Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 11:19 am

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: H17 or Getaway?
PostPosted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 3:00 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 2:52 am
Posts: 1
I'm ready to buy a Hobie for fun lake sailing and would be grateful for some help making the right choice.

My goals are:

1. Take kids out for fun and fast rides in light to medium conditions;

2. Get wild high-speed rides when sailing solo or with an experienced crew in heavier conditions.

I prefer a low-maintenance program and something I can pull up on a beach or bump into a dock and not worry about dings and scratches. I also want to keep my investment down to a reasonable number.

Any advice about the right choice between the Getaway and H17?

I would consider a Hobie 16 but when I've sailed them in the past they are so hard to tack sometimes.

Thanks


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: H17 or Getaway?
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 2:35 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Sat Jul 25, 2009 11:19 pm
Posts: 340
Location: San Diego
If you want very low maintenance then you have to go with the getaway, there durable like skunk stink. It also has pretty nice performance on windy days and you can load the whole crew on and plenty of places to sit.

The 17 is a lot more maintenance due to fiberglass and gel coat. I wish the 18 was made of the same stuff as the getaway. But the 17 will give you a lot more performance single handed or two light people.

Id say you need the getaway with a spinnaker. That way you can still fly like a cat should and carry the whole car load.

Have Fun in Life.

_________________
ALLEY CAT 1984 RED LINE HOBIE 18 MAGNUM
Sail # 10505 or 277
Image Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: H17 or Getaway?
PostPosted: Sat Mar 31, 2012 1:51 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:28 pm
Posts: 265
Location: BC, Canada
jmecky wrote:
The 17 is a lot more maintenance due to fiberglass and gel coat.


This is just a propaganda generated by plastic boat owners to make them feel better about their boats. :twisted:

But, seriously -- fiberglass requires very little maintenance. Once a year, you may need to do a few touch-ups with some gel-coat. If neglected, a boat may need a "bottom-job". There are pros and cons for both. Fiberglass is roughly10x stronger and stiffer than a polyethylene. This is makes fiberglass boats lighter and generally allow better sailing performance. What is perceived to be maintenance-free about rotomolded boats is what happens when a hull meets a rock. Because fiberglass is so stiff, the material does not deflect and stress concentrates on very small area. This results with a scratch or worst a crack. With more flexible polyethylene, the stress get spread out and there is no damage.

On the other hand, fiberglass is very repairable. All can be fixed. On occasions, with a big damage to a hull, it is just better to replace the hull, because of the amount of work required. With polyethylene, a home-repair is pretty much impossible. There are some methods to sort-of patch-up small damage. If your hull gets a big hole or a crack, it is done. To be fair, you would have to try hard to make this type of damage. You can't repair scratches or repaint a plastic boat.

We also know, there are 50 year-old fiberglass cats still sailing. With polyethylene, this is still to be determined. In principle, all polymers would sustainable some UV damage over years. UV acts as a catalyst for polymerization process, resulting with the material to become hard ad brittle. However, if a boat is stored covered, I don't see why a rotomolded boat would not last for many decades. I would be careful in getting a used boat from a resort. They typically are stored uncovered on a beach, year around.

Both materials have pros and cons. It all depends on your needs/wants.

_________________
H17
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: H17 or Getaway?
PostPosted: Sat Mar 31, 2012 10:53 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Sat Jul 25, 2009 11:19 pm
Posts: 340
Location: San Diego
I don't have a plastic boat for your info and I spend the last week doing a bottom job and all day today sanding with 800 then 1000 then waxing. You never have to do any of that with plastic. Never have to fix dings with plastic, never get water soaking into the fiber glass or foam with plastic.

Plastic is very low maintenance compared to fiberglass. Both have flaws but were talking about normal maintenance.

_________________
ALLEY CAT 1984 RED LINE HOBIE 18 MAGNUM
Sail # 10505 or 277
Image Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: H17 or Getaway?
PostPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 9:35 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:28 pm
Posts: 265
Location: BC, Canada
jmecky wrote:
pend the last week doing a bottom job and all day today sanding with 800 then 1000 then waxing


This is because you want you boat to look to her best. The point is, it is possible if you want to. On plastic, there is no point on fixing scratches.

I do not go as far for my "normal" maintenance. As long as my both is in healthy condition, I am happy. I would rather spend my time sailing. It is all your personal preference.

_________________
H17
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: H17 or Getaway?
PostPosted: Wed May 16, 2012 5:22 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Fri May 11, 2012 3:07 pm
Posts: 224
I had a Hobie 17 and I loved it. The problem was that it just didn't carry enough weight to take out may whole family, it really doesn't preform well with more then two people. I sold it. I just got a hobie getaway.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 

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