat, both on the wire.
16 & 18 can both be solo'd. Only downside on 18 is beaching it. You can do the full speed fly up on the beach that you do with a 16. The hulls are a little more dainty being round. So you do have to pull the boat up. Odd thing, but the front crossbar and dolphin striker are SO LOW, it is tougher to pull the boat. and the 18 is heavier.

For what you would get selling your 16, keep it and just buy an 18 too.


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