Hobie Cat

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Hobie Cat is a company that manufactures sailing catamarans, surfboards, sailboats, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, and pedalboards as the Hobie Cat Company. It was founded in 1961 by Hobart Alter, who originally manufactured surfboards. Its line of products has included more than twenty sailing craft, plus a variety of other watercraft.^[1]

History[edit]

Hobie Cat was founded by Hobart Alter. While initially a surfboard manufacturer in the late 1950s, Alter's focus changed in 1961 towards designing an easily beached, fiberglass catamaran.^[2]

The impetus of this shift is attributed to a 1961 boat show in Anaheim, California, where Alter sold surfboards adjacent to the designer of the 1961 Aqua Cat 12 sailboat,^[3] which featured lightweight fiberglass hulls with an aluminium tube structure supporting a trampoline style deck for seating.^[4] Following the 1961 boat show, Alter contacted Arthur "Art" Javes to tell him he was also entering the fledgling catamaran market.^[5] The first production Hobie Cat was launched on July 4, 1968^[6] and featured a structure similar to the Aqua Cat, but slightly heavier with asymmetrically-shaped hulls that did not rely on dagger boards. This design was more readily beached than the Aqua Cat or Pacific Cat.

In 1969, Hobie released the Hobie 16, their most popular catamaran and the world's largest one-design catamaran class. Over 135,000 Hobie 16 Cats have been built. This was followed by many other similar beachcats: the Hobie 18 in 1976, the Hobie 17 in 1985, the Hobie 21 in 1987, the Hobie 18SX in 1989, the Hobie 17 Sport in 1990, the Hobie 20 in 1991, and the Hobie 21 Sport Cruiser in 1992.

In 1996, Hobie introduced the Pursuit kayak, the first of a new generation of boats built using rotomolded polyethylene. This production method is less expensive and time consuming than the fiberglass molds used in the original series of catamarans, and results in a very strong and durable hull, but one which is not as smooth or light as those produced using fiberglass. After perfecting the rotomolded technique on a series small kayaks the company offered their first rotomolded catamaran, the Hobie Wave in 1994. The largest of the rotomolded catamarans, the Hobie Getaway was launched in 2000, then the smallest, the Hobie Bravo was launched in 2001.

Models, Variants, & Production History[edit]

Hobie has made a large variety of catamarans and dinghy’s since the company’s inception, beginning with the Hobie 14 and later the Hobie 16. They’re most famous for their fiberglass catamarans, though the company has made significant numbers of rotomolded boats beginning in the 1990’s and 2000’s. While the company briefly produced dinghy’s and monohulls in the 1980’s as well, they never reached anywhere near the same popularity as their catamarans and were discontinued after a handful of years.

Fiberglass Catamarans[edit]

Hobie 14[edit]

The Hobie 14 was the original catamaran designed by Hobie Alter in 1968. The 14 was originally designed to be sailed from the beach through the surf and back, with features to make sailing on and off the beach easier, such as the iconic "banana" shaped hull profile, kick-up rudders and asymmetric hulls.^[17] It's a unirig design with a single sail, designed to be sailed solo or "singlehanded." Hobie later introduced the Hobie 14 "Turbo" or the "turbo" conversion kit, which added a roller furling jib, trapeze and dolphin striker. No longer manufactured by Hobie North America, the Hobie 14 was discontinued in North America in 2004, but is still produced in limited numbers by Hobie Europe and Hobie Brazil.

The Hobie 14 is very sensitive to weight placement fore and aft as a result of the banana hull shape. In rough water, strong winds or weight placed too far forward, the leeward bow is somewhat prone to "dig in," resulting in what is known asa "pitchpole."

The Hobie 14 has a D-PN of 86.4^[18] with the Turbo version faster at 83.1.^[18]

Hobie 16[edit]

Hobie introduced the Hobie 16 in 1969, and it went on to become the most popular catamaran ever built, both for recreational sailing and as a one-design racer. It was developed to be a bigger, more stable upgrade to the Hobie 14, designed for a crew of two. The boat is 16 ft 7 in (5.05 m) long, 7 ft 11 in (2.41 m) wide, has a mast 26 ft 6 in (8.08 m) tall, and weighs 320 lb (150 kg). As with the 14, it is intended to be sailed from the beach through the surf, and to be surfed back in on the waves to the beach, with many of the same features and similar asymmetric "banana" hulls. Both jib and main sails are fully battened and total 218 sq ft (20 m²). A double trapeze system comes standard on the Hobie 16. The Hobie 16 is still in production around the world.

