Hello All,

I am new to this forum and am quite excited to have come across this site.
After years of renting or taking out house Hobie's, mostly in the Caribbean, my wife and I decided to get our own.
I would classify myself an advanced beginner, having come to Hobie's from windsurfing, but am finding sailing the Hobie 16 pure bliss, within my clear limitations...

I had just posted a Wanted ad in the Classifieds on this site, and @DamonLinkous has encouraged me to mention my search in this forum as well. I will try to attach a link below...
Basically we are looking for a clean Hobie 16, no more than 10 years old or so, in complete and good condition, with a good trailer. We are prepared to tow it home within a 500 mile radius from Greenville SC, or 250 mile radius from Grand Rapids MI (our other place). Time is short and we want to sail, not tinker...

I am looking forward to learning from all of you as we embark on this new adventure...
Thanks and cheers!

https://www.thebeachcats.…6-with-good-trailer.html

Welcome to the club. Should be plenty of options out there. Let us know what you ended up getting and drop some pics.

Jonathan
Mesa, AZ
Nacra 20

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I am looking forward to learning from all of you as we embark on this new adventure...
Thanks and cheers!

Don't limit yourself to a Hobie 16. You've heard the old expression, "What's in a name", well it certainly applies here. What the H-16 has going for it is it's owner support. One design racing and availability of used boats and parts. And that's really important. Other than that, it doesn't sail as well as other boats in this size range. Primarily because it has low volume hulls, (pitch poles easily), doesn't tack well and is harder to set up. I've never owned one, but have sailed them a lot. The last time I sailed one was about four years ago and one thing I noticed for the first time was how uncomfortable it was sitting on that trampoline frame. There's a lot more to this discussion and I hope other sailors will weigh in on this.

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Bill Townsend
G-Cat 5.0
Sarasota
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Most recent post above is mine...login issue.



Edited by rattlenhum on Jun 06, 2025 - 09:39 AM.

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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
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Yep...more to the discussion, so I'll weigh in...
Doesn't sail well? Name another boat of similar design in the size range that's rated faster under Portsmouth or SCHRS.
Pitchpoles easily? Oft-repeated B.S. Maybe easier than others with smaller sailplan, but that big ole jib that puts so much pressure on the bows is the schiznit downwind.
Doesn't tack well? Is there a boardless cat that does tack WELL?
Harder to set up? Please elaborate.

Handicap ratings are very subjective and ratings tend to be close within any category like length, boards/boardless, etc. That being said, even minor differences in the way a boat is being sailed will make a difference in which boat is faster. Currently no beachcats that I know of except the H-16 are being produced with asymmetrical hulls. It was once believed that this hull shape was needed in order to make progress to windward. And it does work to a degree with a major downside; drag. For best performance, A H-16 should not be sailed flat (true with any beachcat) but especially one with asymmetrical hulls because they pull against each other. This may make the boat a little slower to tack but the main reasons beachcats tack slowly is because of their light weight and one hull has to travel a longer distance when coming about. Nacra addressed this problem by having a flexible joint between the tillers and the cross bar. When the helm's forty five degrees over the rudders can move slightly independent of one another.

I've never owned a H-16 but I've sailed plenty of them. One has to be careful walking the mast up because of that open area that's laced with shock cord that runs down the middle of the tramp. I remember you need a special fitting for the mast step. I also remember they have full battens on the jib that should be loaded/unloaded and they also have a tendency to catch on the halyards. When the main is sheeted down hard there is almost no boom clearance and the blocks can get together unless you have special low profile ones. The halyard lock is the old fashion kind that has a hook near the top of the mast. Not fun if the sun is directly overhead and plus the halyard has to be replaced every few years. Another thing that's probably not considered very often is when the rudders are up, they are not locked in the up position. It seems like often when I had the rudders up, one of the mainsheet blocks would get under the cross bar and lift it up releasing one of the rudders. Very annoying. Pitchpoling? Not too big an issue with experienced sailors but most of them have learned about that the hard way including myself. The fact that the H-16 hulls are more prone to diving under is not debatable. All of these factors still should not be a deal breaker however. The H-16 has a lot of owner support and parts are always available and plenty of one design racing. Identical boats are the only true fair way to race.

I owned a Nacra 500 for many years and for a boardless 16 ft beachcat, that one is hard to beat but finding one won't be easy compared to a H-16. It's a better made boat than
my G-Cat but doesn't sail as well in my opinion.

I still say for a first timer, a Hobie Getaway is worth a look.

And one thing I feel strongly about is a cat with dagger boards takes the "beach" out of beachcats.

