Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 10:38 pm

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 16 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 9:45 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2007 10:29 pm
Posts: 48
I've been in and out of these forums for a few years now. Every summer I get the itch to get into sailing.

2 years ago I bought a Nacra. It was my first boat. It seemed massive to me and I was kinda scared of it. I only took it out once because I had so much trouble stepping the mast. I sold the boat for more than I had in it.

Last year, I bought a junk Sunfish and sailed on it for a few weekends. I had no means of getting the thing to the beach and I had to rely on my dad..which was really not the easiest thing, to get it down there. Winter came too soon and I again sold it.

Now I have a vehicle that I can tow with. I really really want to get out in that water. I've been checking craigslist in my two bit town for months and all I see are weekend cruisers and hobie 16s. I really wanted to get a hobie 14 or a wave honestly...but even up to 8 hours away I'm not seeing much. The cost of the wave is a deterrent too.

So after talking to a few new friends who sailed a lot in their day...They'd always flip the boat on it's side, mast up, then flip the boat back, took them no time at all..easy as pie. So I'm in for a bigger boat I think.

Is a H16 a bad choice for a total newb like myself to start with? I'm going to be solo 90% of the time. Most people that'd ever be on it would be 4.

Thank you in advance.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 9:59 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 6:37 pm
Posts: 18
Go for it, I sail mine solo all the time. Depending on your size you may want to look into some help with the righting gear. A water ballast bag might be in order.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:45 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2007 10:29 pm
Posts: 48
Thanks for the reply...And why the heck are Sunfish so expensive?! There are 4 h16s within 2 hrs of me that are under 600. All the Sunfish I'm finding are 5-600 without a trailer.

I haven't seen the boats, but most of the ads read well.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 12:47 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 3:59 pm
Posts: 62
Location: Sydney, Australia
I don't' have experience with H16 but I own a H14 and I'd say it also depends on how much wind you get in your area.

I couldn't imagine soloing a H16 where I live, I'm a small/light guy and we get a lot of wind here. Most summers it's at least 15 knots by midday and will often get windier as the day progresses. The 14 takes off like a rocket and I'm glad it's not a 16 with just me on it.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 1:36 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2007 10:29 pm
Posts: 48
I'm fairly light myself, 175lbs. Winds here average 20-35 mph. It's rare, but sometimes they get down into the 5-15mph range. It's ALWAYS windy here. Maybe I should avoid it then and continue my search for something different. Just so hard to find any boats here.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 11:34 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 2:15 pm
Posts: 1195
Location: Oakland, CA
1. You'll need extra weight to right the boat yourself.
2. Average wind is 20-35? That's pretty high, and a wide range. Check the wind speed again, since you don't want to solo sail with your weight in those kind of winds because you will flip.
3. Be wary of a $600 Hobie 16. It probably needs a lot of work to make it safe to sail.

If the winds are more like 15 then get a 16 and have fun.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 5:07 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2010 10:02 pm
Posts: 177
Location: Hanover, PA
With your weight and if indeed the avg winds are what you mentioned, you may be quite happy with a 14 or 14T if you can find one. I recently sold mine but absolutely loved it when the wind was blowing. I sold because I played a constant balancing game with it since I was too heavy for it at 230 lbs. With a 16, you would have to have a righting bag to get it righted.

_________________
'95 H16 sail #101148
'89 H18 SX/ sail #1053 w/ Yellow hulls


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 5:39 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2011 2:46 pm
Posts: 207
Location: Greenville SC
I would go for the 16, go without a jib for the time being until your ready.

_________________
2010 AHPC C2 #218


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 9:04 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2007 10:29 pm
Posts: 48
It's pretty damn windy here. All this week it's averaged low 20s and it's approaching August already, May-June are the windier months of the summer.

Aside from the speed worries, is there anything else I need to consider? I'm not the most muscular person. I'm 175lbs, but I am 6'3" so there's not much bulk there. My buddy assures me it's no big deal to flip the boat on its side to seat the mast. I'd need to get a set of cat trax to get it to the water, a good 100 yard treck to deep enough water for it to float in(stupid bays).

I wish they had made the Wave back in the 70's or 80's so I could find a cheap used one now. Or hell, even if they were more plentiful I'd consider trying to pick one up.

I'd look for a 14, but they're sooo rare. I'd find one 8 hours away make all the trip arrangements get halfway there and find it sold, lol.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 6:15 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:46 pm
Posts: 470
Post the state or general area where you are located. May be some fleets or associations nearby.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 8:43 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2007 10:29 pm
Posts: 48
I'm in way south Tx, about 45min from South Padre Island.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 11:34 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2006 5:44 pm
Posts: 439
Location: Oshkosh, WI
I solo my 16 most the time, but I found a dock spot, so I only step the mast 2 times a year.. up then down.

I'm a big guy though.. 6'1" 270... so I should be able to right the boat by myself, but I will admit, in 5+ years on my 16, I've never capsized it... I wuss out and sheet out when it gets sketchy! :roll: The lake I sail in is very shallow, so I don't want to know how difficult it might be to unstick a turtled boat from the muck.

_________________
1982 H16 (C:\Worthy)
Yellow/White Prism type sails


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 11:47 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 2:15 pm
Posts: 1195
Location: Oakland, CA
Barren wrote:
I've never capsized it... I wuss out and sheet out when it gets sketchy!
You need to go over because you're missing a lot of the fun of sailing these boats. Put a milk jug on the main halyard and sheet in! With your weight, just try not to land on your sail.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 12:24 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 12:36 pm
Posts: 788
Location: Tri-Cities, WA
Gdbyrd - if you have high winds mostly and plan to solo, you should look into getting a H17 or H17Sport. I also sail in mostly higher winds (15 - 30) solo. Did it for 20 years on a H16 then switched to a H17Sport and glad I did. The H17 is a much better boat for high wind sailing than the H16. You can push it much harder in a blow with less potential for a pitch-pole. In either case, at your weight, you will need a righting system of some sort (bag, power pole, shroud extenders, etc). :wink:


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 5:51 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2007 10:29 pm
Posts: 48
I just don't think I could go with a bigger boat. I think if anything I'd go with something smaller!

I talked to a lady at work and just mentioned it in passing I had been checking craigslist religiously for a sailboat. She says one of her friends has an old Hobie 14 he'd probably sell. So I'm going to look into that too.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 16 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group