I've just picked up yet another addition to my Fleet! It's a '94 Hobie-20 that appears to be in good, solid shape. I've seens references to Hobie-20 hull problems in the '92-'94 years, but I've not seen anything specific. Anybody have any info on construction issues, and the mode of failure for the hulls that had problems? I'm pretty confident that what I have is a solid boat, but info is ammo in the fight to stay afloat in my book.

Thanks!

Look under your main beam and see if you have horizontal cracks in your gelcoat. This is the key indicator of a problem.

Mike Hill
H20 #791

Hmmmm. There is a repair under the main beam on the inside of the starboard hull. Looks like a good repair, digital camera picture from inside the hull seems to show the repair was from both sides. Things seem solid, anybody know if this kind of thing holds together or am I looking at a short-lived ride? Is the ultimate result of these cracks failure of the hull?

If the repair wasn't done right the surface crack will reappear and then it is just a matter of time. It may still last for quite some time though. I've only heard of very few of them actually breaking as a result of this problem.

If the crack does not reappear you should be in good shape.

Keep One Hull Flying,
Mike Hill
H20 #791

I have seen one of the charter(NAs or Worlds) Hobie 20s almost sink from this defect.
At the Myrtle Beach Regatta, a few years ago, one of the 20 skippers noticed the infamous hairline cracks before the regatta.
There was strong wind and high waves in the ocean that day.
By Saturday afternoon you could put your hand through the crack at all four corners.
According to the skipper, these boats had a reputation for cracking, but he had never seen one fail that bad.

I attended the H20 Nationals at Kiawah Island in 1993 with my friend Carleton Tucker (who won nearly all the races). Several new boats showed problems as described here. If I recall properly, some new hire at the factory had been told to "reduce hull weight by grinding down the excess glass" over the hard polyurethane foam reinforcement under the front crossbar. Said grinder enthusiastically went straight to his work, and ground off ALL the fiberglass on some vertical elements, leaving only (crushable) foam. So- this should apply to new Hobie 20s only- middle 1993. Our Florida boats were older- no crack(s), and no worries!