the future of the Trifoiler

Love my trifoiler, but it needs to be rehabilitated. I personally lack the expertise to restore it to sailable condition. Not only that there is a scarcity of parts. What to do? I need 2 shock absorbers. Assuming I find 2 shock absorbers but what then. Other parts are scarce.

I wish there was a trifoiler rehabilitation center. If not, I wish Mr. Ketterman would come-up with an updated trifoiler, one with comfortable seats. I would be his first customer.

Dan Ketterman has retired but retained all the TriFoiler parts that were left. As the final parts dwindle, I suspect the only resort for many TF owners is going to be buying older, out of service TriFoilers and canabilizing parts from those.

Recently came across the Trifoiler... and 1) I want one!, 2) Can't believe it isn't still in production!
Does Hobie have any intention to restart production? Who do the production rights rest with? Hobie? The Kettermans? And who has the tooling?
Surely there is enough demand for full craft and spares to make it worthwhile? I am even tempted to have a go myself....
Any thoughts and information appreciated.

Ketterman's both retired. Molds are gone.

There is no real business in foiling for us. Been there done that years ago. We have no intention of restarting production.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

The TrFoiler was a fantastic foiling boat - best by far in my opinion, even among the newer models today. But over the course of many years Hobie built less than 200 of them. The foiling market is not as lucrative as many people think. You can't make it by building and selling a dozen boats a year...

Thanks Matt and Tom,
I guess I will have to keep a look-out for an old one and accept that I will need to make spares for it!
It might be worth anyone who does that making a few additional parts and advertising them on this forum... Easier for one person to make a small batch of a part than many doing it themselves.

Hi Graham, I just replied to one of your posts. Since Arthur sent a comment, he thinks he has the shocks in storage. They must be for your boat that you bought from him years ago? You need to contact him and set up a way to get the shock absorbers. Good news right?
Dan Ketterman

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Dan Ketterman
I am here to assist TriFoiler owners maintain their boat and answer technical questions.