When listing a boat for sale - specify
- The manufacturer, e.g. Hobie Cat, Nacra, Inter, Prindle, Solcat, ...
- The year (you can check the year by reading the serial number on the transom, i.e. back of the hulls. The last two digits are the year of production)
- Color of hulls
- Any add ons (e.g. cat tracks, trailer, sail box)
- Where the boat is located, i.e. city/state or city/province.
When listing a boat wanted - specify
- The manufacturer, e.g. Hobie Cat, Nacra, Inter, Prindle, Solcat, ...
- The year range you would like
- Any add ons (e.g. cat tracks, trailer, sail box)
- Where you are located, i.e. city/state or city/province and how far you are willing to travel.
Good questions to ask
- Has the boat been sailed in salt water?
Good things to look for
- Push down on the top deck. Is it spongy? If it gives too much there could be delamination in the hulls, this is not good.
- If the boat has been moored, then do not touch it.
- If it is a Hobie 16 or Hobie 14 (boat with pylons), lift one hull. Does the other come with it? If it does, it is a good boat, if it doesn't then the boat needs to have the pylons re-epoxyed. This is doable, but a bit of a job.
- Does the boat take on water? Are the hulls wet inside, do they have water inside? A little bit when you sail is ok, but you should not have gallons.
- Roll out the sails, are they still crispy or are they like bedsheets (blown out)
- If it is a Hobie 17 or Hobie 21, check to see if the wing wells drain water, fill the wells and see if the water runs into the boat. If they leak it is repairable, but a bit of a job.
- Most of the rest is fairly visible, look it over totally.
