Home . Articles . Boats . Perry on Design . Hobie Magic 25

Hobie Magic 25

1996 May 7
By Robert H. Perry
Hobie Cat USA has teamed up with famed Australian designer Iain Murray to bring us the Hobie Magic 25 which capitalizes on the inroads made by the Melges team with its successful Melges 24. We call them sport boats now and they provide an intermediate step between fully ballasted boats and dinghies. The biggest difference in the two boats is that the Magic 25 comes equipped with triple trapezes to enhance the stability provided by the minimal ballast bulb. The boat is designed to be sailed with a crew of four. The brochure says, "No more rail meat discomfort: On Magic the crew will be out on the wires enjoying the high life." The Magic can comfortably seat six for social sailing.

The hull is narrow with a rather tight turn to the bilge. The keel is a retractable aluminum fin with a torpedo. There is an optional kelp cutter. Ballast is 858 pounds. Total displacement is only 1,870 pounds making this a convenient trailerable boat.

The rig features a carbon fiber mast, boom and retractable bowsprit. Rig tension is controlled with hydraulic mast ram that pushes upward on the mast creating prebend while tensioning the rigging. This is a feature borrowed from Australian 18-foot skiffs and is what is called an active rig. It eliminates the need for a backstay for mast control. Rig rules have been designed for strict one design racing. It's said that the class rules were written on the back of a drink coaster, simplicity being the key.