Hobie 17 User Manual

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Introduction

Welcome to the Robie Cat family of sailors. Thanks for joining us. By purchasing the

Robie 17, you are treating yourself to the ultimate in single hand sailing enjoyment.

Even if you have long experience with sailboats or if you have owned Robie Cats in the
past, please read this manual thoroughly. It will give you easy, accurate instructions on
assembling your new boat. We suggest reading through the manual completely before you
begin assembly. Pay special attention to the boat and parts descriptions shown on the follow-

mg pages.

If you are new to sailing, this manual will not teach you how to sail. There are many
excellent courses and books available on the safe handling of small sailboats. Contact your
Robie dealer or local Coast Guard Auxiliary for recommendations on courses in your area.
They'll be happy to help. For your information, we have included a toll-free number on page
25 which will enable you to learn more about courses in your area.

Please remember to obey the most important rule of all when assembling your boat ­stay away from overhead power lines! Before starting to rig your boat, thoroughly examine

the area for power lines and report any potentially hazardous power line that you see by
writing to the reponsible utility company, send a copy to Robie Cat Bounty Program, P.O.
Box 1008, Oceanside, CA 92054 and sail elsewhere. Remember, CONTACT OF A MAST
WITR A POWER LINE COULD BE FATAL.

The Robie 17 is made with the innovative ComptipTM mast tip (U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,346).

This is an essentially non-conducting composite tip which can help prevent electrocution and

boat damage from mast/power line contact. Robie Cat worked many years to develop this
new tip so that it would be as effective as possible. Still, nothing can pro'vide total protection
at all times, so it's best to avoid wires. Be sure to read the "Maintenance" section to find out
how to protect the tip's insulating ability.

By following the instructions, maintaining your new boat properly and observing safety

rules, we're confident you'll receive many years of sailing enjoyment from the Hobie 17.

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BAT

COMPTIP

MAST TANG

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HOSIE 17

Terminology

ALUMINUM
lOWER MAST

SHROUD

TRAPEZE LINE

ClE
OUT

MAl OOWNHAUl

MAST BASE LE ADJUSTER

Till

UPPER FRONT CROSSBAR

STERN CASTIN BOW

RUOOE

lOWER
RUOOE
CASTIN

WARNING

Before starting assembly, be sure the area in

which you plan to work is free from overhead \

power lines. Contact of a mast with a power .
line could be fatal.

Tool List .

You will need the following tools to complete assembly:

1. 1/4" alIen wrench 5. standard pliers 9. knife or razor blade

2. phillips head screwdriver 6. needle-nose pliers 10. 7/16" socket wrench or

3. flathead screwdriver 7. bailing wire open-end wrench

4. rubber mallet 8. anti-seizing lubricant 11. adjustable wrench

-2­"

1. Rear Crossbar 10. Trampoline Lace Line 16. White Teflon Rudder

2. Right 17 ,Hull (Starboard) 11. Trampoline Corner Tie Pin Bearings (6)

3. Eye Straps (4) Lines (4) 17. Rudder Pins (2)

4. Trampoline 12. Wing Frames (2) 18. Tiller Crossbar

5. Front Crossbar 13. Wing Trampolines (2) w/Extension

6. Left 17 Hull (Port) 14. Removable Wing Bar (2) 19. Tiller Connector Kit (2)

7. Crossbar Bolts (4) 15. Rudder/Tiller Assemblies (2) 20. Drain Plugs (2)

8. Anchor Bars (4) Red Sticker = Port (left) 21. Wire Set

9. Plastic Caps (4) Green Sticker = Stbd. (right) 22. Large Bell Shackle

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23. Mast 31. "J & H" Trapeze Handles (2) 39. Double Block

24. Small Bell Shackle (1) 32. Rope Locks (2) 40. Downhaul Line

25. 10-Hole Stay Adjuster (4) 33. Mainsail 41. Triple Boom Block

26. 1/2" Clevis Pin and Ring .(8) 34. Battens (6) 42. Mainsheet Cleat/Triple Block

27. White Shroud Adjuster 35. Mast Rotation Line 43. Mainsheet
Covers (2) 36. Downhaul Single Block 44. Boom

28. Mast Step Pin and Rings w/Shackle 45. Shackle w/Pins & Rings for

29. Trapeze Shock Cord 37. 11/4" Clevis Pin and Ring #41 & 42

30. Trapeze Lines (2) 38. Twist Shackle 46. Hull Wing Opening Caps (4)

-4-

HOBIE 17 ASSEMBLY MANUAL UPDATES

The following items have been changed or re-designed.

Section I Trampoline installation. CROSSBAR

The trampoline has been changed from the

original one or two piece to the three piece
shown here.

Install as shown here.

1. Slide left and right halfs into front crossbar

using slot in center of front crossbar. Slide
trampolines aft along tracks in hulls. Fasten
corners to eyestraps with shackles. Shackle

connections are only used at front corners.

2. Fold rear section in two then feed from 0 0

center slot in rear crossbar towards each hull.

