Good Bye Hobie

[Bullwinkle]

Small world indeed - Aguila in LB marina.... I'll keep an eye out for Bruce - more than likely bump into each other at foodland.. than the Avalon Safeway lol

[mac nut]

Bullwinkle,that or kens pancake house in hilo! Black Dolphin Diving 310 283 6789 for bruce

[lavalava]

He was one cool cat!

[dmbwest]

Come on guys ... We all know that asymmetry rules in nature !!! so >>> THAT'S the answer : ) : )

Start with "red line" hulls w/stiff deck in front of pylons, pin mast way back w/fresh chip under ( or use coin ), make sure traveller clear and runs, sheet in hard upwind, make sure blade toe set + 'special sauce' rake adjustment for finesse on stick then move weight fore aft to keep leeward bow juuuuust kisssing + be fast on jib sheet in da' breeze. Oh and make sure trap lines not frayed too. ... LOL

@ Snorkle, wot? you didn't file trailing edge of your blades ??? : ) : )

Know that the wonderful offshore 'shock absorbing' characteristics of the Hobie Skiff will live longer than any motor you hang on the transom X 4 !

Mahalo and R.I.P. Hobie Alter !!!

aloha,
pog

[malolo]

Sorry to hear this.
A visionary to be sure.

(...and a good guy too. Didn't pout or get pissed -- in fact he laughed -- when he saw us in our "I'd rather sail the box my Nacra came in than a Hobie"-T-shirts! He just plunged ahead, went back to the drawing board, and came up with improved designs!)

RIP

[Cheerio]

Thanks for the heads-up. Sad day - what an innovator!

Just read a fantastic article about his early experiments in foam (basically a total game change in the surf industry) with Grubby Clark in The Surfer's Journal (last issue, Winter 2013). Those guys were doing some CRAZY stuff. What a legacy.

Here's the link to the article if you're curious, or want to order that issue.

http://www.surfersjournal.com/pdf_articl...anyon-road

[snorkle]

Never did any mods to our 16, other than graphics on the hulls. Old Boss New Boss, after the Who song.

Raced with another 200+ pounder. We ruled in big wind, but not so much in light air. Loved hiking out on the trapeze, and did a few cartwheels, all good.

Never had the pleasure of meeting Hobie, but did run into his contemporary, Dale Velzy, at a Lake Havasu windsurf comp. Cool old guy, also an innovator, messing with windsurf hulls with divots and channels.

[ri3ck]

so long and thank you for all the fun you brought us Alter.
he had a good run and lived a life of his choosing, bring us all great things.

now go shake up the afterlife, and get them flying....