Aloha and RIP Hobie Alter
Via Sailing Anarchy (and also this thread at Surfer ).
We have learned that surfing and sailing Legend Hobie Alter has passed away in his home yesterday. A sad day for all of of who have indeed surfed or sailed on something with a Hobie Logo on it. And really, who hasn’t?
An innovative and dedicated pioneer in surfing, he did much the same in sailing, in both cats (hobie 14) and mono’s (Hobie 33). He’ll be missed by many, but the legend lives on every day at a beach, wave or marina near you.
If you’ve never seen the documentary about Woody Brown, you really should. There’s amazing footage of Manu Kai among other things.
http://www.ofwindandwaves.com/woody.html
But one of the coolest parts is where he talks about a young Hobie Alter taking a ride, and telling Woody that he’s going to build his own catamaran. Woody says something like; “well, that’s fine!”
I’m pretty sure he succeeded. He turned Woody’s vision of the first modern multihull into a product. And along the way he probably did more to make sailing seem like fun to non nonsailors than just about anyone.
Have a Hobie day, Mr. Alter.
chris
Maybe I see proas every where I go but in the video below at 7.15 there is a very curious image that to me isn’t a cat. The video is about Hobie’s surfboard shaping so why it was slipped in is a mystery.
Anyone spread some light?