FastCat is back

Long time No Post. I retired a couple years ago and drifted from the forum (it was a lunch break thing). I've been sailing quite a bit since, sailing over 1000 miles last year averaging 7.58 mph and a few times over 20 mph - sweet. Still sailing a modified 2000 Hobie 17Sport. In that time I've been de-masted twice, once at a Sandals and also on my boat. Very different experences - at Sandals - a shroud broke, I signaled to the shore, was picked up immediately by jetski (leaving the Hobie Wave behind) and was sipping a fruity drink 5 minutes later by the pool - nice. On my boat - a bridle broke, I signaled to shore, I signaled to shore, I signaled to shore..... 45 minutes later a fishing boat fortunately saw me, came by and gave me a tow back to shore (still a good outcome). I've worn out my Whilrwind Squaretop, so have ordered a replacement from Chip, black and white with a Florescent yellow trim and jib, due mid March. And I have cracked a front cross beam each year (4 so far since i've owned the boat). Fortunately a good friend of mine is a crackerjack welder and repaired my current and previously cracked cross beams, so now I not only have a repaired beam, but a spare too.

Modified 17 Sport? You have my attention. I have a 17 Sport and am always looking to learn something new.

The modifications are quite small in the overall scheme of things. My front cross beam has the integrated track so I modified a set of H16 jib track cars (changing sheeting angle and sheeting elevation) to work in the track so I can adjust the footing of the jib - sweet. I also use a 8:1 downhaul and a 7:1 main sheet, a Whirlwind Supersquare top main sail and a one piece tramp. Like I said small stuff, but the boat sails fast - I averaged 7.58 mph over 1001 miles sailing last season and got over 20 mph a few times.

Sweet! Pictures?

Here is a video from my facebook page. I start on a reach, then start heading up after the first tack. You can see the different footings I use for the jib depending on course/wind.

https://www.facebook.com/jeff.creim/videos/vb.100010622173515/126293711068034/?type=2

I clicked on your link, Facebook says video unavailable. Went to your Facebook page. No video but a very nice picture of your boat. Is that the original gelcoat? Mine has the big hobie sport cat graphics on the hull.

interesting, I tried the link on my phone and got the same message, but from my PC it came up. If you go to my Facebook page, then click on More (next to Photos) then click Video there are just 2, one sailing and one skiing.

Original gelcoat, 2000 Hobie 17 Sport, 50th anniversary addition. 50th anniversary addition means it has a little diamond shaped sticker near the stern saying, you guessed it, 50th anniversary addition. Much the rest of the boat has been replaced, sails, main & wing tramps, front and back cross beams, mast and one centerboard.

Great place to sail with kiters. Drone video does good job showing launch site and I get about 6 seconds of my 15 minutes toward the end with my new sails.

Well just spent a week sailing Wallula Gap and the beam fix is holding . I drove the boat hard and had some fairly large waves on a couple days. I did have one equipment failure, one of the cams on the Harken cam-matic on my main blocks failed. At first I thought the little tension spring broke (no problem I have a rebuild kit), but the cam was spinning 360 degrees. Turns out the cast aluminum stop/spring holder on the cam snapped off, go figure, the spring was just fine. So a new cam-matic is on order

great video. i wanna go kiteboarding now. music track is stellar. it's been a year, i see. hope you're on/in the water, i'll splash my 17 in a couple weeks!

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Hobie 17 Newbie

Very interesting for me too as i'm currently making a complete overhaul of a HC17 -88.
Will be complete within the week.

I can't see any photos nor video via Facebook. Would be interesting to see what ride you're having
//Mats

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Just picked up a Hobie FX One...