Hi :-)

Looked at a Hobie 14 today. Owner wasn't around. I'd talked to him on the phone yesterday. Said it was an early 80's model. Sail wasn't there, but most everything else looked decent. If I get serious, I'll find a checklist someplace. Think I have one downloaded from the Sailing Pro Shop. If you know of a good checklist too, I'm all ears.

But how do you determine the year it was built? I didn't see any hull number anywhere.

And what are the pros and cons of this boat for a beginner? Price might be right.

Take care,
Dan

Is it a 14 turbo or just a plain 14? My first cat, and the first boat that I owned myself was a hobie 14 that had no jib (not turbo). This boat was deffinately worthwhile, but then it was given too me. If I were going to actually spend money, I would not recommend a hobie 14 unless it has a jib. The reason being that even if I moved my weight the way I was supposed too, I could only get the thing to tack correctly about 2/3 times. I was forever backing the sail, backing up the boat to head off in the direction i wanted. A real pisser when I start racing the boat a little bit. Like i said though, I think that there are much better bang-for-your-buck boats out there.

Think it's got just the mainsail. Thanks for your feedback.

Cheers,
Danno

If it doesn't have the jib (Turbo), then it won't have a trapeze.

Part of the equation not spoken here yet is what are you going to do or trying to do with a boat? Thats normally the place to start and then get into the discussions of boat types that meet your requirements.

Pat

Hi Josh,
Why would a beginning sailor want to learn to sail on a boat that won't tack? When he tries to learn to tack and he gets in irons. The beginning sailor is going to think he is doing something wrong and become very frustrated. All the time the problem is poor boat design. When he turns over and the boat goes turtle, he is going to think he did something wrong and become very frustrated. All the time the problem was poor boat design. On a windy day and on a fast reach, he pitchpoles. Again he is going to think he did something wrong and probably become a little afraid of the boat. All the time the real problem was poor boat design. H14s and H16s are not good boats to learn to sail on. A Sunfish is a much better teacher. The Sunfish tacks and jibes quickly when you do it properly. The Sunfish turns over when you don't balance it properly so the learning sailor learns the importance of balance. The Sunfish doesn't pitchpole. When you turn a Sunfish over, it doesn't turn trutle and you can right it safely. After you learn to sail a Sunfish, then try the H14 or 16.
Bill
Bill

See now, I was trying to be tactfull and get that point across without making all the hobie people here angry, (I had a couple people who seemed miffed at me about an earlier hoibie post:-)) AT any rate, BIll is right of course, I should be more specific about what I meen.

It's hard to tell but I think that little movie is a Prindle or a G-cat....

Hobie 14s or a 16s are good beginner boats in that they are cheap to buy, plentiful (for good reason), simply rigged, and inexpensive to maintain. Many people sail them very successfully in all sorts of weather and water conditions. You do have to be a little more conscious about how hard you power up the boat to keep the bows from going under - but it's not a death sentence. Yes, SCs, Nacras, etc. are more pitch pole resistant but they ALL will pitch pole if pushed hard enough. A H14 or H16 would make a great beginner boat even if tacking requires a little more forethough. We can help him here to roll tack that thing in a snap!

One of the hulls should have a serial # stamped into it (usually around the stern). In that serial number is the date of manufacture. While I can't find it, there's a thread somewhere that explains what each number means (although it should be pretty obvious when you look at it).

I always thought that the Hobie-14 was the ultimate boat to learn cat-sailing on, for the same reasons that Bill said a Sunfish was good. Balance, weight distribution, tacking techniques, etc. - you get fairly instant feedback when you do it wrong and when you do it right. It's true that this boat may amplify some cat traits. For instance, my 6.0 tacks much better than my 14, but it will still go into irons or be difficult if you don't pay attention - but you have to goof much more to make it happen if it does at all. Having learned the technique for tacking the 14 has made me appreciative for techniques of tacking any cat. Same goes for weight, and avoiding capsizes and pitchpoles.

So, in a nutshell, learn to sail a 14 well and you've got a great basis for sailing other cats IMO. Of course, notice that I said learn cat-sailing on. It might not be the best to learn sailing itself on - but with adequate instruction, why not?

I've also felt that the 14 could be catamaran racing's Laser, and that Hobie goofed by not finding a way to keep that model/class alive.

Hi Jake,
My experience with some persons who have tried to learn to sail on a H14 is as follows: They rented the boat at the local boat rental beach. Gave it a try for a couple of hours. Worked their way downwind and when they tried to get back to where they had started, "could make the boat tack" and had to be towed back by a motor boat at an extra charge. END OF SAILING EFFORT; BAD EXPERIENCE; WON"T TRY THAT AGAIN!
Bill

I found those numbers inside a hull once, but I don't remember what type of boat that was on, and I don't remeber if my 14 even had inspection plates

Pat:

Good point about boat usage. I'm learning sailing on a Force 5. Not doing too bad so far. Can handle it in 15 knots, as long as there aren't many gusts!

