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Hobie rentals

Posted By: ezg729

Hobie rentals - 12/14/06 02:47 PM

My wife and I will be on Oahu in late March. I s there anywhere to rent an uncartered Hobie for a day. I've got about thirty+ years sailing small boats and have experience along the gulf coast. Not familiar with the islands but accomplished in winds and water. Thanks! Might be willing to settle for an exciting day with a local.
Posted By: ezg729

Re: Hobie rentals - 12/18/06 01:21 PM

Oh Well, I guess if I want to take my wife sailing on the islands I either have to bring a boat in my carry on or buy one when I get there!
Posted By: MauganN20

Re: Hobie rentals - 12/18/06 02:01 PM

Usually, a quick local.google.com search will provide the information you need. There is a member here that lives in Hawaii but I'm not sure if its in the area that you're going.
Posted By: hrtsailor

Re: Hobie rentals - 12/18/06 02:51 PM

I tried to rent a Hobie 16 on Maui and found it nearly impossible. Up above Black Rock, they would rent but limited sailing to within a certain distance of the beach. They claimed if you got out into the channel you could be blown out to sea. I don't know about Oahu. I have owned my H-16 for 21 years and have been sailing and boating for over 50 years.

I also tried to rent an H-16 in the Dallas area and found that to be as difficult. You could rent other sailboats but they claimed people who said they had experience would damage the Hobies. I finally found one to rent on Grapevine but that day there was no wind.

Howard
Posted By: _flatlander_

Re: Hobie rentals - 12/18/06 03:22 PM

The one time my wife and I found a H16 to rent on vacation it was rigged (short sheeted) in such a way that it was impossible to sheet in all the way or let the traveller out more than about 18 inches. After getting away from the beach far enough I spent twenty minutes un-tieing all there knots and rigging it so we could fly the hull, only to have them chase us down a holler (albiet in espanol) at us from a jet-ski, mucho pi$$ed off!!! Without any trapeze harnesses it was way less exciting than sailing our own boat at home and we were limited to the lagoon and forbid from sailing in the ocean. I've heard numerous accounts from acquantances attemping to get out in the "fun" waters and encountering run-ins with propreiters that were less than pleasurable. From a liabilty standpoint I can understand their position. We all can talk a "blue streak" about our sailing prowess. If I were renting the boats I'd have to take the same view.

If searching for a vacation cat rental again I believe it would be more enjoyable to sail a "new to us" boat such as the Wave. Would be less of a disappointment.
Posted By: Stuart_Douglas

Re: Hobie rentals - 12/18/06 04:10 PM

I'll have to rifle through our old photos...somewhere I have a picture of my Dad climbing back onto the pier after taking a dip trying to launch a Sunfish he and my Mom rented in Hawaii. This was, of course, after explaining to the rental place that he knew what he was doing. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: hobie1616

Re: Hobie rentals - 12/18/06 05:35 PM

The West Maui Sailing School has a 16 and a Getaway. They're located in Ka'anapali next to the Castaways restaurant. It's run by Chuck Johnson who's a long time Hobie racer.

I can understand their limitation about how far you can go out as the channel can pipe up to the high 20s, low thirties on a normal day. There's still a lot of water that's inside the wind line.

Last week we had a guy that paddled out to his moored boat 150 yards off the beach around midnight. He never arrived. He and his rowboat were found the next morning by the CG off Lanai about ten miles from where he started. No details were given on how he got there but Demon Rum is suspected.
Posted By: hobie1616

Re: Hobie rentals - 12/18/06 05:45 PM

Oops! I reread your post and saw you're looking for a OAHU rental. Post your request in the Hawaii Hobie Cat Association section of this web site. Those guys have all the local knowledge and you may end up getting a ride on a H20.
Posted By: ezg729

Re: Hobie rentals - 12/19/06 01:22 PM

Hey Thanks Hobie 1616,

I'm not real suprized about rental companies limiting range around the islands, there are bound to be some very interesting currents to deal with. I do appreciate the info about contacting the Hawaii Cat association and the Maui sailing school. We'll be over on Maui for atleast a day so it's a possibility.

I think we've all got stories about those who think they know how but don't maesure up. Let's just say I've sailed damn near everything from a sunfish to a 43ft racing sloop, and spent some time racing J class. I think I can handle one of my favorite boats ever produced.
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