I"ve been reading this thread and have a few comments. I've had a Hobie 18mag since 1985 and a P-19 since 91'. In 1999 I converted the P-19 into a "mx" with a new set of "square topped" main and oversized jib. I also at this time added a Nacra 6.0 bow foil because of concerns of bow loading and deflection. I installed a spinnacker purchasing a used 25sq m Tornado spinnacker in 2003 for the P-19mx. Please note that this is a flat cut spin, in the mono world I think it would be called a jennacker.

1) The Hobie 18 is the best all-round beach/race cat. It is almost indestructable and has all the adjustment of the 20'speed machines. It is an extremely versitile platform.

2)The Hobie 18 was Killed by the "One-Design" mantra of the NAHCA. The NAAHCA held their meetings for rule changes at the 16 Nationals ,so with out any 18 sailors present the H16 sailors voted down any changes or up-grades including changing the class wieght limit to 315lbs so as to give heavier weighted teams a different platform to race on.(Question to Hobie: Does it make marketing sense to have these two classes @ the same weight?? competing for sales. I quess you wanted to kill it.) The only upgrades to the boat have been, jib pigtails for the jibsheets and a increase in the downhaul purchase.

3) Keith is on the right track and so is Mike. Their suggestions are spot on. But Keith, you got the best set of West Coast Catamoran sails I'd seen in many years and you had a solid mast. I haven't seen another set near as good since then. I've only heard horror stories since then of poorly constructed over-priced junk that has to be re-cut/re-sewed.

4)Lengthen you jib track: the jib track is availible for little cost along with traveler cars (ref: layline, APS). This will give you adjustment fore/aft for the spin sheet. This adjustment is good if you are buying used spins. Also in light air you furl the jib, move the spin sheet aft far as possible and you have a BIG jib to scoop and accelerate the airflow on the back-side of the main when beating to weather.

5) I started with a fiberglass 15' wind-surfer mast as a spin pole, I liked the tappered look vs the pipe/plumbing look, but had some issues. First I had to cut it down to 14'. Using the scrap "but end" and a piece of a broken Hot Stick I constructed a Dolphin striker for the pole. Because of the bow foil I have a very small window for setting my pole hieght, its lashed to the underside of the foil and deflected w/ the dolphin-strker to set the tip hieght. I used spectra/vectra/deneema basically as discribed in the other postings, tip of pole to tip of bow, middle of pole to shackles at bridle tang and for the dolphin-striker. Now here was the problem, upon the first sail the pole did "the egyption". It stayed in column port/starb but it deflected under compression every time we hit a wave, doing a sine wave curve in the vertical axis. (it was awesume and scarary at the same time. So it was back to the beach for some West Epoxy and CARBON FIBER!!! So here is the advise; start with a Carbon fiber mast!!!


Now at this time I am starting to put my Hobie-18 back together so I can race with my 12 year old niece. (I bounce her head first into mast from the wire last year on the 19mx w/o spin in a micro-burst. This was/is not a good thing to do!)(Know and remember your limits and know when to quit!!!) The 19mx is just a little too powerful for us above 10kts of winds yet. But the H-18 needs a new set of sails, so I priced a new set from West Coast....$1300.00.... and I have very little confidence that they will be correct!!! I'll most likely have to have them recut/resewed at some added cost! This is extremely upsetting to me that I'll pay that much money and get an sub-standard product. Since I race mostly "open" events I would like to see a vertical-cut, racing-dacron, fat-head/square-top keeping the sq-ft of the sail plan the same. (This will minimize the portsmith correction) Is there anyone out there with the same thoughts???

Hope my ideas have helped.