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Bill Townsend
G-Cat 5.0
Sarasota
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Hello All,

Thank you for all the valuable feedback and apologies for not replying until now. Being new to the forum and having started to receive some junk messages I messed up my settings and turned off all my notifications. Will try to fix it next.
Being a conservative sailor at this stage I have, fortunately, never experienced pitch-poling and will try to keep it that way. I am aware that the H16 has its limitations, but on balance I believe it is my best bet, and in fact I am in process of purchasing a lightly used one from one of the members of this forum.

Thanks again!

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Yoram
Upstate SC
fixin' to own a Hobie 16
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Above two 'unknown user' posts from June 08 are mine - same issue as @rattlenhum's.



Edited by yoram on Jun 08, 2025 - 01:52 AM.

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Yoram
Upstate SC
fixin' to own a Hobie 16
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I assume your comment re dagger boards does not refer to the H16.

Hobie designed the 16 to be beachable friendly. The not too sharp entry, extreme rocker and rugged construction made it just the thing for riding a wave all the way up on the sand.

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Bill Townsend
G-Cat 5.0
Sarasota
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Thanks for the additional input, Bill. I know my post above sounded somewhat snarky, and I truly appreciate the tone of your reply. It just gets tiresome when almost every time the H16 is brought up on here there's a comment on how "easily" it pitchpoles.

FWIW...I've owned and been sailing H16s pretty dang hard for~30 years and would estimate that I've pitched less than ten times. All of those were in a good blow, and most were when intentionally pushing to find the edge and learn how to deal with it. Obviously, crew weight needs to be out and aft to help keep leeward bow up. The higher the wind, the more sails need to be travelled out and sheeted harder (main downhauled harder) to flatten them (for speed rather than power). The boat needs to be sailed down right on the edge of stalling and pushed further down in the puffs...this helps keep the windward hull down (less pressure on leeward) and causes the boat to be spit forward like a watermelon seed. At some point, one will start hearing the fat lady sing, and it's time to bail. I would not argue that that point is at a lesser windspeed than other, similar boats, and that the consequences may be more dire with a bow that has less volume and is shaped like the fluke of a boat anchor. However, good boat handling (which applies to most beachcats) can minimize the occurrence of the dreaded "P" word and all that boat-biting, flesh-bruising, and Peter-Panning.

A few of other tips, yoram...
Can't stress enough how beneficial it is to get involved with and learn from (hopfully local) other beachcat sailors in person. Find a local club if you can. Also, even if you have no interest in racing, a visit to a nearby beachcat regatta is a good way to meet people and learn. (Offering to buy the beer is usually a good way to lubricate the knowledge transfer process.)
Tons of helpful H16 info on Hobie's H16 product support page (https://www.hobie.com/support/hobie-16/) and FAQ Forum (https://www.hobie.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=18)
Also on HCANA site: Tuning (https://hobieclass.com/hobie-tuning/) and Hobie Hotline (https://hcana.prepflag.com/hotline-archive/)

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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
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rattlenhum

. ....

A few of other tips, yoram...
Can't stress enough how beneficial it is to get involved with and learn from (hopfully local) other beachcat sailors in person. Find a local club if you can. Also, even if you have no interest in racing, a visit to a nearby beachcat regatta is a good way to meet people and learn. (Offering to buy the beer is usually a good way to lubricate the knowledge transfer process.)
Tons of helpful H16 info on Hobie's H16 product support page (https://www.hobie.com/support/hobie-16/) and FAQ Forum (https://www.hobie.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=18)
Also on HCANA site: Tuning (https://hobieclass.com/hobie-tuning/) and Hobie Hotline (https://hcana.prepflag.com/hotline-archive/)

Thank you again, Jerome. We are already following your advice even before receiving it...
We are in the process of joining a local sailing club which has a good contingent of cats and several H16s. We also plan to spend a weekend sailing with our gracious seller later this month as part of "taking delivery" with the intent of learning as much as possible from his 40+ years experience.
Finally, to all the skeptics, we have sailed H16s enough times in the ocean to know that it is what we want.
We do not plan to explore its limits of performance but find it very rewarding to sail even in our more conservative manner. Lastly, we like that it is relatively small and light, and easier to handle out of the water.
Cheers!

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Yoram
Upstate SC
fixin' to own a Hobie 16
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Cool...post a pic of that new baby when you get a chance! Its home lake will be Hartwell? Or Keowee maybe?

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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
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rattlenhum

Cool...post a pic of that new baby when you get a chance! Its home lake will be Hartwell? Or Keowee maybe?

Thanks! Of course I will post pics. First ones will be still on the trailer...

You know our local scene! We're wait-listed in both clubs. Hartwell more likely as we are closer to the top of the list and also a shorter drive. Visited there last Saturday and were super happy with what we saw and whom we met.