Hobie 18[edit]

Hobie introduced the Hobie 18 in 1976 as a significant upgrade in sailing performance, tunability and capacity as compared to the Hobie 16 and 18. The Hobie Class Association consider the Hobie 18 the most versatile of all the Hobie beachcats.^[19] The Hobie 18 was designed to be not only fast but also rugged. It is designed to be sailed by a crew of two, but can easily carry four passengers when cruising. Experienced sailors can sail the Hobie 18 solo. Unlike the Hobie 14 and 16, the Hobie 18 has symmetrical hulls, using daggerboards to maintain course stability. The boat features a fully battened mainsail and rolling/furling jib. A double trapeze system is also standard equipment on the Hobie 18. Hobie introduced "wing seats" for the Hobie 18 in the early 1980's with wings that extended from the front to rear crossbar. These later became known as "magnum" wings when Hobie introduced the Hobie 18SX in 1987 which featured a taller mast and longer wings, which extended approx. 20 in (0.51 m) beyond the crossbars for more flexibility on weight placement. The SX model featured a 19 in (0.48 m) taller mast, higher aspect mylar sails. Wings of both types, magnum and SX, are in much demand today due to the added comfort and space provided. They add about 40 lb (18 kg). Much to the dismay of many Hobie enthusiasts, the Hobie 18 is currently no longer produced.

Hobie 17[edit]

The Hobie 17 was introduced in 1985 and was available in two trim 'packages': the SE and the Sport. The SE version was a unirig boat with a mainsail only and wings, and was designed to be singlehanded. The Sport version included a jib and a small boomlett that was not attached to the mast and was intended for recreational sailing by two people. It was 17 ft (5.2 m) long, 8 ft (2.4 m) wide, had a 27 ft 7 in (8.41 m) mast and 168 sq ft (15.6 m²) of sail area (200 ft² or 18.6 m² with the jib). Both models had swinging centerboards and 'wings'. The uni-rig or catboat sail plan allows the 17SE to 'point' well, or sail closer to straight upwind than many other sloop-rigged catamarans. The Hobie 17 was discontinued in 2003.

The Hobie 17 had a Portsmouth Number of 783.^[20] The SE version had a D-PN of 74.0 and the Sport version had 74.5.^[18]

Hobie 21SC[edit]

The 21SC (for Sport Cruiser) was Hobie Cat's first 'family boat'. Intended for casual sailing, this boat has a front trampoline, wings, an outboard motor-mount, and a built-in cooler. Though larger than the Getaway at 21 ft (6.4 m) long, 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) wide, with a 29 ft (8.8 m) mast and 222 sq ft (21 m²) of sail, it could be raced off a D-PN of 74.5.^[21] The 21SC was quickly displaced by the more rugged, cheaper Getaway and has been phased out by Hobie Cat.

Hobie 21SE[edit]

The 21SE hulls are similar to the 21SC but the similarities end there, the 21SE is a performance oriented boat. It is no longer in production but it had a beam of nearly 10 ft (3.0 m), and 14 ft (4.3 m) with the wings. The boat was intended for a racing crew of two or three adults. It also had centreboards instead of daggerboards a 33 ft (10 m) mast and 300 sq ft (28 m²). of sail. It weighs 700 lb (320 kg) and has a D-PN of 67.0.^[18] It had arched, curved crossbars. It was raced as a one design boat in professional racing circuits. The boat is fast and stable but probably saw low production numbers because of its weight, the need to telescope the hulls for trailering and because it is difficult to right the boat if it capsizes without outside assistance.

Miracle 20[edit]

Introduced in 1991, the Miracle 20 has 250 sq ft (23 m²) of sail area and high aspect ratio mylar sails, as yet another significant performance improvement over the Hobie 18. The Hobie 20 eliminated the hull lip, a significant source of drag, and moved towards higher aspect ratio sails and daggerboards. The 20 was 19 ft 6 in (5.94 m) long, 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) wide, with a 31 ft (9.4 m) mast, weighed 420 lb (190 kg), and had a D-PN of 65.0.^[18] The Hobie 20 was discontinued in 2007 after a 16 year production run. The Miracle 20 was designed by Jack Groeneveld, a Dutch catamaran sailor (European champion Prindle 19, winner of the Prindle 19 nationals etc.)

TriFoiler[edit]

The Hobie TriFoiler was one of the fastest production sailboats ever created. Introduced in 1994, it was based on a series of boats designed by Greg and Dan Ketterman and sailed by Russel Long, which eventually culminated in Long setting the A-Class Catamaran world sailing speed record in 1992 in the boat "Longshot". That record remains unbroken.^[22][23] The TriFoiler is based on Longshot and this sailing hydrofoil stands as the most unusual of Hobie Cat's boats. Also designed by Greg Ketterman, this trimaran has two sails, one on each ama, and hydrofoils that lift the hulls out of the water at wind speeds of 10–11 mph (16–18 km/h), allowing the boat to reach speeds up to 45 mph (72 km/h) and pull over 2 g in gybe turns.

