It is not an ideal boat to race but is very sturdy and safe.
Youngsters can have a lot of fun on these boats for holiday picnicking and messing about. Also it can safely dragged up the beach on its keels.
Our test sail was in bright sun shine with a sea breeze of around 7 knots. We pushed off and set the sails for a reach and eased the tiller until the boat went at its maximum speed. We kept to the same course riding a steady sea. Our ambition was to sail by one of the Hobie 16's sailed locally.
However hard we tried we could not get passed even the worst sailed of the Hobie 16's. It is this frustration that makes you want the 16.
Up wind and down wind it is very much slower than the 16 which will always be the benchmark.
