Getting an '81 H14 ready to sail

Hey, I just made an account to say keep the posts coming, I've got my own 14 and watching your process has been really helpful!

Maybe too much time on my hands...? But I really like the videos folks take from the forestay of their Hobie Cats, so I decided to put together a simple mount for my oldish GoPro Hero 3. I don't have a lot of accessories, but I did happen to have one of the more basic clip-in attachments...


I picked up some 1/8" thick, 2" aluminum angle (I always seem to be looking for stuff like this, so now I have some stock), and cut a piece to fit inside the forestay adjuster. It does require 2 free adjuster holes at the bottom. Here's what the parts look like...



The mount is squeezed into the forestay adjuster with (slightly modified) nylon spacers to get a tight fit without affecting the forestay wire attachment...


The GoPro mount is attached, maybe with a little bit of overkill, though I'm pretty sure it isn't going to go anywhere...



GoPro mounted (and easily removable) with a modicum of up/down angle adjustment...


Look for embarrassing videos in the near future (actually, I'll keep the embarrassing ones to myself)...

B

Thanks for all these posts. Helpful to a newbie such as myself. Never sailed any boat, so this is useful as a sort of checklist before maiden voyage in a couple weeks of my 89 Hobie 14.
It's not just what to check, but what it should look like when adjusted or tightened up.

_________________

'89 H14 'Jaws'
'85 H16

Been lurking and concur with Robie's message. Thanks for these posts. Been trying to figure out the GoPro mount too, flipn brilliant solution! Nice work, keep it up!

If you want to peruse serious options for setting up an H14, you should go through JRK_14's "Updating My ’77 Hobie 14" thread. Section 7 (summary) looks particularly useful for tuning. I'm strictly recreational, but lots of the details can still apply for making the cat friendlier, regardless of the need for speed or competitive advantage...

B

Decided to bite the bullet and put on straps. A tent and awning canvas repair place did it. Not super cheap (~$80 with the strap material), but it looks like a nice job...


An issue might be how "tight" they are. I didn't really know how to spec that, so I told them about 1" above with the twist...


But it does seem like I can't get my foot/leg under above the ankle. It's more of a real foot/toe strap. Hopefully it will work. Otherwise, I'll need to rip out the sewing on the next strap over to have a two-long strap. I did the restringing as if it were a newer style tramp, so it's pretty tight. In the future, I guess it's better to look at the tramp as a consumable item and just replace it as needed rather that "salvaging" the old or original ones.

B

Looks great Bluesight, keep up the good work and the posts.

It so happens that I am also in the same boat (pardon the pun) of refurbishing an H14

As for hiking straps they are designed for toes, at least thats my understanding and i personally wouldn't want to be bound in by the ankles let alone any higher. A quick exit is my preference during a capsize.

_________________
Hobie 14 Turbo (~1979)
Hobie 16 Carumba (1983)
Hobie 16 1990 (storm damaged)
Hobie 16 1996 (my latest)