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OWNER’S MANUAL : HOBIE WILD CAT
Copyright HCE 2010
HOBIECATWILDCAT
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OWNER’S MANUAL : HOBIE WILD CAT
Welcome in the Hobie Way of Life !
Photo Pierrick Contin
Congratulations on the purchase of your new HOBIE CAT and welcome to the HOBIE sailing family.
Your Hobie Cat is a long life boat.
The Hobie Wild Cat is a F18 Catamaran and is destined to experienced sailors.
We offer this manual as a guide to increased safety and enjoyment of your new boat. The purpose of this
publication is to provide easy, simple and accurate instructions on how to get your Hobie ready for the water.
Please read them carefully and familiarize yourself with the boat and all of the parts spread before you.
Whether you are a new sailor or a veteran of many years, we recommend that you read this thoroughly
before your first sail and TRY IT OUR WAY FIRST! If you are new to sailing, this manual alone is not intended
to teach you how to sail. There are many excellent books, videos and courses on the safe handling of small
sailboats. We suggest that you contact your local sailboat dealer, college or Coast Guard Auxiliary for
recommendations.
Watch for overhead wires whenever you are rigging, launching, sailing or trailering with the mast up.
CONTACT OF THE MAST WITH POWER LINES COULD BE FATAL! Be certain that the rigging area and the area
that you will be sailing in are free of overhead power lines. Report any such power lines to your local power
authority and sail elsewhere.
We take pride in presenting this Hobie Cat to you and hope that you'll take as much pride in owning her.
Fair winds and good sailing!
Hobie Cat Europe
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OWNER’S MANUAL : HOBIE WILD CAT
Table of content
Pages Description
4 Description of the boat
5 Safety advices
6 Further information
7-8 How to use your Hobie
9 Dealer’s receipt
10 Warranty conditions
ASSEMBLY MANUAL
11 List of the necessary tools
12-17 List of the parts
18 Hull / Crossbar assembly
19-21 Trampoline Assembly
22-26 Preparing the past
27-30 Stepping the mast
31 Mast rotation
32 Installation of the boom
33-35 Assembling the spinnaker kit
36-39 Hoist the main sail
40-42 Hoist the jib
43 Hoist the spinnaker
44-45 Rudder assembly
46 Tiller crossbar & stick assembly
47 Tuning guide : daggerboards, Cunningham, rotation, mast rake
48 Tuning guide : tensioning the rig
49 Contact
APPENDIX
♦ ILLUSTRATED PART GUIDE
♦ BUILDER’S CERTIFICATE
:
KEEP THIS MANUAL IN A SAFE PLACE AND GIVE IT TO THE
NEW OWNER IF YOU SELL YOUR BOAT
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OWNER’S MANUAL : HOBIE WILD CAT
Description of the boat
Length m : 5,51
Width m : 2,60
Mast height m : 9,00
Weight kg : 180
Main sail area m² : 17
Jib sail area m² : 4,15
Spinnaker area m² : 21
Maximum load kg : 240
Crew number : 3
Homologation EC n° :
Module : Abis
Category : C/D
Hull construction : Sandwich polyester
Builder :
Hobie Cat Europe
zi Toulon Est, BP 250
83078 Toulon cedex 9 France
Tel +33 (0)494 08 78 78
Fax +33 (0)494 08 13 99
E-mail : info@hobie-cat.net
http://www.hobie-cat.net
Builder’s plate
The boat identification number is engraved on the transom
of the boat. Example
Immatriculation is mandatory (see governemental web
sites for procedure ).
Copyright HCE 2010
The building of Hobie Cat is made
according to the following ISO
norms :
ISO 12215-1:2000 Hull
construction
ISO 12217:2000 Stability and
buoyancy assessment and
categorization
ISO 10087:1995 Hull identification
and coding system
ISO FDIS 14945 Builder’s plate
ISO 10240:1995 Owner’s manual
ISO FDIS 8666 Small crafts main
data
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OWNER’S MANUAL : HOBIE WILD CAT
Safety advices
¾ Whether on land or on the water, watch for overhead power lines. Contact with power lines
can cause serious injury or death.
¾ DO NOT sail while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs
¾ Only sail in conditions in which you feel comfortable and where you feel confident that you
can safely sail the boat. Never go out in conditions beyond your ability.
¾ Everyone on board should wear a life jacket at all times.
¾ If you are in the water, remain in contact with the boat, even if it is capsized. A sailboat can
drift away faster than a person can swim.
¾ Never sail without a righting line.
¾ Wear appropriate clothes. Wear a wet suit or dry suit in cold weather or cold water
conditions.
¾ Protect yourself against heat and sun.
¾ Learn the right of way rules and when in doubt, give way to others.
