This last weekend I purcahsed a HObie cat 16 from our neighbor at the cabin. it seems in really good shape and the sails are in good shape ( I grew up sailing a 30' Irwin mono hull sailboat SO I have basic sail knowledge) the cats got one set of trapeze lines, which I'll probably be the only on using the boat. what esle do I need? I know the bungy on the lines is shot but where does it go when I get new ones ? is there a good site for showing rigging and helpful tips on sailing and trapezeing do I need to go online just to start playing around? How about getting the boat up right after my first turtle? should I have a mast float? etc please help with any hints or suggestions. I'm excited to enter the Cat family!

a hobie bob may not be a bad idea if you're worried about going turtle. Although if you're sailing solo, you probably wont be able to right it by yourself without a righting aid such as a righting pole or a solo right.

The bungee that connects the trap wire just goes under the tramp rails.

You shoul dave two sets of trap lines.

One thing I always check for on a new (old) boat is the rudder cams. They are a sacrificial part (kind of like brake pads) that just poop out after a while. Check them out, make sure the rudders lock down and you that they pop back up when you kick the bottom of the board back.

On a boat that you're new to, it may make sense to replace all the standing rigging just to be safe.

Finally, get Rick White's "Catamaran Sailing for the 90's" sold here on the online store. It will teach you everything you need to know. Welcome to the club!

Take a look at http://www.hobiecat.com/support/index.html for a lot of information.

If at all possible, get the previous owner to show you how to rig and sail the boat. Then get an Assembly Manual from Hobie and a book on how to sail catamarans, both for reference. Replacing the standing rigging (shrouds and forestay together since Hobie changed the lengths about 20 years ago) is good insurance against a dismast. Get a can of good silicone spray for the rudders, blocks, sheaves, and sail luff (to make hoisting easier). You can also go here for good buying/safety tips: http://www.sailingproshop.com/catamaran.asp

Welcome aboard!

Just at the top of this page is an icon for the ON-LINE STORE. Everything you need to buy is right there. It supports also this forum where some of the most helpful people you will ever meet reside and will answer patiently all your questions. Good luck and welcome.

My suggestions are to buy a comfortable life jacket, a spray suit or top, and check ALL the critical equipment that can injure you or a passenger if it fails. Shrouds I replaced immediately (because I couldn't tell how old they were). I also examined closely all the contact points that the shrouds connected to for signs of stress.

Depending on where you sail, a waterproof bag for a cellphone so you can call for help isn't bad either.

Good luck!
Greg

Greg

Also, if you have problems with an order Rick is a good man to know.

An on shore breeze!~ : )
Seriously, what you need most is an open mind that the crashes are part of the fun. I used to be a mono sailor and there is a lot of crap talked about how bigger problem flipping is. My very worst flip was on a MONO skiff when I was backwinded on the wire and I ended up trapped still strung up under the sail trying to unhook a tight wire and not having any idea where air was. : (
make safety your first priority for a while until you understand the basic tricks of the boat. IF you can get someone who understands the H16 to go out with you a few times leap at the chance and don't buy a whole lot of stuff until you know what it is for.
The H16 will pitchpole at the drop of a hat so learn quickly to understand how far NOT to push it. But you have to get the windward hull out of the water to go upwind or the asymetrical hull can't do its job.
Sailing for the 90s is great if you are going strait to racing but a more basic cat book will be better if you are not seasoned in basic cat handling and maintanence.
Check ALL rigging well and replace anything that looks fagged out.
Your Hobie is a strong boat so get into 3 feet of water of the beach on a calm day and flip it and play about with it like a monkey gym so when you are upside down you have some ideas. Read all you can about style used to right cats...it is only a disaster if you have no idea what you are doing. Read all you can about going about as that is one of the great arts and most satsifying things your will ever learn.
If you have energy I would also FIRST check for leaks. Put water into hulls through bungs and check keels. Invert platform and repeat to check all stress points and ports.
Not meaning to harp on about flipping but this is important to understand. If you go out to practice flipping in light air it will be MUCH HARDER to right the boat than it would be in a heavier wind.... Wind helps to drive the rig back up.
Go through the answers on this thread and make a list. : )
Welcome to the dark side... you will never go back. ; )

Warbird, sorry, but I am playing editor here and making your post a little easier to read, since it is a good one.

Hey Mary.. : ) I thought that when I read back through it... all over the place or what?! I swear I hadn't been drinking.
Still think an on shore breeze is a good idea but.

Sorry, I missed that when I copied and pasted. I put it back in. You are right -- onshore breeze is an extremely important suggestion.

How true it is, Thanks again Rick. Rick spend probably 15 -20 minutes looking at parts with me over the phone, I ordered blocks and cleats on Wednesday afternoon 3:30pm or so Rick's time, got the packaged at 3:00 Friday and down to the lake by 4:00.

Sam