so when i go out sailing on my 16 now i feel comfortable enough on the boat to want to take cooler of 'apple juice' and maybe find a way to have some music on the boat too. so im wondering what type of cooler i can attach to the boat, how to attach it, etc. as for music...is there a small waterproof radio or something that i could attach to the mast with velcro or something similar? thanks

As for you "apple Juice" filled cooler. I bought a big soft cooler that I use on my 14T. I can load a 12 pack of bee.. I mean apple juice into it with some ice to keep it cold. I used to hang it over the front with the shoulder strap around the mast. it work perfectly until I went out in some bigger waves with it strapped like that. It seemed that it acted like an anchor everytime a wave hit it, so I have now moved it to under the sidebar by the very back. It still creates some drag with a hull up in the air but it is alot better than up front although not as easy to access.

For music, I have a water proof radio that I bought from CVS Pharmacy. I am not sure if you have them where you are from. It was pretty cheap, something like 20 bucks, and it runs forever on a set of 4 AA's. Granted it doesn't rattle any windows but I can hear it, and it have a built in cd player so I like it. I usually tie it to the same place that the line for the main attaches to under the boom. I can't remember the name of that thing. If I am solo it doesn't really get in the way but with a friend it can be a hassle. I think if I was going to sail 2-up often and with the radio I would find somewhere else. Also the days that I am listening to music are usually pretty calm. I think that I could get by without the waterproof radio and instead use something cheap from walmart on those calm days. Just and idea.

Any way you look at it you are going to have fun on a cat! If you are ever in OK and want to see a very fast Hobie look me up.

How about using a large CamelBak to carry your bee... I mean apple juice in? That way you can be on the wire and get hammered... I mean juiced at the same time. I'd recommend the Delta-5 Tactical Vest. It's designed for high-speed tactical environments.

For you long distance racers that may have to beach in a hostile environment, consider the Demon. It has a hydration bladder and a concealment pocket for a handgun, single or double stack magazine and either a tactical light or a folding knife.

Serious stuff for serious sailors!

http://www.camelbak.com/index.cfm

i say you create some crazy contraption that straps a six pack o' "juice" right on your life jacket, that way no matter where you are on the boat a nice cold juice box is right in reach, plus you dont have to worry about losing carbonation like you would in a camelback... wait why would juice be carbonated anyway???

Martinelli's Sparkling Cider?!?! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I have see belts that will hold a six pack. It has a pocket for each can. I like to call it a utility belt.

I installed ports on my H16. Then I took a cheap soft sided cooler I got a wall mart and shoved it into the hull. It stayed in place pretty well and allowed water to flow under it so you can still drain you hulls. I would replace it every season. I have done the same thing on my TheMightyHobie18. It works very well. Also, 2 hulls mean 2 places to store you juice.

I have a plastic covered wire rack that a medium sized playskol cooler fits in like it was designed for it. It is just in front of the mast strapped to the dolphin striker. Works great. I don't know where it came from as it was on the boat when I bought it.

God! If I could count the number of times I wish I were armed on my boat. Dang jet-ski's.

You've probably seen this but if not...

http://www.west.net/~lpm/hobie/archives/v1-i2/humor.shtml

i have what i feel is a great tactic for dealing with all the morons on the water... i know have myself a lovely pirate flag which i intend for all to see, and when some idiot is doing something stupid, i swing the boat at 'em... and the beauty is if i actually hit one, the courts would NEVER believe a sailboat has it out for a jetskier...

I hope that you are joking because that makes you just as bad as them. I have had a bad experience with a jetskier.

It happened about two years ago, I was sailing my previous boat a laser and minding my own business. Three guys on seperate jetskies came by me alot closer than they needed to so I yelled at them to keep their distance. It is a huge lake and there was no reason for them to be 15 feet from me. Well, that didn't go so well, make note that the wind was blowing 20 and gusting to 25mph, I already had my hands pretty full with the boat. They decided to come by me and spray me as they turned. They were all about 17 and really didn't know what they were doing. The first two came by and doused me pretty good, there was nothing i could do, but keep the boat on the same tack and just pray that they didn't hit me. The third one, misjudged that distance to me and as he started to turn to throw up his wake all over me he let off the throttle. Well ,I do know if you all have ever ridden a jetski but when you let of the gas you have no steering. That is exactly what happened. Without control he came straight at me going very fast, I realized what was going to happen so i turned and jumped off the boat backward. He hit the port side and went directly up and over the boat sliding off the far side without flipping it. The best part of the story is that he didn't stop, they said holy [censored] really loud and all turned and raced off leaving me swimming for my boat which eventually overturned or I would have been stuck.

The conclusion of this story is that nothing ever happened. My boat had alot of scratchs on it but nothing structural. My dad who is the local game warden started watching for them and so did the lake patrol but they were never found.

So does anyone else have a jetski horror story?

yes, i was joking, though i really do have a pirate flag that i want to put on my boat somehow, on one of my local lakes, ive had a few close calls with some stupid individuals, those people all think they get the right of way, and one time i accidently almost jibbed into a jetskier... he was behind me and i didnt see him until i got all the way around. we both had that wide eyed, deer in the headlights look on our face and we both turned as hard as we could to not hit. and thankfully we did not

I'm not joking about Pirate flags, I have one!!!!

i think all of us should have a pirate flag and take the lakes and waterways back from the yahoos

you do??? sweet, may i ask how you have it attached onto your boat? because ive been thinkin about a good way to put it on, and havent come up with anything

Tie each corner to a batten, mine are spaced about perfectly for a flag.

And the Googles!

HA HA HA

I'll be here all week. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />