I just posted about picking up my new cat today, it is a great cat and in amazing shape but in the storage lot where I found it there was a small cat graveyard.

I counted 4 Hobie 16's
2 Sol Cats
1 other Nacra
3 other unknowns

They all looked like they had been there for years and years, while waiting for the seller to get there I took a look at some of the other boats. The 16's were all soft, and one had the starboard hull bow sagging almost to the ground. The solcats were both in amazing shape, they looked like they could be some fun for someon young needing a decent boat. The nacra has been t-boned by something, it looked out of commmision for ever, and the other three all looked like trash except for the masts and maybe a few other parts.

The reason I am posting this is because I want to know if there are places like this all over, it was kinda sad seeing some of those boats trashed out. What happens to the owners, did they just quit sailing or something? Why are these boats just out there rotting?

Where?
I mean, where are you in the world?

Considering that Hobie Cat has made something on the order of 150,000 boats in the past 35+ years, and only a small fraction of those are still in service, yeah, I would say that there are places like that all over.

Nearly every boat storage lot I've seen has at least a few decrepit old catamarans. People lose interest in their toys once the novelty wears off.

Storage lots are a great source of cheap boats. My first cat was a Prindle 16. I was looking at a "For Sale" Hobie 16 in the lot. It was junk, soft and sunburnt. Over in a corner was this overgrown P16 with a 9 year old license plate. When asked about it they said,"We bought the lot 3 years ago and there was no correct phone or address for LOTS of boats. If you can figure out how we can legally sell it to you, anything here is yours for $250." I went to the State DMV and they showed me the exact paperwork and I bought the boat. I could have bought a 23 foor SeaRay but who wants a stinkpot, anyway?

The real pearl was that the sails were in fantastic shape having been hiding in an excellent sail tube on a galvanized trailer. I bought a new tramp, lots of lines and stays, wheel bearings, and so for an additional $750 I had a great boat I race for 3 years. Sold it for $1200, too!

Next boat, same thing. Supercat 17, bought for $400, restored it, raced it and kicked many a butt, then sold it for $1800.

I found the graveyard in Kansas but I am in Oklahoma!

The yard is near Lake Cheney, near Wichita, KS

<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

gree, PM me please

Yes, unfortunately, there are many a cat graveyards where-ever there is a body of water. Around Lake Lanier, I can name 2 target rich environments off the top of my head. I drove through one of them, and counted no less than 15 "orphaned" cats that had weeds growing on them or had obviously not been used in some time.

I called Trey up and told him to get his butt down here and start performing catamaran necromancy.