The TriFoiler was 22 ft (6.7 m) long, 19 ft (5.8 m) wide, weighed 145 kg (320 lb), and was sailed from a "cockpit" by two people. The boat was fitted with two 18 ft (5.5 m) tall masts, with a total sail area of 215 sq ft (20.0 m²).^[24] It was the largest multihull boat built by Hobie Cat, with 170 produced between 1995 and 1999; another 30 were built independently prior to production starting at Hobie Cat.^{[citation needed]} Production ceased because of limited popularity; the boat was expensive and fragile, and could be used only in low-wave conditions with winds between 10 and 25 mph (16 and 40 km/h).^{[citation needed]}

Hobie Tiger[edit]

The Hobie Tiger, a Hobie Cat Europe import, was Hobie Cat's entry into the Formula 18 multihull class. The Tiger was very popular and successful both in class racing and Formula 18. At 18 ft (5.5 m) long, 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) wide, with a 29 ft 6 in (8.99 m) mast and 227 sq ft (21 m²) of sail area (452 sq ft (42 m²) with the spinnaker). It weighs in at a minimum of 396 lb (180 kg) as to conform to the Formula 18 specifications. The class D-PN is 62.1.^[18] Though originally only available in Europe, many were imported and sold in the US. At its introduction, it was a very competitive F18 boat, but had been eclipsed by newer F18 designs by the end of its production run.

Hobie Fox[edit]

The Hobie Fox was designed by Hobie Cat Europe to meet the Formula 20 racing class rules. The hull shape was designed by world champion A-Class sailor Nils Bunkenberg. It had a modern wave-piercing hull design. It had a double trapeze, asymmetrical spinnaker with snuffer retrieval system, high aspect ratio daggerboards, race rudders, and sails designed by Giorgio Zuccoli. It was 20 ft (6.1 m) long, had an 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) beam and weighed 419 lb (190 kg). Mainsail area was 194 sq ft (18.0 m²). Jibsail area was 52 sq ft (4.8 m²). Spinnaker area was 269 sq ft (25.0 m²). With a D-PN of 60.4,^[18] the Fox was at one point the fastest of the Hobie family.

Hobie Dragoon[edit]

The Hobie Dragoon was designed by Hobie Cat Europe as a youth trainer for racing. Age target was 12 to 14 years. Double trapeze and spinnaker option to introduce young sailors to high performance. Length: 12 ft 10 in (3.91 m), Beam: 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m), Mast Length: 21 ft (6.4 m), Sail Area: 118 sq ft (11.0 m²). Main plus Jib, Weight: 230 lb (100 kg). D-PN: 83.0^[21]

FX-One[edit]

The FX-One was designed and produced by the France-based Hobie Cat Europe company. The boat was designed both for single-handed racing (mainsail + gennaker) and dual-crew sailing (jib + mainsail + gennaker). In both configurations, this boat is eligible for the IHCA racing class. In the two-sailor configuration, this boat is also eligible for the Class 104 multihull class. Relatively uncommon in North America, the FX-One is 17 ft 8 in (5.38 m) wide, with a 27 ft 9 in (8.46 m) mast and 172 sq ft (16.0 m²) of mainsail area, 3.98 m² (42.8 sq ft) of jib area, 17.5 m² (188 sq ft) of gennaker area, and weighs in at 326 ft (99 m) with the dual crew set-up. It features wavepiercing hulls, and daggerboards. The D-PN is listed as 70.1 without spinnaker and 68.5 singlehanded with spinnaker.^[18]

Hobie Pacific[edit]

The Hobie Pacific was based on the Hobie Tiger design, but had skegs instead of daggerboards, a smaller rig, and no boom. The boat was intended to be easier to handle than a F18 boat, and targeted at sailing schools. Sail area was 211 sq ft (20 m²), the optional spinnaker was 200 sq ft (19 m²).

Hobie Wildcat[edit]

The Hobie Wildcat was introduced in 2009. It is Hobie's latest Formula 18 boat and has the same measurements, weight, and sail area as the Hobie Tiger, per F18 box rules. The boat features wave-piercing bows, a flat bottom in the stern for better planing, and high aspect ratio mainsail & daggerboards.

Rotomolded Polyethylene boats[edit]

Rotomolded boats[edit]

This series of boats is created of rotomolded polyethylene plastic and is intended for casual and new sailors.

These can be split into two main categories, Hobie Cat USA rotomolded boats and Hobie Cat Europe rotomoulded boats. The boats from the US include the Bravo, Wave and Getaway, whilst the European range consists of the Catsy, Teddy, Twixxy, Max and Tattoo or "T2".

