Hello everyone, i am brand new to this forum as well as brand new to hobie cat sailing. I just have a few questions, i am currently looking to but a used hobie 16 and plan to sail it out of Heckscher St Pk. I have always sailed my sunfish out of the park you probably have seen me. (White fish White racing sail, mostly by myself) I was just wondering if a 16 would be good for me? (i weigh about 155 lbs) and i will be doing alot of the sailing my self..i do have alot of experice on 420's and other smaller boats but very little on a Hobie 16.
Another concern i have is about trailering the boat. How diffucult it it to step the mast by your self? And also would it be a better idea to find some place that will let me keep it on the beach? i recently read some posts about Heckscher having a mast up place to keep your cat..what ever happened with that??? I absolutely love sailing out of heckscher but trailering it there is my only concern.
As far as sailing the 16 goes i have heard alot about pitch poleing, and capsizeing, will someone my weight be able to right a capsized 16?? How often does pitch poleing happen?? (please bear with all the questions ) I have heard many positive and negetive things about sailing a hobie.
When it is time for me to buy a 16 what are the major things i should look/check for? i plan to spend about 1500 and also if that mast up beaching for multi hulls at heckscher is not going to happen does anyone know of any other safe place where i could leave it just for the summer? I think i have asked everyting i can remember at the time but pleace feel free to tell me any other usefull and important information i should know. Thank you
-Jason

And welcome to the sport! Doesn't look like anyone jumped up to reply to your questions. Drop me an e-mail at williamsjohn@cox.net and we'll take the conversation off line for simplicity's sake - I think we'll need to get you in touch with other cat sailors in your area, and I'm sure I can point you to a lot of on-line resources for boat research. The Multihull Championship will be on Long Island Sound out of Rowyton, CT in June on Hobie 16s. There will be a lot of great sailors there that I know would enjoy talking to you, AND I think all of the boats are for sale as well. If nothing else, you can see what a spanking new race-ready 16 looks like, and see what to look for in a used boat.

Hi Jason,
This may be a biased reply since I have always sailed Prindles but the things I have noticed about Hobie 16 are:
1. Too much sail for hull dispacement. Will pitchpole in breezes above 15 knots if not properly trimmed (both weight and sail.
2. In lighter breezes with your weight flying hulls will be easy and fun.
3. Righting will be hard unless sail is orientated to the breeze to help.
4. Mast needs to be sealed prior to sailing to prevent it from filling up with water.
5. It will be a fast boat in flat water.
6. At the stanchions (those posts that attach the tramp to the hulls)make sure they are solid and don't wiggle.
7. Make sure the rudders lock down.
8. rudder gudgeons are tight.
9. No cracks at shroud chain plates

Good luck in finding your boat, if you find a Prindle 18 drop me a line as I am looking for a used one

Paul Nardone, Jr.

Hi,

Sorry for the long delay - I was out a while with pneumonia - long story - but not sailing related..

Rich and Bob Partenfelder - the current officers of our now somewhat dormant (but not for long) Long Island Cat Sailing Assoc., have a Hobie 16 along with their Nacra 5.5SL. I'm sure they would give you good advice and a ride out of Heckscher.
I plan to use Heckscher a few times this summer with my Hobie FX-1, though I primarily sail out East. I'd be happy to meet you there, with the Partenfelders and others to help you out in any way we can.

Drop me a line, (off-line) and I'll give you my phone number so we can talk, and I can stop typing...

Steve