Robi,
Why are you "dissing" my favorite boat ... do you have something against a TheMightyHobie18??? I'll take a TheMightyHobie18 ANYTIME, ANYWHERE ... it is one tough boat and has brought me home safely EVERYTIME!!!! And yes most of that sailing has been off of "Atlantic Open Ocean" beaches. A TheMightyHobie18 was the first beach cat to transit the Atlantic on it's own bottoms (by two crazy frenchman) .... it is the only beach cat to transit the "Northwest Passage" also.
So you are dissing a very capable "clunker" ..... slowwer then a F18 or a N20, Yes ... but very capable!!!!
If the gentlemen in question wants a boat w/ "racks", it's either the H18SE w/ Magnum wings ... or the H21SE (which has wings) and spinnacker. And then there is the Mystere' 6.0 w/ wings also. The P19 and Nacra 5.8/6.0 all had a factory "wing" option availible but I never saw one installed and sailed. Only on boats at the A.C. Boat Show years ago and the wings looked fragile.
Ask Robbie Daniels about his years of racing a H21SE .... heavy, yes, but big strong and durable .....
And remember ... to finish first ... first you have to finish. I think this event will not be about pure boat speed ... but more about survival!!!!
Harry Murphey
PS: I would carry a "hand" bilge pump on board. A lesson/trick I learned from Mr Rick Bliss. Not a bad idea ... right Mr Todd????
You know a lot of things in life are capable. I am sure people are capable of rowing across the pacific does it mean its safe? The Hobie 18 is perfectly capable, is it safe? HELL NO, any hobie 18 will be old and weathered, unless someone really overhauls that particular boat, it is NOT a good idea for such a crossing on a Hobie 18 or even a Hobie 16.
I know what I am capable of, I know my safety limits and one thing is for SURE, you will never catch me on a hobie 18 attempting such a thing.
To each its own. What bothers me is when people do not properly prepare and then expect my fellow Guardians to put there lives on the line for them. Just a few months ago we lost SEVEN folks, that is SEVEN, fathers, mothers, brothers sisters etc you name it while they were searching for a missing sailing vessel.
A good amount of years back a HH65 flew into a cliff off San Fracisco while looking for an overdue sailing that vessel that the next morning showed up at anchor.
The Coast Guard should NOT save stupidity and crossing from Key West to Cuba in a Hobie 14/16/18/ is plain STUPID.
The right boat for the right race. There is a reason why the Tybee is only limited to N20s and F18s.
