I'm Selling My Legendary Hobie 16... But There's Something You Should Know

Along the sun-drenched pebbled shoreline of Vassiliki Bay on the Greek island of Lefkada, few beach catamarans have carved out as recognizable a presence as BadBoy 95. Serving as the flagship testbed and high-velocity demonstration platform for Joyrider TV, this 2014 Hobie 16 LE Race has spent years slicing through the azure waters of the Ionian Sea, pushed to terminal velocity by multihull instructor and performance sailor Joseph Bennett. Now, following an illustrious tenure of high-wind GPS speed challenges, foil tuning experiments, and hands-on instructional filming, the iconic twin-hulled racer has officially been offered for private sale at an asking price of €3,500. The listing provides multihull enthusiasts, club racers, and coastal adventurers a distinctive opportunity to acquire a legendary vessel steeped in digital sailing history.

Operating out of Vassiliki—widely celebrated across international catamaran circles as a natural high-wind laboratory—BadBoy 95 has consistently endured some of the most rigorous sea trials imaginable. Bennett transformed the stock 2014 Limited Edition racer into a razor-sharp platform, integrating custom composite foils, zero-flex frame epoxying, precision running rigging, and responsive control cascades designed to manage the bay’s notorious afternoon wind shifts. Yet, true to the transparent, no-nonsense ethos that anchors Bennett’s channel, the catamaran is offered with absolute structural and mechanical honesty. Rather than masking the wear accrued from years of high-stress coastal racing, Bennett has laid out a forensic inventory of the vessel’s strengths alongside the maintenance hurdles that require a buyer’s dedicated attention.

Prospective buyers evaluating BadBoy 95 are presented with a finely balanced equation: a catamaran packed with high-end race equipment, brand-new standing rigging, dual wardrobes of performance sails, and twin trampolines, paired with known hull fatigue along the gunwale seams that demands fiberglass attention. Whether destined to become a thrilling recreational speed machine on sheltered inland reservoirs or a rewarding restoration project brought back to pristine offshore race trim, this Hobie 16 represents a compelling acquisition for sailors who appreciate pedigree, hardware performance, and candid maritime integrity.

The Proven Pedigree of BadBoy 95 in Vassiliki Bay

The Hobie 16 remains an enduring icon of one-design multihull racing, celebrated for its lightweight asymmetric fiberglass hulls, kick-up rudder systems, and powerful sail plan that flies a hull in the lightest puff. First launched from the Hobie Cat factory in 2014 as a Limited Edition (LE) Race variant, BadBoy 95 was specified from its inception for competitive club circuits. With an overall length of 16.7 feet (5.04 m), a beam of 7.9 feet (2.41 m), and a bare hull draft of barely 10 inches with rudders kicked up, the platform offers the raw agility and explosive acceleration that have defined the class for more than half a century.

What sets BadBoy 95 apart from typical production beach cats is its prolonged exposure to the ferocious local weather systems of southern Lefkada. Vassiliki Bay owes its international sailing renown to a legendary cross-offshore thermal phenomenon known locally as “Eric.” Nearly every summer afternoon, intense solar heating over the dramatic limestone mountains of Lefkada triggers an abrupt thermal breakdown, funneling katabatic winds out of the north-northwest at steady speeds between 20 and 30 knots, occasionally gusting significantly higher over mirror-flat coastal water. In this high-wind proving ground, catamarans either deliver structural rigidity or succumb to chassis failure under punishing shock loads.

Aboard BadBoy 95, Joseph Bennett harnessed the unique dynamics of Vassiliki to demonstrate extreme catamaran handling, rapid-response trapeze technique, and high-wind sail trim. The catamaran was subjected to relentless heavy-air reaching runs, speed-stick telemetry trials, and high-load power management drills. Through seasons of intense thermal pounding, every fitting, casting, and stay was continuously scrutinized, adjusted, and upgraded to ensure the boat remained controllable while flying a hull at speeds exceeding 20 knots over the Ionian Sea.

