cost of a hobie

How much should a used hobie 16 or 18 cost? and how much would new one set me back?

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If the grass is greener on the other side, Take to the water!

I'd do almost anything to learn to sail. crew your boat, mow your lawn, date your daughter ^_^

Used= too many variables. Between free and $8000. Most being in the $1000 to $2000 for an older one in OK shape.

New= around $9600+tax+lic+commissioning and shipping.

They don't make the 18 anymore. How about a Tiger?

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Sail Revolution
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I paid $1,300 for a good used 1988 16; solid watertight hulls, epo's, good shape overall, decent trailer and box. So far I have spent about $500 upgrading to used sails with only 1-2 seasons use and various equipment. I believe that this boat is very competitive with 95% of the boats out there. Future cost includes replacing the tramp and downhaul for about $400 more.

I paid:
-$1500- 85' H16, put about $750 more into it. Came with a crap trailer
-$1200- 84' H14, put about $1k into it. New rudder castings, EPO's, new blocks etc... Came with a decent trailer
-$7500- 06' H16, put another $5-$600 into it, Kevlar EPO's, downhaul, some other stuff. No trailer
-$10,700- 05' FXone. I haven't put much into it, but there's a long list of things I need to do to the tune of about $2500. Came with a nice trailer, which I sold with the 06' H16, had a really sweet custom aluminum trailer built for a little under $2k.

Used boats are alot like used cars. You can buy a new one, to buying one that really isn't safe or worth the hassle. The prices and quality are all over the board.

I bought an 1984 H16 for $875. Hulls are solid. Sails are getting older, but not terrible. Trailer isn't the best, but it works. I've probably put between $300 and $400 upgrading it. Sometimes its luck on finding a good price on a used boat, but shop around a little. Never know what you might find.

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Ben Wells - Hobie 16

I have just bought a hobie 16 for 1500, it came with a trailer, and lot of spare parts its like I bought two boats. I just put 150 into it to make it sail ready.

2 years ago I bought a Hobie 16 for 800 w/trailer but it did develop a soft spot and really only has one year left. ($800 for three years of fun was worth it)


Shane[/quote]

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Shane
81 Hobie 16
McKinney, TX

As with all things, usually, you gets what you pays for.

Keep in mind, that there are many out there that are asking way too much for what they have.

That having been said, the most expensive boat you look at might in the long run be the best bargain.

If you are buying a boat from a guy that has been actively sailing and racing the boat, and the boat has solid hulls, new or newer tramp, sails, a good, well maintainted trailer, EPO Rudders, Harken Blocks and Cleats, and the boat is "right and tight", he may be asking a price that seems a bit spendy, but if you look at the cheaper boat and what it takes to bring it up to the same level of quality, you would be spending a lot more money.

The real key, in my humble opinion is to take someone that really, I mean REALLY knows Hobies and look it over, compare apples and apples, see what it the true value of the overall package really might be.

One other thing that is a factor is does the boat come with a set of Cat Wheels. Those are worth at least $400, and if the seller has a set, that implies to me that he wasn't dragging the boat all over the beach grinding the bottoms off, and if they are included in the package it will save you buying a set later on.

Stephen

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If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, maybe it is time to water your own lawn.

Very important to factor in what you are going to do with the hobie. Are you going to points race or hone your sailing skills sailing for fun and excitement, or a combination.

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Bodhisatfa

I'm going for fun and to hone my sailing skills.. or actually develop some...


I know nothing about buying a hobie. what should I look at when I am looking at one to purchase. all I know is to make sure there are not any soft spots in the hulls. what else?

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If the grass is greener on the other side, Take to the water!

I'd do almost anything to learn to sail. crew your boat, mow your lawn, date your daughter ^_^

Well if you are not going to points race, you can look for a hobie with an all aluminium mast, you won't have to have a factory tramp, as well as sails. Many after market sails will do great. definitely make sure there is no soft spots on the top of the hulls, and that nobody has added inspection ports in front of the front cross bar. if you find a boat that is good but has some damage to the sails , you can have Morelli sails in California do the repair ,,Gino is a wizard. Check E Bay there is a lot of listings there. Also Beachcats .com

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Bodhisatfa

Brett,

On a H18 after looking at the top of the hulls for soft spots ....

1) look under the gunwales (hull lips) for any cracks lengthwise, especially near the crossbars

2) place your hand palm down on the hulls (vertical side) just in front of the front crossbar on the in-board side and move you hand fore and aft .... is it smooth and flat .... or does it have "waves/ripples" in it. If it has waves/ripples in it, the bows have been "toeing in" from being sailed HARD. The hulls will soon fail most likely depending on how severe the waves/ripples

3) You are sailing in Florida correct??? I would find a boat w/ the newwer style rudder system (post 1987). These have been retrofited to alot of H18s but not all .... look for "Black Plastic Rudder Cams" in the lowwer rudder casting, this is the easiest detail I can tell you to look for. Or go find a H17 to look at as it is the same rudder system, introduced when the H17 was first sold in 1987 and retofitted to the H18 because of a high breakage rate of the lowwer casting when you hit the rudder blade on something underwater like a coral head, sandbar etc. (I know from personal experience).

4) Inspect the front crossbar for any cracks especially under the mastbase, near the dolphin striker post .... make sure the dolphin striker has been adjusted to be snug, not loosie goosie ......

5) inspect the mast by sighting down the length (luff track: track at the back of the mast that the sail slides in) to verify that is straight .... no kinks/bends !!!!!

most everything else can be fixed/repaired/replaced .....

PS: Make sure that you go and watch the TYBEE 500 fleet when it sails by in May as they sail up the east coast of Florida on the way to Georgia ... it will be a good learning experience ....

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HarryMurphey
H-18 mag/ #9458
Fleet 54 Div 11

Be prepared to spend lots of money on "goodies" for the boat.

I've spent more on goodies than I paid for the boat.