So, when my mom and uncles were younger they used to tool around on a lake in the northwoods of Wisconsin on a mid 70's Hobie 14. Now, with a year of collegiate club sailing with the University of Wisconsin Hoofers under my belt, I just about flipped when my grandpa told me I could have the little catamaran that was up at his cottage!!! So, I went up there this past weekend with the sole intent of getting the cat in the water.
I dug it out after sitting in the woods under some trees for over 20 years. I then cleaned it up. The side and fore stays are in rough shape and I temporarily replaced the main sheet with some braided nylon rope i picked up at the local hardware store. The nice part about the boat is that the sail was stored indoors.
I have been reading many of these posts and have been learning a bunch, but, here is my dilema...
I am a 19 year old college kid with next to no money. I would like to get a trailor for the boat and get it in NICE sailing order with minimal expenses. What are the steps I should take to get this show on the road? Where to buy stuff? Can I make my own stays from hardware store? Where and how much should I look for a trailor for. Will H16 trailers work? Is there the eventual possiblilty or need for a trap setup on here? Basically guys, I just need some guidance.
I did get the cat out on the water and it sailed well with next to no wind however, the tacks were very slow. Should I invest in an upgrade to the turbo? version of the 14? (cost, worth it?). I do have access to an amazing shop that the university had and am in contact with some people who do great fiberglass work...how will i know if I need that done? Is this too much stuff for one post? :-)