Precision Steering: EPO3 Foils and Custom Carbon Helm Control

Hobie EPO3 Carbon Composite Rudder Blades

Steering authority on a high-speed catamaran can mean the difference between cleanly carving through a gust and executing a violent forward pitch-pole. At the stern of BadBoy 95, the steering system is anchored by a matched set of Hobie EPO3 carbon composite rudder blades. Unlike standard fiberglass or injection-molded nylon blades, the EPO3 foils are manufactured using a specialized carbon-fiber-reinforced epoxy matrix, providing immense torsional stiffness and a hydrodynamic foil profile engineered to maintain laminar flow at high speeds. These high-aspect blades exhibit exceptional resistance to stalling and cavitation during rapid, high-load bear-aways in 25-knot blows.

Bennett maintained these rudder assemblies with meticulous care throughout his ownership, ensuring the spring-loaded kick-up cams, lower castings, and stainless-steel pintles remained aligned and free of slop. The precise tracking of the EPO3 blades ensures that helm pressure remains predictable, eliminating the dangerous weather helm that can exhaust a skipper on long reaches across choppy water.

Custom Carbon Fiber Tiller Extension

Complementing the composite foils is a custom-fabricated carbon fiber tiller extension. Engineered to replace standard aluminium hiking sticks, this carbon component offers featherlight swing weight combined with complete longitudinal rigidity. When fully extended on the trapeze wire, dangling feet over the surging bow waves, the skipper experiences instantaneous tactile feedback from the rudders without the flex, play, or rotational lag typical of metallic telescoping extensions. This tactile link allows for micro-adjustments in rudder angle, essential for keeping the windward hull kissed to the surface during overpowered reaching blasts.

Running Rigging and Mechanical Advantage: Harken Systems and Aussie Tuning

Harken 6:1 Mainsheet and Marlow Easy Taper Line

Controlling the powerful, fully battened mainsail of a Hobie 16 in heavy air requires substantial mechanical leverage and frictionless hardware. BadBoy 95 is equipped with a premium Harken 6:1 mainsheet system featuring the renowned switchable ratchet bottom block. This bottom block is widely recognized by performance catamaran sailors as the gold standard for high-wind sailing. The switchable ratchet mechanism allows the crew to engage high-holding friction when sheeted in hard upwind—dramatically reducing forearm fatigue on the trapeze—while retaining the ability to disengage the ratchet entirely for frictionless, instantaneous sheet release in light airs or tight rounding maneuvers.

Reeved through the Harken sheave cluster is a Marlow Ropes Easy Taper mainsheet, fitted brand-new for the current season. This specialized performance line features a braided core and a tapered outer jacket that strips away diameter through the purchase system to minimize friction, while maintaining a tactile, comfortable grip diameter in the hands of the sheet trimmer. The line runs silky-smooth through the blocks, guaranteeing that mainsheet tension can be blown instantly the moment an overpowered gust threatens to bury the leeward bow.

Harken 6:1 Downhaul and Aussie Jib Cascade

To complement the mainsheet, the rig incorporates an all-Harken 6:1 downhaul system. In multihull sailing, downhaul tension is the primary gear shift for de-powering the mainsail, inducing mast pre-bend that opens up the leech and flattens draft in gusts. The 6:1 purchase provides the tremendous mechanical advantage necessary to flatten the heavy dacron sail cloth by hand without requiring a winch.

Rig tension on BadBoy 95 is governed by an authentic Aussie jib halyard cascade system. Traditional Hobie 16 jib halyards rely on a standard wire-to-rope halyard secured to an aluminium cleat on the mast base, which frequently slips or limits tension adjustment. The Aussie halyard replaces this with a multi-part low-stretch cascade that allows the skipper to micro-tune forestay tension and mast rake directly from the forward crossbar, establishing the precise rig geometry required to maximize upwind pointing angles and maintain forestay tightness.