¾ When not sailing, always keep the boat pointed into the wind whether in the water or on the
beach.
¾ Read the instruction manual carefully.
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OWNER’S MANUAL : HOBIE WILD CAT
Further information
Hobie Cat owners are organised in a world-wide class association :
The IHCA (International Hobie Class Association).
For Europe, you can contact the EHCA (European Hobie Class Association).
Visite their web site :
http://ehca.hobieclass.com
to find contact details for your country.
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OWNER’S MANUAL : HOBIE WILD CAT
How to use your Hobie
Before sailing check the following points :
1/ Install the drain plugs (if any) – do not overtighten, hand tight is sufficient. Overtightening may
cause the drain plug flange to distort and cause leakage.
2/ Tension the rig. This can be accomplished by having your assistant hang from the trapeze or you
can use mainsheet tension on one side at a time so that you can adjust the shroud position in the
side stay adjusters.
3/ Fit the daggerboards into the daggerboards wells.
4/ Check all fastenings :
- Mast tang shackles and shrouds (to prevent the mast to fall down)
- pins and trapeze rope locks (to prevent falling out in the water if the trapeze is not well fastened)
- pins and spring rings on the forestay and shrouds (to prevent the mast to fall down)
- spring rings on the rudder pins (to prevent loosing the rudder assembly in case of capsizing)
Transport and launching
In order to avoid hull damages :
- Always use a dolley to transport your Hobie Tiger on the beach (even if it is sand beach) and for
launching. Step into the water with the dolley and once the cata is afloat take out the dolley.
- DO NOT BEACH. Beaching, even smoothly, may damage the hulls. use your beach dolley to take
the boat out of the water.
- For towing, always use an homologated road trailer with cradles.
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OWNER’S MANUAL : HOBIE WILD CAT
How to use your Hobie
Launching the boat
Launching the boat is easiest when the boat
can be pointed into the wind to keep it depowered and floated into deep enough water
to lower the rudders. It is possible to launch in
shallow water with the rudders partly up. Try
not to steer with too much force on the
rudders until you lock them in the down
position. Keep the sail loose and trimmed out
completely until you can power up and steer
away from any obstacle.
Righting the boat
If you tip the boat over, in order to avoid the
mast from sinking under the hull, one of the
crew must rapidly climb on the hull that
remains on the water. In the meantime, the
other crew uncleat all the lines and sheets.
It is not necessary, but it is easier, to right the
boat when the bow and the mast are pointed
into the wind. There will be less resistance
and better control in this position.
Skipper and crew stand up on the hull. Using
the righting line, skipper and crew pull the
righting line that is against the upper hull and
hold the line while
slowly leaning back
away from the
trampoline. As the
mast and sail lift out
of the water, drop
down to your knees
then into the water.
Hold on to the
crossbar near the
hull that you were
standing on.
Be well aware of the hull and crossbar coming
down over your head. Holding the crossbar or
righting line will also insure that you remain
with the boat when it is righted. Climb abord
and continue sailing
Storage and maintenance
Hobie Cat does not recommend leaving your
Hobie in the water on a mooring. Accelerated
wear to the boat and rigging will be
experienced. Damage to the hull material is
possible. Limitation of the mast rotation and
tensioning of the rigging are required to
lessen this wear. Inspect rigging often and
tape rigging rings and shackles to prevent
loosening.
After sailing, it recommended to wash the
hulls to remove the salt. Also remove the sails
and wash them before storing them.
There is one plug in the rear of each hull.
These plugs are used to drain the hulls. The
plugs should be in place before sailing.
Remove the plugs after sailing to drain any
water that may have leaked into the hulls. It is
best to travel with and store the boat with the
plugs removed to allow for pressure changes
due to heating, cooling, and altitude changes.
This will prevent warping of the hull surface.
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OWNER’S MANUAL : HOBIE WILD CAT
Dealer’s receipt
Your Hobie Cat dealer :
(stamp)
Your dealer is our representative and will bring you all necessary assistance in order to solve
problems you may encounter.
As soon as you become owner, please date and sign this receipt (below) and give it to your dealer to
be covered by our warranty.
Please carefully read the warranty conditions written hereafter in this manual.
Please carefully and thoughroughly read this manual. Keep it in a safe place
and give it to the new owner if you resell your Hobie.
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OWNER’S MANUAL : HOBIE WILD CAT
Warranty conditions
This warranty applies to customers of Hobie Cat Europe.
The boat is warranted to the original retail customer for one
year from the date of retail purchase against defects in
materials and workmanship.
The spare parts are warranted for one year.
The components coverage applies only to the original retail
customer. The warranty is not transferable.
In no case, the repairs made will extend the initial date of the
warranty, except for any replacement or repaired parts.
