Just bought h17 - Questions

My wife offered me an H17 and i don't know mutch about it, sometime ago i use to be crew with a friend, but i'm a beginner.

How can i identify the model and the year? I think it is h17 sport, from 1995 to 1999, it has jib, but i'm not sure.

The seller told her that the mainsail is used without boom or boomlet, and it came without one, and sails seems to be the original, is it possible?

When I tried it, it took a lot of strength to control the rudder, can you help to find the problem?

Thanks

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From the hull graphics, it looks to be a late '80s boat. There should be a number engraved on the transoms and the last two digits are the model year - if it was made in the USA (don't know where you're from, put your location in your profile so we can give better answers).

It is probably an aftermarket Sport conversion kit - the 17 Sport from Hobie wasn't introduced until the early / mid '90s. The mast rotation arm is a dead give away - with no boom, there's no place to cleat the adjustment line. (Also, don't have someone pull the boat by the bow spreader bar. If it bends or breaks, it's $$$$ - if you can find one.) The plate on the clew of the main serves the same purpose as the boomlet.

The pull on the tiller is most likely because the rudders were not locked down all the way. With the rear end of the boat in the air, put the rudder down and let the upper casting slide on the lower until you hear an audible "click" as the rudder locks down. There should be little or no fore and aft play in the rudder tip. If there is, move the adjuster plate in the upper casting forward (the bolt head on the top of the casting).

I don't know where the h17 was bought at firts, but i'm in Portugal, and i bought him here. I will see number on transoms to confirm, and i will try to talk again with the seller, but i think he wasn't the first owner. The number give any information from where the cat was made?

It is better to ride without boom or boomlet with the kids, specialy at the beginning, but to benefit of the mast rotation i should use a boom, right?

Can give instruction when should i use holes further ahead, or further back, on the plate on the clew of the main?

To pull the boat on a cat trax i should use directly the bridle, so i don't damage the bow spreader bar?

About the rudder, last time noted that they wheren't lock, and sometimes they poped up, i wil try fix these.

Thanks for the tips.