Hey Fred:
The LA 46 is incredibly versatile; you could probably fly a Hobo with it just fine. However, you could also take a set of Hobo plans, blow them up by 10 or 20%, and that would fly even better on an LA 46, too. (Hobo Grande?)
My recommendation kind of hinges on whether you're crashing any more.
If you're still crashing, then you want a wing with no LE sheeting, ala the Hobo. One with a rectangular planform (like the Hobo) will be easier to build. If you know how to scratch-build, see if you can get your hands on a set of Fancherized Twister plans and a set of Hobo plans, build the wing and tail feathers of a Fancherized Twister, and marry it to a slightly enlarged version of the Hobo fuselage -- or make a "3D" version of the Fancherized Twister fuselage and use that.
If you're NOT still crashing, then you want a wing with LE sheeting. The reason revolves around the fact that a wing with LE sheeting is stiffer -- this makes it fly better, but that same stiffness means that the wing and fuselage are damaged more in a crash. The wing construction is more involved, but the extra build time translates straight to better performance (assuming you build a straight wing). In that case, I'd suggest that you get something like a Legacy 40 kit from Brodak, and "Hoboize" the fuselage, either by extening the top of the fuselage sides by about 3/8" and putting a flat fuselage top on it, or by making a triangular turtle deck on it like the Hobo.
Or, just build a Legacy 40 straight from the kit -- really, most of the construction time is taken up with making a good, straight plane -- if you're spending more time carving blocks than making the parts square to each other, then you're either way better than most of us at making a square airframe, or you've got your priorities crooked.
Keep in mind that if you're competing, and if you're in an area that has a profile class, a profile will let you get twice as many flights in at a contest with the same plane. Nothing will advance you faster than lots of competition flights, and a profile doesn't hold you back that much until you get up into Advanced.