The Warranty Registration Card is required by law for use in
the event of a product problem notification.
The warranty is only effective if the boat is sold by an
authorised Hobie Cat dealer.
What is covered?
Replacement parts and labour. According to the decision of
Hobie Cat Europe, the dealer will make the repairs himself or
through an external contractor, after presentation of an
estimate and written agreement from HCE. The dealer will be
then reimbursed after presentation of the invoice. The
warranty covering these repairs will no longer be at HCE’s
charge but at the contractor’s charge.
What is not covered?
• normal wear and discoloration
• Transport charges to or from the dealer’s shop to the
client
• charges occurred in case of an on-the-spot repair.
• Damages caused by abuse or failure to perform
normal maintenance (see assembly manual), by a defective or
abnormal use or by a bad storage.
• Discoloration, blistering or grazing of gelcoat caused
by boat being moored or stored in salt or fresh water.
• The boat is not covered under warranty if the boats
are hired or placed in commercial service.
• Hobie Cat Europe is not responsible for boat damage
as a result of adding additional blocks to the original
manufacturer’s sheeting arrangement.
• Any other expenses: CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES,
INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, OR INCIDENTAL EXPENSES,
INCLUDING DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.
How to obtain warranty performance within 30 days of
discovering the defect:
Bring your boat to the nearest authorised Hobie Cat Europe
dealer (a list of the dealers is available at HCE). Be sure to take
proof of date of retail purchase (invoice). All payments for in-
warranty expenses shall be made by Hobie Cat Europe to the
Hobie Cat Europe dealer and not to the customer.
Implied warranties:
IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE, SHALL BE NO LONGER THAN THE
DURATION OF THIS EXPRESS WARRANTY.
Hobie Cat Europe makes no express warranties in addition to
this limited warranty. Hobie Cat Europe’s dealers have no
authority to make any warranties on behalf of Hobie Cat
Europe in addition to or inconsistent with those stated herein.
To the extent any provision of this warranty is prohibited by
federal, state, or municipal law and cannot be pre-empted, it
shall not be applicable.
HOW IT WORKS?
It is essential that for each sold boat, the warranty card be
completely filled in, signed by the dealer and the customer,
and that the copy for Hobie Cat Europe be returned to the
factory within 8 days of boat delivery.
For all claims the warranty department must be contacted.
The final decision regarding warranty claims lies with this
service.
SPECIAL NOTES:
• All warranty transactions will be handled through the
claiming dealership and not directly with the customer.
• Hobie Cat dealers are responsible for proper
diagnosis and completion of all warranty claims.
• If in doubts about warranty coverage of a particular
problem, contact the Warranty department first.
• Warranty work may be carried out by an authorised
dealer other than the original seller of the boat, however for all
warranty requests it is mandatory to fax or mail a copy of the
completely filled out warranty card which must have been
registered immediately following delivery to the customer.
• As warranty work is registered following the
information of the warranty card, it is mandatory that the card
be filled out in detail in all the boxes. Failure to cite a hull, sail,
or serial numbers on the warranty will make claims
impossible to process.en détail toutes les cases. L'oubli d'une
coque, d'une voile ou d'un numéro de série rendra toute
réclamation impossible à traiter
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ASSEMBLY MANUAL : HOBIE WILD CAT
List of the parts / References
Your Hobie Wild Cat is delivered in 5 parcels :
1. Right hull (18756282)
2. Left hull (18756180)
3. Parcel n° 1 including
o Front crossbar (18762500) with the trampoline (18725800) mounted
o Rear crossbar (18762600)
o Boom (18712800)
o Tiller crossbar (18762260)
o Rig bag (18780300)
o Rope bag (18770400)
o Wire bag (18760500)
4. parcel n° 2 including
o Centreboards (18750910) x 2
o Right rudder assembly (18762160)
o Left rudder assembly (18762150)
o Tiller extension (99502360)
o Mainsail
o Jib
o Spinnaker
o Spi trumpet (99267755) + spi bag (99267527)
5. Spi pole (18770300)
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ASSEMBLY MANUAL : HOBIE WILD CAT
List of the parts - Ropes
N° Description Reference Quantity
1 Rear trampoline lacing line 18770420 1
2 Jib halyard 18770417 1
3 Mast rotation line A 18770416 2
4 Degressive spinnaker halyard 18770410 1
5 Jib cunningham B 18770408 1
6 Jib car bordering line 18770419 1
7 Main cunningham (mast cleat) 18770504 1
8 Jib cunningham A 18770407 1
9 Righting line 18070414 1
10 Self tacking jib line 18770402 1
11 Mast rotation line B 18770425 1
12 Trumpet support line 18070431 1
13 Pole support line 18070420 1
14 Spinnaker sheet 18770409 1
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