multi-day catamaran?

Sark9kev

Member
I've decided I'm going to "re-fresh" a catamaran for multi day trips around the big AZ lakes, and occasional trips out to the ocean. It will need to be something easily single handed, travels well, and manageable for a day trip. I'm leaning heavily toward a hobie 16 or 18. I figure with my big dry bags and a good cooler strapped in tight i should have some enjoyable desert sailing. a tarp over the boom seems it would make a decent shelter and still allow good ventilation. Interested in thoughts, ideas and experience?
 

ericvs

Active member
Have you looked at the 17s? They are single handlers, plus they have wings and trapeze, so that is much fun. Cockpit is a bit more cramped, however, so that might not work as well for overnights.
 

magnu001

New member
Check out this guy on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheInterestHunter

He does a lot of overnight camping in the Keys on a Hobie Getaway. I bought a Hobie 16 a couple of years ago and traded to a Getaway because I have two kids and a lot of nieces and nephews. Also run a 2.3hp Honda otboard as a backup. The double tramps and wings make for LOTS of room.
 

outdoornate65

Adventurer
I had a Hobie 16 years ago....my buddy and I sailed the piss out of that thing. Very fun boats that are easy to tow and set-up. Sadly, many of the old-school Hobies have
been left to rot in the sun. Hopefully you can find a sweet one someone has taken care of (and stored indoors).

Have you given any thought to a similiar sized monohull daysailer?

Nate
 

simpletrip

New member
Hello everyone,Thought I would post some thoughts on this.
I did this in the 90s for a while,16footer with camping capabilities for 2. Shore camping all of the time.

Large lake sailing is challenging to say the least. Be prepared for side canyon gust and at times large wind driven waves. Loading a cat with stuff makes it less easy to handle, prone to gybing and when you turtle your loaded catamaran your done. Basically they are made to go light and fast. It was fun but when you are remote it can be interesting.
I moved to a small sailboat, 14 foot WWPotter with a 3 hp, outboard to get me home if need be. On my last trip a side gust busted my boom knocked us down and flooded the cabin. We were lucky to be only a few miles from where we launched.

The quest to get remote led us to inflatables. Our first was a 12 foot Zodiac with a 10 hp outboard. Loved it! Great for 2 small people, 2 sets of scuba and go lite camping stuff. Trucked it all the way down the inside of Baja and back up the Pacific coast. Got more remote than I have ever been. Trucked it from Calif to Florida and stopped at points in between that we wanted to see or dive. Did both coast of Florida and some of the inland springs Diving and just tooling around some of the rivers. Great boat, lasted 10 years.

So now we are an inflatable power kayak couple, too old to dive but on a new quest to get as remote as I can in the desert lakes with enough stuff to foo foo camp.
What ever you decide to do just smile be prepared to survive and just have fun.
DSCN5198.JPGDSCN5210.JPGDSCN5389.JPG
1st photo 16 foot inflatable kayak, Good for 1000lbs and 15 mph with a 9.9 Johnson. 90 mile range. Bare boat weight about 90lbs
2nd photo 16 ft. on the Colorado Just below Black Canyon.
3rd photo of the barge boat. I tow it full of gear to a base camp. It is also a great 2 person day tripper. 12' with 3.5 hp and a electric minnkota as backup. Also has a rapid sail for downwind. This boat is rolled up and in my Truck. Boat weight about 65lbs. Both have high pressure air deck floors, no real weight and much better than wood or aluminum.
4th photo 16 ft. will plane with 4 people and gear on calm water.DSCN5205.JPG
 

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