I’ll state the obvious - Darts don’t have wings so that would be my first concern with that boat. On our boat, we have to sit pretty far forward to keep the boat flat. I’d wonder if placement of the wings affects that.
Also to note those wings could probably be sold for $350, and then boat and trailer would be free.
Scott
Hobie 18M in Chicago
They look to be a mismatched pair of Hobie 18 wings - shorter “Magnum” wing on the port side (blue), and longer “SX” wing on the starboard side (black).
sm
Steve M.
Very observant Dogboy. I hadn’t looked that closely.
Scott
Hobie 18M in Chicago
I’d wonder if placement of the wings affects that.
Darts are dogs in light air
adding more weight (wings) and windage doesn't help - you can NOT sit out there in light air and expect the boat to respond well or tack well
MN3
MN3 wrote:
I’d wonder if placement of the wings affects that.
Darts are dogs in light air
adding more weight (wings) and windage doesn't help - you can NOT sit out there in light air and expect the boat to respond well or tack well
True, but that’s a function of the relatively low sail square footage. I’d be concerned about how those wings affect weight distribution even in air for which the Dart is made, probably even more so.
Needs love is right, but if it were close,I’d grab it. The rudder system is common all Darts & is VERY expensive.
The wings can also be sold for more than $350, (and that’s ask price, not final). I have seen several requests for a single wing because one got crunched.
MN3 is correct in you cannot “wing it” in light air, but I disagree it can’t be well sailed like that. You simply sit on the hull, & use the wing as backrest, as every H18 sailor does.
As for weight distribution, it is of no consequence. Simply move your own body fore/aft to obtain the balance desired.
Even with family who still enjoy hanging on the wire, on a light day, they also see value in simply stretching out on a wing, with a pillow... and not caring how fast or efficiently the boat is moving.
Let’s look at reality, most sailors are not hyper competitive, to quote Kenneth Grahame, (Wind in the Willows)“Believe me my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”
E C Hilliard
Nacra 5.7
Bombardier Invitation
Bummed OUT/spent weekend when Dart post went up retrieving a Nacra 5.7 mast for a New Hampshire sailor who drove down to Fire island ny so he could keep sailing and missed the post/ would have bought sight unseen-FIASCO my Fire Island Dart 18 has been restored more than once after 3 hurricanes and 1/2 dozen n'or easters. any kind of benches, altho they slow down cat, are ok for a 78 year old sailor come June/ Conn close by but my trailx trailor in Fla (boattrailor stolen in Feb) Any idea who grabbed Dart? Perhaps they want to unload it or sell off parts? My Lake Emerald Fort Lauderdale Dart 18 sailed fine in Jan & March- decided to keep back-up sails when i sailed too close to trees on shore and almost damaged my good set of sails, good thing I had spare set of rudders lost/bent "pin" on starboard rudder so spare now in use, Wehope to launch our cats (Nacra 70 & Dart 18)in 2 weeks
Darts r dogs in light air so hoist a hobie 16 jib and enjoy