Quote
This is hard for me. I understand their decision. You can't keep a production line open for 6 boats a year. That probably doesn't make sense. I really like the Hobie 20. It's the best sailing non-spin boat I've ever sailed. It really has a sweet feel upwind. So I'll miss the boat.

I assume Hobie would continue to carry parts for the boat? Masts and booms and such? It would really suck if you couldn't get parts anymore for existing boats.

Also I thought they were still making the H17? Is the H17 officially dead now too? We have a pretty good fleet of H17's here at our local lake.

I wonder if Hobie would be willing to give their molds to someone that would be willing to continue to support the H20 class? I'm pretty sure they wouldn't but it would be a nice gesture.

I guess we could have an H20, TheMightyHobie18, and H17 dead boat Nationals. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> We'd probably get close to 100 boats.

Just wierd. Seems the boats just last too long and the demand doesn't exist for enough new boats to keep a big company interested in them.

PS. The AI is a neat little boat. Hobie really has some good ideas.

Mike Hill
Past owner of 3 brand new Hobie 20's.


Mike,

A recent storm at Lewisville tore up several 17's and 20's. A quick rumour started that if an order for (10) 17's came through Hobie would build them. Matt Miller quickly squashed that and stated they did not have the parts on hand to build ten boats. Subsequently, Hobie sold the last three 17 hulls they had in stock. I'm sure the same will hold true for the 20 when the parts are gone, they're gone.

Wouter,

Rest assured that this years' biggest gatherings of 14's (next month's NA's & daggerless with 19 boats at each) will be/were all class legal boats. Used parts and new sails are no problem, finding solid hulls is. Funny you would mention the FX-ONE as serious questions are being asked among the Hobie faithful. My question was exactly how is it doing in the EU and will it become the next "dead boat"?

As one local 20 sailor asked, "Are we all supposed to start racing Getaways?" A problem seems to be the vast majority of inland lake (Hobie) sailors are allergic to kites.

John H16, H14