Is Hobie Alter still alive?

Is Hobie Alter still alive?

Deceased (1933–2014)
Hobart Alter/Living or Deceased

When was the first Hobie Cat made?

On July 4, 1968, Hobie and Sandy Banks, who was hired to assist with the development of the Hobie Cat, built a mold and the first six Hobie Cats were formed and trucked down to Poche. Hobie Cat #1 was sawed in two to inspect the molding process, and the remaining five were assembled.

How old was Hobie Alter when he died?

80 years (1933–2014)
Hobart Alter/Age at death
Hobie Alter, whose innovations helped thousands of people go surfing and sailing, died in California on Saturday at age 80. In the 1950s, Alter helped perfect a foam-core surfboard that revolutionized the sport.

What company owns Hobie?

On January 25, 2021, kayak, surf and SUP company Hobie Cat Co. was discretely sold to a private equity group consisting of executives from Detroit industrial auction company Maynards Industries.

When did Clark Foam close?

December 5, 2005
Closure. On December 5, 2005, Gordon Clark abruptly shut down Clark Foam, then worth about $40 million, and began destroying his molds and equipment, citing difficulties with government regulatory agencies over the chemicals and equipment he used and claims filed against him by former employees.

Are Hobie Cats still made?

The Hobie Cat is a small sailing catamaran manufactured by the Hobie Cat Company. Hobie’s line of products includes surfboards, sailboats, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, and pedalboards, although the Hobie Cat Company is known worldwide for its catamarans….Hobie 18.

Hull
Racing
D-PN 71.4
[edit on Wikidata]

Why did Clark Foam go out of business?

Closure. On December 5, 2005, Gordon Clark abruptly shut down Clark Foam, then worth about $40 million, and began destroying his molds and equipment, citing difficulties with government regulatory agencies over the chemicals and equipment he used and claims filed against him by former employees.

Who replaced Clark Foam?

But the dark days didn’t last particularly long. Just a year later, two former Clark executives, Kim Thress and Jeff Holtby launched US Blanks, a company that now headlines the market, and which produces better blanks than Clark ever did.

Who was the founder of the Hobie Cat?

Hobart Alter. Hobart “Hobie” Alter (October 31, 1933 – March 29, 2014) was a surf and sailing entrepreneur and pioneer, creator of the Hobie Cat catamarans, and founder of the Hobie company.

What kind of products does Hobie Cat make?

Hobie’s line of products ranges from surfboards to catamaran sailboats to kayaks and stand-up paddle boards, though the Hobie Cat Company is most famous around the world for its catamarans. Hobie also designed a very successful monohull, the Hobie 33.

When did Hobie Cat start making catamarans?

From 1967 on, the new Hobie Cat Company went on to become the largest manufacturer of small catamarans in the world. In 1967, Alter designed the Hobie 14 Catamaran.

What did Hobie Cat foam surfboard do for surfing?

Hobie developed a prototype for a lightweight, fast and easy-to-sail playboat based on the Polynesian twin-hulled catamaran. History soon repeated itself. What Hobie’s foam surfboard did for surfing, the Hobie Cat did for sailing, introducing a whole new way to have fun in the sun and revolutionizing an industry in the process.

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