Hobie Power Skiff gloat

[Stephen Cherry]

After a little bit of a search, I finally was able to procure a Hobie Power Skiff. These were originally built in the 1980's as a beach launchable boats to head out into the ocean and have developed somewhat of a cult following. People have been known to venture pretty far offshore in these little boats. The one I bought is probably the least desirable version, with a side console, but for my purposes of a "protein machine" it should do very well. This boat is replacing my 1973 13' Boston Whaler, which has been a good boat for a long time, but I'm getting to old for being beat to death with every wave. And, of course, it's a supplemental boat to the Donzi, which is kind of the opposite of a "protein machine".

The pixtures are from the craigslist add, showing the boat in the southern outer banks of NC.

b1.jpgb2.jpg

[Greg Cuetara]

looks like a fun little boat. Enjoy it. Boating season still hasn't really started up here in the northeast yet. Hoping to get the boat ready in the next few weeks though and get going.

[Mac McQuinn]

Geeze I'm envious, that's a nice looking craft. I'm in boat country although not familiar with that particular model. What's the length, beam, HP and draft? How well does it handle waves?
Mac

After a little bit of a search, I finally was able to procure a Hobie Power Skiff. These were originally built in the 1980's as a beach launchable boats to head out into the ocean and have developed somewhat of a cult following. People have been known to venture pretty far offshore in these little boats. The one I bought is probably the least desirable version, with a side console, but for my purposes of a "protein machine" it should do very well. This boat is replacing my 1973 13' Boston Whaler, which has been a good boat for a long time, but I'm getting to old for being beat to death with every wave. And, of course, it's a supplemental boat to the Donzi, which is kind of the opposite of a "protein machine".

The pixtures are from the craigslist add, showing the boat in the southern outer banks of NC.

b1.jpgb2.jpg

[Stephen Cherry]

Greg, thanks for chiming in! I was thinking that SMC was all land lubbers

I'm reading up on this boat and the design parameters were a beach launchable boat to handle 6-8 foot waves. Should be pretty interesting. I'm looking for some of those rotating cup holders so that I don't spill my drink

hob.jpg

[Joe Angrisani]

Hobie?? Where's the sail?

[Stephen Cherry]

Geeze I'm envious, that's a nice looking craft. I'm in boat country although not familiar with that particular model. What's the length, beam, HP and draft? How well does it handle waves?
Mac

Mac- it's 15 feet, 40 hp, 30 mph, which is a small boat, but bigger than my last fishing boat, which was a 13' boston whaler. Haven't tried it yet, but anything will ride smoother than a whaler. I think that I have liquified a couple of my internal organs on the whaler. Supposedly they ride pretty well for a small boat. My goals are crab, shrimp, fish, and maybe clams and oysters.

[Stephen Cherry]

Hobie?? Where's the sail?

Thanks for the suggestion, I've been thinking about that.

[Greg Cuetara]

Stephen I am more of a sailer but my sailboat hasn't gotten wet in a few years. Love to be on the water though. It seems as though everything in my shop stops right about now and I am outside, at the lake, on the boat, etc. until the fall and then once everything gets put away i get back into the shop for the winter time.

Have fun crabbin...

[Bill Cunningham]

Sold my small cruiser last year.. They say the happiest days in boaters life is the day he buys it, and the day he sells it... The day he sells it is 'much' better..
I going to fall back to a 14 foot Aluminum, with a 9.9 Far fewer headaches...

[Stephen Cherry]

I going to fall back to a 14 foot Aluminum, with a 9.9 Far fewer headaches...

Bill, I agree. First of all, I like small boats. Plus, with all the lakes from small to supersized in your location, it would be great to have easy access to them. The thing that the Hobie Power Skiff adds to the equation is a little smother ride, and an elevated floor with real scuppers. Lots of people like high sided small boats for security, but I think that it hurts more than helps. If you are in waves, there will be times when big gulps of water wind up in the boat, no matter how high the sides, and high sides do a great job of keeping the water in. The question is where it will go and an elevated floor with real scuppers can get the water out in a hurry. Not so important for ponds, but Canada does have some pretty big lakes also. (not to mention the coast)

As for aluminum- in small boats built without budget constraints, welded aluminum is the ultimate choice.

[Bill Cunningham]

I live beside Lake Simcoe (50 mi north of Toronto) and the minimum conventional boat I would use on this lake is 16ft. Simcoe is well known for fast rising storms and big water. I've been soaked to the skin standing on a flying bridge 13 feet off the water. I much prefer the smaller lakes. The name on my cruiser said it all...