The boat has a draft of 2.50 ft (0.76 m) with a daggerboard extended and 7 in (18 cm) with both retracted, allowing operation in shallow water, beaching or ground transportation on a trailer.[1][2]
The Hobie 18 Magnum version has hiking wing racks that give a beam of 12 ft (3.7 m) to allow trapezing crew members more leverage in keeping the boat level.[3][4]
Operational history
In 1980 America's Cup racer and media mogul Ted Turner was racing the Hobie 18 and said, "it's a terrific boat, why didn't they have these when I was growing up!"[11]