tar00na Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 It was said in the forum that parts are not available for the H14 so I was leaning towards a Maricat. Today I went to the 4x4 show in Brisbane and Suncoast hobie was there on the stand. They said all major parts for a H16 will fit the H14 with the exception of the mast and boom. (I don't mean sails and trampoline as any sail maker can make these) It appears to me that the Maricat people are being a bit biased about their cats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmatelot Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 hi Les, I think that I wrote,for hobie 14 "some parts are available", also I mentioned six other cats in my next post. I don't believe I am biased. pete PS. All parts are available for the other boats I mentioned, (including masts and booms). pete [This message has been edited by xmatelot (edited 01 April 2007).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REV YUKKA II Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 hi tar00na, there is no comparison in my mind, i would take a maricat over a hobbie any day, i sail a nacra 5.8 so am not bias. test it for yourself take both for a sail the maricat is a heaps better boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmessee Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 I have neither but if I was given a brand new H14 I would trade it for a second hand other 14 footer as they are not fun to sail. Sailing should be a pleasure and an H14 is to tricky compared to nearly every other 14 footer. A windrush or Maricat are great little boats for the price, and you can take a friend out. Try putting two blokes on an H14. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aladavric Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 For What it is Worth I have 3 x 14ft mari's. 2 x 14ft windrushes, 2 x 14ft hobies, 1 x 16ft hobie, 1 x 16ft 474 and 1 x 16ft hydra. I teach people to sail on all of the above and from my experience the mari is the best all round 14ft cat. My reasons: Hobies are a bit twitchy and therefore not so easy to have a fun sail on dependant on your experience level, less bouyant which means they are a dog two up, lousy rudder system and parts are getting harder to come by.Ok one up if a bit experienced. Windrushes are again finer in the bow section which makes them prone to digging a hull in and again not so hot two up, lousy complicated rudder system with no positive lockdown and very trim sensitive.Ok boat one up on trapeeze. Hobie 16 as a one up is ok with very little breeze, other than that two up + trapeeze which is not everybodies cup of tea. Hydra 16 Too damn heavy but very bouyant and indestructible, good on a strong wind day with a 14ft sail, ditto for the above 16ft hobie. 474 16 good one up on trapeeze but hard to come by, simple systems but all parts composite from other boats. Mari 14 More bouyant and better boat two up than the others, parts are readily available, has a class association in NSW if you decide to get competetive as does windrush in WA, trampoline attatchment method to hulls is not great but an easy fix is available. Cost slightly more to start with as they are becoming more popular due to being a slightly easier boat to learn on, to handle,to maintain and more robust. This is written from a non racing perspective and are just my observations from working with all the above. "This should open a can of worms" Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmatelot Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 Hi Al, what you say is what we try to explain to newer sailors looking for a catamaran for fun. You have the experience to back up your views, and you are not trying to "sell" a particular boat. pete PS. Brisbane Cats keep parts for 474. [This message has been edited by xmatelot (edited 02 April 2007).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mal gray Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 Good to meet you at the show Les. XMatelot, I saw your post on the other topic but couldn't be bothered correcting you. Here it is now: ALL HOBIE 14 PARTS ARE STILL AVAILABLE.(even sails, masts and booms) I no longer recommend the H14 to beginners. It is a handful. When 14 foot cats were last popular, a well sailed Hobie 14 was streets ahead of the other "tupperware" fourteen footers as I remember. It was a while ago. Why did Hobie stop building them you may ask? Not because they were slow or parts were no longer available. People stopped buying new fourteen footers. There is no point building something no-one wants. End of story. Emmessee, tell the truth- a Hobie 14 would sink with a bloke your size on it. You have mentioned this factor before. Some people are quick to condemn the thing that started the revolution. If it wasn't for the Hobie 14 we could still be on plywood quickcats. How about some respect for a senior citizen? BTW Its HOBIE Rev Yukka. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmatelot Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 hi Mal, Thanks for the correction re parts. I know that Hobie Alter did for sailing, what Henry Ford did for transport, and we all thank him. I remember (like you) when the Hobie 14 was "the cat to have", my first cat in OZ was a H16, and how the Metcalfe boys sailed a 14 "two up", and won,, and when Chris had to have a huge lump of lead on his boat, I was as keen as any one to see guys having fun. Please accept that I don't belittle any make of boat, but I do have a concern for new sailors getting into "bad" buys. That only turns them off, and we may lose a potential keen sailor. pete [This message has been edited by xmatelot (edited 02 April 2007).