Requiescat in pace, and may the surf always be up.

[jwnall]

"Hobie Alter, who was known as the Henry Ford of the surfboard industry for his manufacturing innovations and who as a surfer himself used his idle time to create the Hobie Cat, the lightweight, double-hulled sailboat that achieved worldwide popularity, died on Saturday at his home in Palm Desert, Calif. He was 80."

Don't know about anyone else, but my introduction to sailing was with a 14-foot Hobie Cat. I'm grateful for that, since it has led to a lifelong love of boats.

 

[Dougcole]

I had a hobie 16 in high school, with the the brown and orange sail color, I think it was call tecoa or something like that. I used to fly a hull right up to the sand on Fort Myers beach. Girls loved it, though not enough to make up for the fact that I was skinny, not particularly well spoken or athletic and poor.

My first surfboard was also a Hobie. I bought it for $5 from a buddy in the surf shop I worked in.

RIP

 

[Will]

While living in PI, had a 16, loved that boat!

Hope he is up there flying a hull, and having a blast!

 

[Barpilot]

I used to have a few beers with him at Sid's Blue Beat in Newport Beach when he was still an engineer at Hughes, El Segundo. He once invited me to invest $5000 so he could build 3 prototypes of the Hobie 14. Back in those days that was about a quarter of a year's salary and I passed. How do you spell DUMB? Wonder how much I would have made off that $5k the FIRST time he sold to Coleman?
RIP Hobie.

 

[Andy G]

Well, that's really sad.

I too had a 14' then graduated, with a mate, to the mighty 16'.

I remember many a time on Sydney harbour, out on the trapeze, with the lee hull digging in, knowing there was no way back as you and the trapeze sailed in an arc around the mast, thus pulling the whole boat on top of you.That was so much fun.

And Doug your'e right, flying a hull onto the beach was the height of cool.........until.

I'm on the boat tonight and I will raise a glass to Hobie Alter, for all those fine memories.

You did good.

 

[Dougcole]

I wonder if there is a way to carry a hobie 14 on the deck of a mainship 40 as a dinghy?

 

[AusCan]

I loved stretching out on the trapeze Hobie of a Hobie 16 and flying across the waves. Many fond memories.

Thanks Hobie. RIP

 

[jwnall]

I wonder if there is a way to carry a hobie 14 on the deck of a mainship 40 as a dinghy?

Might be awkward, but just think how much fun it would be for your boys when you are in the Bahamas!

 

[jwnall]

By the way (little bit of proud parent here, so forgive me). When my daughter was in college, taking a creative writing course, she wrote a poem about days on the Hobie Cat (our 16). So, with your forebearance, I will share it:

[FONT=VERDANA,ARIAL]hobie cat daze of sunlight on blue
�1998 Deborah Nall


I remember a day when I was ten.
We were on the water, sailing.
I was lying on the pontoon
of the hobie cat,
lying on top of the water.
I trailed my hands in it,
amazed it wasn't really blue
and that I could carry the sun
with my hands.
"Look!" my dad was shouting.
I couldn't hear over the sound of the wind,
but I could see
his arm, strong and certain, pointing.
To dolphins, dancing.
[/FONT]

 

[pilothouse king]

Sad. There seems to be a lot of that going on this year. Much respect for Mr. Alter who designed some iconic boats from the Cats to the superfast 33 monohull. I still have and actively use my 15' Hobie Power Skiff I bought 26 years ago. On my 3rd engine, and one full restoration, but I know of no better little runabout. I still have fond memories of "flying a hull" of my 16' cat all the way from Dinner Key to Elliot Key, making one tack and do it again all the way back without ever dipping. Good times. Thanks Hobie for building fun boats.

 

[GFC]

I cut my sailing teeth on an Alcort Sailfish when I was a teenager. Many years later I learned how much fun flying a hull on a Hobie 16 was so I bought one. Sailed it for several years and sold it for about the same as I paid for it. Great boats those Hobies.

Mr Alter, you will be missed and honored by many. May you RIP.