Hobie Bravo[edit]

The Bravo is the smallest the Hobie rotomolded catamarans at 12 ft (3.7 m) and is intended for one person but can carry two. The relatively narrow beam (4 ft 5 in (1.35 m)) compared to its 19 ft (5.8 m) mast leads to considerable heeling, or tipping of the boat compared to other catamarans. The Bravo has the distinction of being able to furl its sail around the mast. The D-PN is 100.0.^[21]

Hobie Wave[edit]

The Hobie Wave is intended for one to four passengers, but is easily handled by one with its 13 ft (4.0 m) length, 7 ft (2.1 m) beam, and 20 ft (6.1 m) mast. The Wave was designed by the Morelli/Melvin Engineering firm, and has proved to be extremely popular with beach resorts and rental operations. It is often praised for being rugged and easy to sail.^{[26][27][28][29]} While described as slow and underpowered by catamaran standards,^{[citation needed]} it has a D-PN of 92.1,^[18] similar to a Laser (dinghy) that is often considered to be a performance dinghy.^{[citation needed]} Although marketed as a recreational sailboat, an owner-controlled racing class has organized and held regattas since 1998.^[30]

Hobie Getaway[edit]

The Hobie Getaway is marketed as a "social boat" and is designed with room for up to 6 people, more than Hobie Cat's other boats. The boat has a trampoline both forward and aft of the mast, and is the only rotomolded Hobie to come stock with a jib and have an available trapeze. At 16 ft 7 in (5.05 m), the Getaway is the same length as the Hobie 16; the beam is 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m) and the mast is 25 ft (7.6 m) tall. It has a D-PN of 83.3.^[18]

Hobie Tattoo or "T2"[edit]

The Hobie Tattoo or "T2" was a "performance oriented" ABS boat, sold primarily in Europe, though a few were sold in the US before the boat was ultimately discontinued.

Fiberglass Monohulls & Dinghys[edit]

Hobie Holder Series[edit]

The Hobie Holder boats were originally Designed by Ron Holder and produced by Vagabond sailboats, which was later bought by the Coast Catamaran Corporation (Hobie Cat) and sold under the Hobie brand name in the 1980s. It was a series of monohull dinghys of various sizes from 9' 0" to 20' 0" in length. All were discontinued by the end of the decade. Previous versions were sold under the "Vagabond" name, as well as several others, such as the "Vagabond 14," "O'day 14", "Monarch 14" and "Hobie One-14."

Hobie 10[edit]

The Hobie 10 was a small dinghy produced as a response to the Laser dinghy. It has been discontinued.

Hobie 33[edit]

The Hobie 33 is a 33 ft (10 m) monohull lift-keel boat designed to be very light and very fast. It is considered a ULDB or ultralight displacement boat, a sportsboat. It was intended to be a trailerable, one design racer/cruiser. To be trailerable in all US states without special overwidth road permits, beam was kept to just 8 ft (2.4 m), which is quite narrow for a boat of this length, although the Hobie 33 was advertised as being capable of sleeping 7 people. A total of 187 Hobie 33s were built between 1982 and 1986.^[32]

The design was the brainchild of Hobie Alter and Sheldon Coleman Sr. To start the project a Bill Lee designed ULDB Santa Cruz 27 named "Redline" was purchased, analyzed and then raced in southern California. Once the design stage started Lewie and John Wake were brought in to lend racing yacht design experience. Hobie 18 designer and legendary surfer Phil Edwards designed the keel and rudder.

There is an active North American class association^[33] and national championships yearly. The Hobie 33 is still a competitive offshore sailing yacht and as recently as 2006, 'Mad Max' was the Overall Winner in the Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race, beating vessels of all lengths from 26–90 ft (7.9–27.4 m) on corrected time using the PHRF formula. In 2005, the Hobie 33 was first in the doublehanded division of Transpacific Yacht Race and went on to win its class against fully crewed boats.

Racing[edit]

Racing of Hobie catamarans is completed in a large number of countries around the world. The most popular class is the Hobie 16 which has large fleets sailing in Europe, North America, Australia, Asia, South America and in the islands of Oceania such as New Caledonia and Fiji. The racing is a mix of recreational and competitive with several classes holding regular national, regional and world championships.

See also[edit]

• List of multihulls
• Hobart "Hobie" Alter – founder and creator of the Hobie Cat
• List of sailboat designers and manufacturers

References[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

Endnotes[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hobie Cat.

• Hobie Cat Company - web site
• Hobie Cat sailing models
• Hobie Class of North America
• International Hobie Class
• International Wave Class Association
• British Hobie Cat Class Association