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmessee Posted April 3, 2007 Report Share Posted April 3, 2007 Many boats would sink with me on them Mal. I do remember though at 13 years of age with another mate sailing a H14 and we had trouble with it capsizing to the stern when tacking. I was only offering my personal opinion of what I would do if looking for a 14 foot catamaran. The H14 is fast, but I do not think that it is fun. Just my opinion. I don't like Mars Bars nor Tooheys New. Just my opinion. All the best. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REV YUKKA II Posted April 3, 2007 Report Share Posted April 3, 2007 sorry i spelt hobie wrong. i think that the "hobie 14" is a crap boat compared to a maricat 4.2. just my opinion. i don't like tooheys new either but i do like mars bars. and i think NACRA 5.8'S RULE. P.S don't think i hate hobie's i think the h18 is a great boat to get started on. REV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HooD Posted April 3, 2007 Report Share Posted April 3, 2007 Originally posted by REV YUKKA II: sorry i spelt hobie wrong. i think that the "hobie 14" is a crap boat compared to a maricat 4.2. just my opinion. REV Whats a maricat 4.2? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NacraPhelia628 Posted April 3, 2007 Report Share Posted April 3, 2007 I kind of took 100mm off it when I smashed it up at Windamere Dam... [This message has been edited by NacraPhelia628 (edited 03 April 2007).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gus Posted April 4, 2007 Report Share Posted April 4, 2007 I have recently purchased a 14' catamaran after 10 years being landlocked, as I wanted to sail again and also teach my kids (10 & 12 yo girls). As a teenager I learnt on a Hobie 14 Turbo which my family had for many years. Early marriage prior to kids, we had a Hydra 16. I bought a 14' as the 16 footers would probably be too much for the kids to sail first up, although we will get a larger one in the near future. The boats I looked at seriously were the Maricat, Windrush and Calypso. I didn't really look at the Hobie as it just didn't have enough volume in the hull for family sailing, ie packed to the rafters (or is that stays?). A bloke up the road had a Windrush, when I looked at it it seemed a little light on with volume at the bow similar to a Hobie so for me I dismissed it. That left me with Maricat and Calypso, and I ended up with a Calypso 14A, which is a cat-rigged one-up trapeze racing version of the 14. It has a taller mast than standard. I have sailed maris, windrush and Calypso in the past and found them similar. I am a big bloke 100kg so to sail a 14' with kids it needs some volume. For me it came down to the two boats and a Calypso showed up. Not too surprising, I live at Wynnum/Manly and they were built (and still are) at Sandgate, both in Brisbane. I emphasise that when I was looking at boats, I had no intention of racing, purely family sailing around the bay. Volume and storage space were important. For simple sailing when I get a 16', a surf cat is probably where I would go again. I guess a Calypso 16 is on the cards for parts interchangeability but nothing is fixed as yet. Angus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant Rogers Posted April 7, 2007 Report Share Posted April 7, 2007 I have raced both Hobie 14 and Maricat 4.3 and there is no comparison. The Hobie kicks arse. It's a bit of a handful and there are a few tricks to stop them nose diving in a blow but they are a lot more fun than the Mari. If your old and don't like to get wet then go the Mari. I am actually looking for a H14 myself. I just sunk my Tiger and don't have a skipper anymore, so a H14 looks like what it will be. If only i can find a good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tar00na Posted April 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2007 Hey Grant, I'm old if you call 57 old and don't mind getting wet. And have just bought a H14T. Been busy replacing all the sheets and main halyard. Refitting the trapeze lines as it appears it was never used and there also no banking straps on the trampoline. Also need amast step hinge kit for standing up the mast. A bit hard on your own. Originally posted by Grant Rogers: I have raced both Hobie 14 and Maricat 4.3 and there is no comparison. The Hobie kicks arse. It's a bit of a handful and there are a few tricks to stop them nose diving in a blow but they are a lot more fun than the Mari. If your old and don't like to get wet then go the Mari. I am actually looking for a H14 myself. I just sunk my Tiger and don't have a skipper anymore, so a H14 looks like what it will be. If only i can find a good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehugger Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 Well I just spent all weekend down at Batemans Bay chasing hobie 14s around on my Maricat 4.3 and had a lot of trouble staying with them. couldn't point as high either. Maybe the sailer though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pointed Reply Posted April 24, 2007 Report Share Posted April 24, 2007 If you were chasing "Bad Attitude", the Hobie Turbo from Canberra, then don't be ashamed. He is a very good sailor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant Rogers Posted April 25, 2007 Report Share Posted April 25, 2007 Just bought myself a H14. Looks like Yarra Bay is breading 14's at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pointed Reply Posted April 25, 2007 Report Share Posted April 25, 2007 The two Hobie Turbos at Canberra are the only H14s I've seen sailing in NSW. If you want 14ft class racings its Maricat, Windrush or Paper Tiger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant Rogers Posted April 29, 2007 Report Share Posted April 29, 2007 We have 4 at Yarra and probably at least another 2 on the way before next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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