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Yoram
Upstate SC
fixin' to own a Hobie 16
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Some sailors install foot loops on the aft part of the hull to keep the trapeezing skipper in place should the leward hull start to take a dive. I never was that extreme but I did have a "chicken line" for the crew. Any sudden loss in momentum can send your crew if they're on the wire on a trip around the mast and greatly increase the chance of a pitch pole. Ironically, in lighter winds you want to sail as close to pitch polling as you dare. This can mean having weight forward and on the leward side. Seems counter intuitive but racers are well aware of this and even as a non-racer the technique will greatly enhance your ability to sail to weather. As mentioned before, as you get to know the boat you will know how far you can push it.

My wife once likened sailing a small catamaran to riding a spirited horse. There's a great feeling of accomplishment in being able to control something that can get so out of control in a split second. But that's what makes it fun, right?

We need more serious discussions on this site. I don't really understand the lack of interest but if you go back a few years you'll find opinions on everything from boat design to footwear.

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Bill Townsend
G-Cat 5.0
Sarasota
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shortyfox

Some sailors install foot loops on the aft part of the hull to keep the trapeezing skipper in place should the leward hull start to take a dive. I never was that extreme but I did have a "chicken line" for the crew. Any sudden loss in momentum can send your crew if they're on the wire on a trip around the mast and greatly increase the chance of a pitch pole. Ironically, in lighter winds you want to sail as close to pitch polling as you dare. This can mean having weight forward and on the leward side. Seems counter intuitive but racers are well aware of this and even as a non-racer the technique will greatly enhance your ability to sail to weather. As mentioned before, as you get to know the boat you will know how far you can push it.

My wife once likened sailing a small catamaran to riding a spirited horse. There's a great feeling of accomplishment in being able to control something that can get so out of control in a split second. But that's what makes it fun, right?

We need more serious discussions on this site. I don't really understand the lack of interest but if you go back a few years you'll find opinions on everything from boat design to footwear.

So much to learn... so little time...
As mentioned earlier, I am a very conservative sailor due to recognizing my limitations and staying within them. I expect that as I spend more time sailing our own cat throughout the season rather than just others' on vacation those limitations will get pushed out, and all the things you mention will become more familiar and intuitive.
Both my wife and I still get a huge kick from sailing H16s, even when staying well within the performance envelope. We will work our way to the foot loops and chicken line...

I anticipate many posts with trivial questions, including footwear...

Cheers!

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Yoram
Upstate SC
fixin' to own a Hobie 16
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Three more warm piles of wisdom that will eventually come in handy if you sail for long enough...

Double check the drain plugs before launching. There are those who've set sail with the plugs out and those who will.

If there's any chance of bad weather, don't get too far from your beaching area. If you see dark clouds approaching or hear even distant thunder, get to or at least near the beach ASAP. Oftentimes when summer lake sailing, the wind will be light right up until the 40 mph downdraft hits. You'll want to be on the beach with sails down well before that happens. Then you can sip a beer watching the $h!&show of not-so-weather-savvy power boaters who are fetching, grabbing, cussing, and screaming at each other at the boat ramps. There are those who've been caught in a summer lake sailing storm and those who will.

Sooner rather than later, while it's nice and warm, practice capsizing and righting your cat. (Your new boat should have a righting line installed.) If you and crew total less than 300 lbs., you may need a righting aid. Best to practice in very little wind...worst case since wind can actually help with righting when using good technique. Practice in a protected cove and/or when others are around to help if needed. The confidence gained in knowing that you can right the boat when required is invaluable. And, well, there are those who've capsized their cat...and those who will.

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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
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rattlenhum

Three more warm piles of wisdom that will eventually come in handy if you sail for long enough...

Double check the drain plugs before launching. There are those who've set sail with the plugs out and those who will.

If there's any chance of bad weather, don't get too far from your beaching area. If you see dark clouds approaching or hear even distant thunder, get to or at least near the beach ASAP. Oftentimes when summer lake sailing, the wind will be light right up until the 40 mph downdraft hits. You'll want to be on the beach with sails down well before that happens. Then you can sip a beer watching the $h!&show of not-so-weather-savvy power boaters who are fetching, grabbing, cussing, and screaming at each other at the boat ramps. There are those who've been caught in a summer lake sailing storm and those who will.

Sooner rather than later, while it's nice and warm, practice capsizing and righting your cat. (Your new boat should have a righting line installed.) If you and crew total less than 300 lbs., you may need a righting aid. Best to practice in very little wind...worst case since wind can actually help with righting when using good technique. Practice in a protected cove and/or when others are around to help if needed. The confidence gained in knowing that you can right the boat when required is invaluable. And, well, there are those who've capsized their cat...and those who will.

Jerome, thanks a bunch for all these very helpful tips. Much appreciate the time and interest you have taken to hold our hand in this new little adventure!
Plan is to have the handover of the Hobie in the following weekend (last weekend of June). I will sure post some pics shortly afterwards.
Cheers!

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Yoram
Upstate SC
fixin' to own a Hobie 16
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