Progress on the Hobie

7/26/09 - We made it! Sailboat trailed behond the car just fine, and it was an
"uneventful" ride up! See the FINISHED PRODUCT at the bottom!

My "ship comes home"... (6/19/09)
	I bought the boat from an individual from Peoria. He claimed that he bought the boat from an owner in TX. With the the "Rattler" decal on the hull and a few other clues, I think this boat has been in a few racing competitions. BTW, the boat is a 1986 Hobie Cat 16.


Now we BREAK it so we can FIX it... (6/30/09)



The restoration process begins... (7/17/09)


	7/20/09 Update: The hulls are repainted with a poly enamel, the same hardshell stuff they use on implements. Should last for a long time! I got new wheels for the trailer. So now I have a couple spares. Thanks to the many skills of JT the trailer is repaired, wired, bearings packed, and ready to go! I just have to mount the ol' rickety "Cat Box" on the frame so I can haul the sails & other goodies. Look below! How about that tramp color?!?! I opted for blue just to keep the color mix interesting. I also bought a "righting line" (the red rope around the pylons). Just have to lace the tramp tight, mount the rudder hardware, glue on some "rail rugs" and I think she'll be about ready for water... Of course there's all the tweaking: rudder and mast rake, kick-up pressure, tiller alignment, etc. "Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise," I may make it by Friday! If the creek rises, I just hope it's wide enough to SAIL... HA!


Above - Arrived at the resort 7/25/09. Final preps: mounting the rudders, and a hundred other little tweaks. I had LOTS of help! Below, the finished product! We spent all day today on it and the water. Feels SOOO good!


Above, Gabe and Harrison heading out . Below-- this is how the Hobie likes to be treated!

ABOVE: Gabe & Nate catchin' some air when coming back from Star Island! BELOW: ...Just a pretty sight!


7/31/09 - It really has been a fun week of sailing on Cass Lake. The boat's had a lot of use, a fun "christening" party with it being named Miss Cassie, and it's now a part of the Hintzsche Cass Lake experience. I leave you now with a fitting picture of it's "harmony with nature" in the shot below. It's Nate sailing off towards the rainbow. Until next year... ! ! !