Critically, the catamaran’s standing rigging represents a substantial asset for any prospective buyer. The entire standing rigging package—including the stainless-steel forestay, bridle wires, side shrouds, and multi-strand trapeze wires—was completely replaced brand-new in 2023. With only modest hours logged since installation, the wire stays and swaged terminals possess years of fatigue-free service life, sparing the next owner the immediate expense and labor of a complete rig replacement.

Dual Sail Wardrobes and Multi-Regatta Trampoline Configurations

A standout highlight of the BadBoy 95 inventory is the inclusion of two complete sets of sails, providing the next owner with versatile options for recreational blast reaching, club training, or sanctioned one-design racing. The primary suit most frequently showcased on Joyrider TV is a custom set of Whirlwind performance sails, rated at an 8/10 condition. Crafted as accurate dimensional replicas of the iconic Hobie 16 sail plan, this wardrobe was tailored in a custom color palette chosen through a direct community vote by Bennett’s global subscribers. The dacron cloth remains crisp and holds outstanding aerodynamic foil shape, showing only a single minor, professionally executed repair on the mainsail.

Because aftermarket sails like the Whirlwind cut are not class-legal for official International Hobie Class Association (IHCA) regattas, Bennett is also providing the original factory-built Hobie Cat class-legal sail set. Rated at a 6/10 condition, these sails exhibit signs of extended racing service, including a large cosmetic adhesive patch on the mainsail surface. While visually weathered, this factory suite provides a fully compliant backup wardrobe that enables a prospective owner to participate in sanctioned national and regional Hobie 16 events without incurring class penalties.

A parallel dual-equipment philosophy extends to the trampoline configurations. Currently fitted to the boat is a high-visibility, as-new Salt City Sailing mesh trampoline in a striking bright orange colorway. Constructed from durable, UV-resistant open mesh, this trampoline facilitates rapid water drainage during heavy spray runs while providing superior non-slip footing for the crew. Because this aftermarket trampoline is also non-compliant with strict IHCA one-design racing rules, the sale includes the original Hobie factory class-legal trampoline, allowing the owner to swap platforms depending on whether the day calls for casual recreational joyriding or formal regatta competition.

Platform Stiffening: Epoxied Crossbar Pylons and Hydro-Turf Deck Traction

Frame Bonding: Epoxied Crossbar Pylons for Zero Chassis Flex

One of the inherent structural vulnerabilities of older beach catamarans is chassis flex. On a standard Hobie 16, the aluminium front and rear crossbeams slide over corner pylons molded into the fiberglass hulls, secured primarily by corner casting bolts. Over seasons of aggressive trapezing in 25-knot winds, the mechanical joint between the pylon and casting gradually develops play, allowing the twin hulls to twist independently—a phenomenon known as “chassis racking” that saps boat speed and degrades pointing ability.

To resolve this issue permanently, Joseph Bennett executed a comprehensive frame bonding procedure two years ago, epoxying the corner pylons directly into the aluminium crossbar castings. This structural modification fused the chassis into a single, ultra-rigid unit. Since this bonding was completed, BadBoy 95 has exhibited zero diagonal play, delivering the exceptional hull stiffness, instantaneous steering response, and immediate energy transfer associated with a brand-new factory catamaran.

Hydro-Turf Deck Grip and Mast Track Reinforcement

Deck ergonomics and foot security have received an equal measure of practical engineering. The aluminium hiking side bars and the aft upper hull sections are clad in authentic Hydro-Turf grooved EVA foam traction pads. Known throughout the personal watercraft and competitive multihull sectors as the premier non-skid material, Hydro-Turf provides relentless mechanical grip under bare feet or sailing booties, even when soaked in Mediterranean brine.

