Hobie Hawk

[Norm Faith Jr.]

It may have been mentioned already, if so, I missed it...For those of you, who at one time; way back when; during a lull in you control line activity; you may have owned a Hobie Hawk (elliptical, dihedral wing) sail plane. The designer Hobie Alter, passed away a few weeks ago. He was the pioneer of the modern surf board and the Hobie Cat sail boat. I rode his boards, flew his sail plane and sailed his cat. He was 80 years old.
Norm

[Randy Cuberly]

Although I never met him personally, I owned and sailed a Hobie Cat for a lot of years in Florida many years ago.  Incredibly fast little boat that held a lot of sail for it's size.  Very exciting to sail off shore.

In my "Crazy Days"  I and a friend sailed it from Miami to Nasau Bahamas and back in 1972.  Very exciting trip not to be taken lightly.  We also did it in a 14 foot Boston Whaler with a 15 horse outboard...but that's another story.

Not too far but unpredictable weather...edge of the famous Bermuda Triangle!

Great little sail boat!  He must have been a very adventurous designer.

Randy Cuberly

[Shawn Lenci]

Norm,

I find it interesting that you mention the Hobie Hawk here. Thanks for posting the information.  As you know the C/L Stunt community is pretty small, but know of 4 stunt flyers myself who were/are still very active in RC Soaring.  I am sure there are others of whom I am not aware.  Warren Tiahrt, Tom Brightbill, Jerry Arana and myself.  Another thing that stunt flyers seem to have in common.....Guitars.

Shawn

[Gerald Arana]

Shawn,

I tried to learn how to play a guitar................. But I guess I have a tin ear 'cause I couldn't figure it out!

Oh well, I'll stick to airplanes!

Jerry

[roger gebhart]

had hobie cat #600 and got rescued while retrieving my hawk from the cliff at Laguna niguel.  seems like last week. Fireman had Hobie as well. He understood.

[Dan McEntee]

   I was going to post about his passing when I read about it, but got side tracked. I flew R/C sailplanes competitively from 1975 to the mid to late 80's, (that is where I first heard the names Warren Tiahrt and Tom Brightbill) and always wanted a Hobie Hawk. I got to fly one or two but never did get the opportunity to own one. They turn up every once in a while, so maybe some day. Wouldn't mind having a Hobie Cat either, if I had the place to store it and time to sail it. Hobie Alter made quite a positive impact on how many people spent their leisure time in the 70's and 80's. Out doors in the fresh air, having fun and enjoying life. All with no visible means of propulsion. No video games involved! Quite cool when you really think about it!
   Type at you later,
      Dan McEntee

[Shawn Lenci]

Just thought of another glider flyer and stunt guy...Jack Pitcher!  Super nice guy!

Shawn

[Jack Pitcher]

In the early 70’s I moved to the Portland, OR area and started flying gliders with the Portland Area Sailplane Society which included such luminaries as our own Tom Brightbill among many others. A prominent figure who would show up at contests was one Bob “Lumpy” Allen. Lumpy flew Hobie Hawks. The Hawk with all that elliptical polyhedral and a good turn of speed up was wildly responsive to rudder inputs. One of Lumpy’s favorite tricks was to scream across the field at low altitude, pull up hard and slam on the rudder and the Hawk would do the wildest snap rolls and gyrations you could ever imagine with a sailplane. Must have been a strong wing as I never saw him break one doing that. Lumpy was a wild and crazy guy, quite an attraction at contests. He moved away soon after. I wonder where he is now.

Jack