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Rotomolded Hobies: How are they holding up ? #76345
05/29/06 12:44 AM
05/29/06 12:44 AM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 493
Minnesota
Jeff Peterson Offline OP
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Jeff Peterson  Offline OP
addict

Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 493
Minnesota
It has been a few years now, since Hobie started making rotomolded polyethylene hulls for some of the newer models.
The passage of time always reveals any flaws. So how are the rotomolded hulls standing up over time ?


Jeff Peterson
H-16 Sail #23721
Big Marine Lake, MN
-- Have You Seen This? --
Re: Rotomolded Hobies: How are they holding up ? [Re: Jeff Peterson] #76346
06/02/06 07:43 AM
06/02/06 07:43 AM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 152
Central Texas
yoh Offline
member
yoh  Offline
member

Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 152
Central Texas
Hmmm, cannot comment much on the durability of a wave or bravo. I have only seen a few of them in beach rental places. There they seem to hold up well especially considering the abuse by the inexperienced sailors. I have seen a few getaway's that are privately owned... those look kind of pampered to me - they seem not to go out when it blows.
Rotomolded polyethylene was kind of a popular choice among low $ windsurfing equipment in the old days. To summarize their qualities... They were heavy, flexible (as in not stiff) not contoured (as in no sharp rails) and difficult to destroy. They were good recreational boards - but not at all performance oriented. Repairs require a plastic welding process - but it was not often needed.


Patrick, Hobie 16 '85
Re: Rotomolded Hobies: How are they holding up ? [Re: yoh] #76347
06/02/06 11:25 AM
06/02/06 11:25 AM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,252
California
mmiller Offline
veteran
mmiller  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,252
California
It has been more than a few years too. We started building the Wave in 1994. It has now been 12 years!


Hobie Cat Forums
Matt Miller
Hobie Cat Company
Re: Rotomolded Hobies: How are they holding up ? [Re: Jeff Peterson] #76348
06/02/06 04:02 PM
06/02/06 04:02 PM
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 5,558
Key Largo, FL & Put-in-Bay, OH...
Mary Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Mary  Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 5,558
Key Largo, FL & Put-in-Bay, OH...
I don't know have any experience with Getaways, but we have had several Waves, and they all have held up beautifully, even though sitting year round in the hot South Florida sun. The decks have never gotten soft. Our oldest is a 1997 model, and if we cleaned her up, she would look as good as new -- except that the colorful decal has faded.

A member of our fleet in Ohio just got his "new" Wave, which was made in 1995, and the hulls look as good and as solid as the 2006 models.

One problem is with fixing scratches -- next to impossible to do. If anybody has come up with a way to do it, let us know. Because of the exterior coating on the rotomoulded cats, you can't repair with that plastic "welding" process that works for kayaks.


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