The placement of Hydro-Turf on the rear hulls is especially crucial for high-speed sailing. When driving a Hobie 16 deep off the wind in a screaming Vassiliki thermal—a maneuver vividly referred to as “sending it down the mine shaft”—the skipper and crew must shift their body weight as far aft as possible onto the transoms to prevent the narrow, plumb bows from submarining into a catastrophic cartwheel. The grippy EVA pads provide surefooted trapeze stance at the extreme aft corners of the hulls, giving the sailors the confidence required to push through heavy gusts at maximum trim.

The spars have also been reinforced against known mechanical stress points. In the past, the extruded aluminium mast track experienced localized fatigue around the boom gooseneck attachment—a common issue caused by high downward loads from aggressive boom vang and cunningham sheeting. Bennett engineered and installed custom mast track reinforcement plating to permanently secure the gooseneck slide within the track channel, ensuring the boom cannot tear free or bind under extreme downhaul tension.

Forensic Hull Inspection: Disclosing Seam Fatigue and Water Ingress

Gunwale Seam Integrity and Water Ingress Diagnostics

The cornerstone of the listing for BadBoy 95 is absolute mechanical transparency. Bennett explicitly emphasizes that before any interested sailor reaches for a checkbook, they must thoroughly understand the vessel’s structural condition and maintenance requirements. The central issue—colloquially framed as “The Catch”—centers on the fiberglass hulls, which have begun to take on a modest volume of water during spirited sailing sessions in rough seas.

Forensic evaluation indicates that this moisture ingress occurs primarily along the gunwale seams where the vertical hull sidewalls meet the molded deck flanges. Under the continuous diagonal twisting forces of heavy-air sailing, the factory adhesive bond along sections of this perimeter joint has deteriorated, permitting water pushed across the decks to seep into the internal hull cavities.

Furthermore, localized sections along these gunwales have developed soft spots where the composite laminate has experienced minor delamination or lost core density. However, Bennett is careful to distinguish between localized seam fatigue and catastrophic hull failure. The main deck walking surfaces forward and aft remain as stiff and robust as the day they rolled out of the factory, and the vertical hull sidewalls retain their structural rigidity without bulging or oil-canning. The softness is strictly confined to the perimeter seam joint between the two moldings.

Recreational Suitability vs Professional Refit Requirements

For sailors seeking a casual beach catamaran to enjoy recreational blast sailing on inland lakes, flat-water reservoirs, or sheltered estuaries—where the boat will not be subjected to relentless 30-knot offshore waves—BadBoy 95 is fully capable of sailing immediately in its present state. However, for any buyer intending to campaign the catamaran in competitive coastal regattas or push it through heavy offshore sea states, Bennett strongly recommends commissioning a professional boatbuilder or undertaking a thorough DIY structural refit to grind back, re-bed, and re-glass the gunwale seams.

In addition to hull joint maintenance, prospective purchasers should note minor cosmetic wear across the gelcoat, reflecting years of active beach launches from the shingle at Vassiliki. The sale is conducted as a private, as-is transaction without official vessel registration paperwork. In keeping with customary Mediterranean beach cat sales, cash payment upon collection is preferred.

Acquisition Logistics and Mediterranean Handover Options

BadBoy 95 is currently stationed on the beach at Vassiliki on the southern coast of Lefkada, Greece. The primary handover method is direct collection by the buyer, who can trailer the catamaran away directly from the Vassiliki waterfront. For buyers based elsewhere in Greece or arriving from abroad, Bennett has indicated a willingness to facilitate delivery logistics across mainland Greece or coordinate transport to the western ferry port of Igoumenitsa.

As a major maritime transit hub, Igoumenitsa offers frequent roll-on/roll-off ferry services connecting northwestern Greece directly to Italian ports including Ancona, Venice, and Bari, providing an accessible pathway for European catamaran racers to transport the vessel into Central or Western Europe. Broader delivery options within continental Europe may also be negotiated depending on distance and scheduling. Interested buyers seeking further technical clarification, high-resolution photographs, or inspection appointments are invited to contact Joseph Bennett directly via email at [email protected].

Technical Specifications and Equipment Inventory

Frequently Asked Questions