What the fleet has seen
The Hobie 16, as the fleet has seen it
Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.
The Hobie 16, designed by Hobie Alter and in continuous production since 1969, is a 5.0-meter fractional sloop catamaran with a rotating spar, a 2.4-meter beam, and a displacement of 145 kg. Its hull design lacks daggerboards, relying on asymmetrical hulls for lateral resistance. Aboard Igor Stropnik's Hobie 16, a solo sailor navigated around Nordkapp, Norway, at 71 degrees north latitude, managing unpredictable Arctic winds and frequent mainsail reefing, using a custom gennaker pole for light winds and a dry suit for near-freezing temperatures. The same sailor completed a 400-kilometer transit from Mofocone, Italy, to Murter, Croatia, over five days, utilizing a 15-square-meter gennaker in addition to the standard 20-square-meter mainsail and jib, and relying on morning Bura winds.4:21 Lady K Sailing documented a Hobie 16 pitch-poling during high-wind testing in Rondo Bay, near Lake Erie, due to improper weight distribution and an overtightened traveler, requiring 20 minutes to right the vessel.0:45 Another Hobie 16 participated in the 2015 Dauphin Island Regatta on Mobile Bay, Alabama, where participants faced 60-knot winds and a sudden temperature drop after organizers failed to cancel the race despite severe weather warnings.7:50 A $500 Hobie 16 required trailer maintenance, including tire replacement and a new submersible lighting kit, before it could be safely towed.0:20
