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[quote=shortyfox][quote]When I stepped up from a Hobie or Prindle to the F16, it was night and day difference. The hull shapes do make a big difference. Last summer on the lake I was sailing alongside a H16 and picked up their 3rd crew member to show the difference and it just smoked the Hobie.
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There seems to be a widespread misconception that the Hobie 16 is a poor performer compared to more modern designs.  Of course it can't out sail an F-16 or other similar boats with high aspect ratio mains and dagger boards.  But I believe with so many H-16s out there, there's going to be a lot of them being sailed not all that well.  When someone's sailing one who really knows what they're doing, it can be a revelation.  I have always had no problem out sailing them in my G-Cat, especially when there's a lot of tacking involved, but every now and then...  About a year ago this Hobie 16 fell in a few hundred yards behind me and it took quite a while for me to realize I was pulling away from him.  I was doing everything I knew.  We met up later and it turned out he was an old guy like myself and had many decades experience on the Hobie.  I have always wondered about the design of the H-16.  Why the low volume hulls?  And having the rig relatively forward isn't going to reduce pitch poling either, even the bridle is attached to the very front of the bows.  What was Hobie thinking?  Yet despite it's obvious drawbacks, it's rugged, able to withstand years of running up on the beach.  They have a loyal following and good used ones are available.[/quote]

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