3. Lace as shown in diagram to right. Tie off 0

one end of each lace line at grommet indicat- 0

I .

ed as #1 (3 lace lines) with a bowline knot.
Follow number sequence and end at rear cen­ter area. Tighten and tie off with several half
hitch knots.

NOTE: do not over-tighten as damage may

be caused to grommets.

Section I X Boom

The gooseneck connection (boom to mast)

has been changed from the original assembly.
Install as shown here.

1. The gooseneck fitting is installed in the
mast base and held from vertical movement
by the clevis pin that supports the downhaul

block.

MAST

2. Bolt the "U" shaped stainless steel plate

(vertex) to the boom pin.

3. the "U" shaped stainless steel plate(vertex)

is pinned to the gooseneck by a clevis pin MAST BASE
passed through vertically.

Assembly Instructions

I. Frame and Vinyl Trampoline

Assembly Instructions

(See page 8 for mesh trampoline instructions.)

Note ~':

All directions referring to "right," "left,"
"front" and "back" are based on looking from
the stern toward the bow.

1. First, with the trampoline track facing
forward, slip the rear crossbar (part no. 1)
onto the right hull (part no. 2). The factory­installed support castings slide into the
crossbar. Be sure the crossbar fits entirely Fig. 2
over the support casting. It may be neces­sary to tap the crossbar onto the hull with
the rubber mallet. See Figure 1.

Fig. 3

eyestrap is attached to its crossbar and
positioned as shown in Figure 3, tighten the

Fig. 1 eyestrap.

2. Slide one of the four eyestraps (part no. 3) 6. Attach the front crossbar (part no. 5) onto
on the crossbar by slipping the square nut the left hull (part no. 6) over the crossbar
inside the track. The eyestrap should be receiver casting. Slide the eyes trap on as in
positioned as close to the hull as possible, step 5.
without touching it. 7. Slide the left corner of the trampoline into

the right side of the front crossbar from

Note right to left. The flap on the trampoline

should be on the top on this side. Now slide

The trampoline (part no. 4) is split diagonally on the last eyestrap (part no. 3).

into two halves. The right, rear section of the 8. Now slide the small bolt rope down the

vinyl trampoline has Velcro@ patches sewn to siderail of the left hull. Check to make sure

it. The left, forward section has a 4-inch flap there is an eyestrap on all four corners of
also with Velcro@ patches. the trampoline.

9. You can now join the left hull, the forward

3. Now, insert the rear bolt rope of the vinyl crossbar, and the trampoline assembly to
trampoline (item 5) into the crossbar track the right hull rear crossbar and trampoline.
and slide it across from left to right. First, attach the left side of the rear cross-

4. Now slide the right trampoline bolt rope bar and the left hull, making sure the
through the track on the right hull. Refer to crossbar is completely over the support
Figure 2 for completed procedure. casting. Next, slip the front, right receiver

5. Slide the second eyestrap (part no. 3) onto into the right side of the front crossbar so
the crossbar so one eyestrap is on each side each corner of each crossbar fits snugly
of the trampoline on the crossbar. As each over the castings as shown in Figure 1.

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CAUTION Note

Before completing step 1.0, check the threads Once the boat has been sailed a few times it
of the crossbar bolts (part no. 7) by hand screw- takes on "normal set." In other words, the
ing them into each anchor bar (part no. 8). If crossbar and hulls will set and need retighten­the bolt will not thread easily, use a tap and die ing. This setting also occurs after trailering
to clear the threads. Use an anti-seizing lubri- any long distance. This tightening procedure
cant such as Never-SeeZi!J to help prevent cross- should be performed periodically.
threading and galling.

11. Once each bolt is tightened securely, insert

10. Now that the boat is framed, you can insert the four plastic caps (part no. 9) into each
the crossbar bolts (part no. 7) into each of existing access hole in the crossbars. If the
the access holes on the inboard side of each track on the rear crossbar intereferes with
crossbar. The access holes can be seen in the covers, slice a small piece of the cap off
the center of the crossbar in Figure 3. To using a razor blade. (See Figure 6.)
help align the bolt and anchor bar under
the rail, use one of the other bolts to hold
the anchor bar in position while starting to
thread the assembly from the top using the

1/4-inch alIen wrench. (See Figures 4 and 5

for reference.)

Fig. 6

12. Lace the trampoline using the supplied
length of 1/4-inch lace line (part no. 10).
Thread the line by alternating trampoline
grommets on each side. Tie one end off to

" . Work the lace line tighter and tighter be-

. tween the grommets from each end, then

Fig 4 the last grommet and eyestrap (see Fig. 7).

secure the line once again at each end as in
Fig. 7.

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Fig. 5

Fig. 7

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13. Use the supplied trampoline corner tie lines
(3/16 x 12" part no. 11) to tighten each
corner of the trampoline to its correspond-

ing eyestrap. Tighten snugly (see Figure 8).
Close the flap and check the fit. This com-

pletes the vinyl trampoline installation.

Fig. 8

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