I'm looking to learn cat sailing and eventually sail in relatively unsheltered waters in the San Juan Islands. Current and winds can get pretty rough at times, but one of the 172 islands is always within sight, usually a couple miles or so. Most shores are rocky.

I may have an option to learn on a real small cat, then trade in for something bigger. A lot will depend on what boats are available on the used market for under 3k, preferrably under 2k.

Take care,
Danno

Dan,

Look on the back(transom)of each hull where the rudders attach:

The format is as follows: CCMX0000X000

CCM = Coast Cat Manufacture (Corporate Name)

X = Model letter (typical... 18s are C, 16s vary, Wave X, H20 P etc)

0000 = serial number

X = Letter / Month of Mfg. (A is January, B is February etc. I is not used I don't think)

000 = year of mfg and year model (797 is '97 mfg. 97 model / 697 would be a boat built in year '96 but is a 97 model. Model year starts in July.

This article is taken from On The Wire - the eZine for Hobie Sailors


Great beginning catamaran for a lot reasons listed in this thread.

I had my first when I was 12 and my second when I was 35.

But Bill...

If you can master this little beasty you can sail any multihull. Even a SuperCat!!

Bob
Hobie 14 = Pitbull of multihulls
Greatest training boat on the planet. Period.

The above serial number information is correct... here is a bit more detail.

Serial numbers info from Hobie Cat is on the Hobie Cat Product support pages.

Serial number location and translation

I remember that the originall poster was not from california, but if any of the new sailors reading this thread are from california, I just saw a great deal on a Nacra 450, for under $2000. It can be found in the classifieds on www.thebeachcats.com

I'm going to agree with Bob (some of the others) on the merits of the Hobie 14. I think the Turbo would be better than the straight 14.


You can get lots of pointers here on boats, gear and technique....Please take care & caution in learning whatever boat you choose and that you learn to respect the open waters you will be sailing !!


Pat

Thanks, guys.

I looked in the right place, but guess I didn't look close enough. Now that I know for sure they're there, it'll be easier to find.

Danno

Danno,
The Hobie 14 is a FANTASTIC beginners boat to learn catsailing on.
Please ignore advice from people who have a gripe with boats that they did not design themselves.

It`s a great boat because it`s difficult to tack, pitchpoles easily if you overpower it too much and is a little unforgiving. It teaches you how to identify the limits, and once you`ve learned the right technique of tacking it, you can`t be excused for blowing a tack.
If you take a stock H14 & just add a trapeze (no jib) it can hold onto the Hobie 16 upwind when sailed right, and it`s not slow downwind either.
If someone rents a cat for a day & gives up trying to sail after one small setback, they belong on a couch watching football anyway. Try windsurfing. Takes months to learn how to get sailing properly, with many embarrassing moments either swimming back to shore dragging the rig & board, or being "rescued". Learn to sail on a lake before trying the ocean, use common sense.

I`m speaking from a South African perspective here, but I think it`s probably common to other sailing regions : All the top Catamaran sailors started with Hobie 14`s :
Alan Lawrence : Hobie 14 world champ, then Hobie 16 National champ. Now sails Hobie Tiger.
Sean Ferry : H14 National champ, then H16 National champ, then H16 World Champ, now sails Hobie Tiger.
David Kruyt : H14 National champ, then H16 National champ, then H16 World Champ.
William Edwards : H14 National champ, H16 National champ, H16 World Champ. (11th at last Worlds)
Philip Du Toit : H14 National Champ, H14 World Champ ....watch this space.

Both the Hobie 16 & Hobie 14 are challenging, fun boats to sail, are strong as rocks (heavy as them, too ), and will last a long time if looked after.
They teach you skills that will help you to sail any other catamaran. I`d recommend one any day.
And the H14 will still be sailing when many other cat sailors have packed up for fear of damaging their boats.

And no, I don`t sail a Hobie, or sell them. I`m just sick of people who constantly run down other boats just because they sail, sell or have designed something different.
Good luck on whatever you decide to sail (even if it`s a sunfish )

Cheers
Steve

One other point on the pitch pole topic; I said earlier that ALL catamarans can pitchpole. I also want to point out that when the rounded top deck (i.e. pitch pole resistant cats) pitchpole, they do so at higher speeds with higher loads and higher deceleration. If I were starting all over again (I started sailing 5 years ago on a Nacra 5.2, also a great boat) I wouldn't hesitate to start on a H16.