Talk:Hobie 14

Latest comment: 2 years ago by Ahunt in topic "Symmetrical" hulls?


"Symmetrical" hulls?

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This article says the Hobie 14 has symmetrical hulls. I haven't sailed one in 40 years, so the design may have changed, but the hulls were definitely asymmetrical in the '70s... or was this a typo? -- Resuna (talk) 17:37, 17 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

The cited paper ref, Sherwood, Richard M.: A Field Guide to Sailboats of North America, Second Edition, pages 38-39. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1994. ISBN 0-395-65239-1 says: The Hobie 16 and 18 (not shown) are faster and perhaps more popular, but the Hobie 14 was the first. Hulls are asymmetrical, with no boards. The trampoline or “wing” is elevated above the hulls. This very fast boat has been clocked at over 24 mph. The sail is shaped by full battens, which themselves can be formed. The jib has roller furling as an option on the Turbo TJ model. Hobies are, with Sunfish, found at resorts all over the world. There are racing fleets to match. There are regional area, national, and world championships. The development history is interesting. Hobie Alter’s first love was surfboards. He pioneered the substitution of foam for balsa woodcores, and he used the combination again when he first began venturing into catamaans in the mid-1960s. - Ahunt (talk) 17:56, 17 July 2022 (UTC)Reply