Assembly Instructions for the Hobie 18

The Hobie 18 is a particular size of the Hobie-brand catamaran. This particular boat has an 18-foot tall mast. The boat itself is dual-pontooned with a trampoline center for sitting. Some models of this size come with additional seating known as "batwings." Commonly, winter storage means disassembling the Hobie 18. It's not the whole boat that comes apart for storage. Only the mast needs to come down so the boat can be stored in a trailer. As a result, the mast will need to be reassembled or "stepped" when the boat comes out of storage. The process of stepping a mast is the same for any size Hobie catamaran.

Things You'll Need

  • 2 assistants
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Instructions

    • 1

      Align the bottom of the mast with the mast stand on the center of the front crossbar. This is the bar on the front of the Hobie's trampoline. Align the mounting hole on the bottom of the mast with the mounting holes on either side of the mast stand.

    • 2

      Insert the step in through the holes on the bottom of the mast and the mast stand. The step pin is be strung to the mast stand of the Hobie. This pin will allow the bottom of the mast to pivot in the mast stand as the mast is raised. It acts somewhat like a hinge.

    • 3

      Ask one of your assistants to stand on the trampoline portion of the Hobie and raise the mast until it rests on his shoulder.

    • 4

      Pull the forestay of the mast off of the assistant's shoulder until the mast is almost upright. The forestay is the wire line that stems from the top front of the mast.

    • 5

      Connect the bottom of the forestay to the connection point of the two wires that run from one pontoon to the other. Remove the pin from these wires by turning it counterclockwise with your fingers. Insert the loop on the bottom of the forestay into the hook on the pontoon wires. Slide the hook's pin through the holes of the hook and the loop. Tighten the pin in place by turning it clockwise with your fingers.

    • 6

      Ask your assistant to hold the mast steady. Connect the shrouds of the mast with the pontoons. The shrouds are the wire lines that stem from either side of the top of the mast. Remove the pins from each hook on the part of the pontoons that aligns with the front crossbar of the trampoline. Insert the loops on the bottom of each shroud into the hooks. Replace the pins in the hooks and through the shroud loops. Secure the loops in place by turning them clockwise with your fingers.

    • 7

      Slide the boom into the slot on the back, bottom quarter of the mast. The boom is the bar that holds the bottom of the sail when the boat is fully rigged. Connect the mainsail line to the back of the boom. the mainsail line is the wire that runs from the top, back of the mast. Remove the pin from the hook at the bottom of the mainsail line by turning is counterclockwise with your fingers. Slide the loop at the back end of the boom into the hook at the bottom of the mainsail line. Insert and tighten the pin through the holes of the mainsail hook and the loop on the back of the boom. Turn the pin clockwise with your fingers to secure it in place. The Hobie is now stepped and ready for regular rigging and sailing.