New to the sport

I know that this is not an 18 page but hte F18 didn't seem quite right either. I have been wanting to sail a cat for a long time and there are very few where I live. I have the opportunity to own a hobie 18 (older) for a very reasonable price (gift) it is in good condition. I have a fairly good sized lake and the possibility to sail on the ocean off the beach. How hard is it to learn on an 18. I have a buddy who used to sail a 16 when he was a kid and he said he could help if I bought the beer. Knowing him it might not be a cheap deal. I live on the Oregon coast near Lincoln City Any feedback would be very appreciated

Welcome!!

We all were rookies at one time. Take your buddy up on the offer of instruction and beer. Beer and sailing have gone together since forever.

The 18 has a few more strings to pull than the 16 but you'll both figure it out. Start off on the lake to get some experience and then hit the ocean.

You'll get a lot of responses here. Post your experiences and ask a lot of questions.

I was in Lincoln City years ago to work on a telephone system. I stayed at The Inn At Spanish Head. Is the first floor still blown out from winter storms?

no. It has been repaired to my knowledge I drive past it every day for work. How much faster 18s they then 16's

The 18 is faster but I can't tell you by how much. The 18 will point higher because of the dagger boards.

Can one person rig the boat?
Can one person sail boat with jib furled- or unfurled?
Can one person right the boat?
How does it pitchpole compared to a 16?
These are things enquiring minds want to know!!

Yeah, the 18 is faster, but I think the 16 is better downwind...it is a bear to handle and wants to pitchpole all the time, but when i was on an 18, it felt very, sluggish downwind compared to my 16. I would say, get as much experience as possible and keep checking this site to gain more knowledge of the sport, trust me, it really helps...well, good luck with the sport!!

Can one person rig the boat? Yes if you set up a rig to raise the mast.

Can one person sail boat with jib furled- or unfurled? Yes. Depending on wind speed one person can sail with the jib in either configuration. The nice thing about furling jibs is the ability to reduce power quickly.

Can one person right the boat? Probably. It'll take either a water bag setup or a power pole righting system.

How does it pitchpole compared to a 16? 16s are more succeptable to pitch poling. The 18 has more flotation forward and a higher bow which reduces the chance of pitch poling. That doesn't mean they won't. I've seen some pretty spectular 18 crashes.

Also, move your questions to the General Discussion Forum. You'll get a lot more responses there. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

i have not read your post but welcome to the sailing community, i think you will find, as i have, that everyone is very nice and more than willing to share their knowledge of how everything works. good luck with your new boat, i personally have a 16 and think it is pretty nice to single hand, and i thought alot about an 18, both are excellent boats from what i hear. welcome to the club

Having owned and raced the H16, TheMightyHobie18 and H20, I think the 18 is the most versatile. Easiest to de-power (only model with roller furling jib standard). Will handle you, your buddy and your wife/gf's when you want. A very rugged boat. Faster than the 16 on all points, but downwind a bit of a pig. And of the three the most comfortable (safe) "feeling" when solo.

All boats can be rigged singlehanded, you'll want/need a mechanical advantage for the 18's mast.

Would you launch from a ramp at the lake?

Check around on the HCA site and Hobie Cat community forum. There are several TheMightyHobie18 sailors in your area.

I have an older TheMightyHobie18 and I solo sail it most of the time. My wife likes to go for a ride, but her main job is to be the figurehead. The hardest thing about sailing the TheMightyHobie18 solo is the stepping of the mast (and lowering) and moving the boat around the the beach. With a little ingenuity these issues can be taken care of.

You will love the boat. Go out and have a blast. Welcome to the club.

18's are a really nice sailing boat. They're pigs but really nice especially with wings.

Hey, I know this isn't a classified site but if you are looking for an 18, there is a decent one on ebay right now. It has wings and looks like it is in good shape. Check it out!!