It is with great sadness we announce the passing of one the original Hobie sailors, Wayne Schafer.
It was in 1968 that he got into a Hobie 14 and then a Hobie 16 in 1971.Friends with Hobie for over 40 years, Wayne and Hobie tested the first ever Hobie Cat on the beach in front of Wayne’s Beach Road home. The Hobie 14 was conceived by Hobie, Wayne and Sandy Banks with a stick in the sand to draw out their vision of the perfect beach cat. He went on to win two Hobie 14 National Championships, he came in 2nd in the Hobie 14 Worlds, 2nd in the Hobie 16 Nationals, he was 1st two times in the Hobie 16 Southern California Divisional, he retired the Ancient Mariner Series trophy at Newport Beach after winning it three times, and won the McCullock Trophy for best all-around sailor in a Hobie 16 at Lake Havasu in 1971.
There are many great stories Hobie sailors have with this great man that was friendly and always there to give advice and a helping hand.
R.I.P Wayne a Hobie legend.
Some words from 2 time Hobie World Champion and long time friend, Jeff Canepa
“May your sails stay full and your smile remain. Sail on Wayne, you will be missed but not forgotten”.
Jeff Canepa
Santa Cruz, Ca.
Words from the legendary filmmaker Sharing the Wind )among others), Hobie sailor, surfer and longtime friend R Paul Allen:
Wayne was a true gentleman and incredible on the start line. We had a deal. I would say, “you get me off the start line and I’ll get you to the finish line”. The guy could surf down wind. He would bring us to the top of a wave and I would pull that huge 18’ jib pumping it like a reacher.
Pat Porter
I was fortunate to have Wayne as a mentor, friend, and confident in my early Southern California Hobie days. Crewing for Wayne, spending afternoons discussing sailing and life at Poche and crewing for him at events remains a special and definitive time in my life.
Wayne would hold sailing clinics at local, national and world events to help everyone get faster. One of Wayne’s mottos was to help people get faster as it pushed him to improve to stay ahead! Always ready to answer a question, weather sailing or life, he was always open and helpful.
Not too sure how many people Wayne crewed for, but we made a deal in 1977. He would crew for me in the first Hobie 18 US Nationals in Ft Lauderdale and I would again crew for him the following week in the Hobie 16 US Nationals. Magic times were always the case when Wayne was involved.
A gentleman of the highest order, a friend to thousands around the world and mentor to many! Wayne… catch up with Hobie Sr. on the endless wave, my friend.
Miles Wood
1977 Hobie 14 Tuning tips from Wayne Schafer
As Wayne Schafer once said, “l wouldn’t’ still be doing this if it wasn’t fun and I wasn’t still having a great time with it!” Have a Hobie time on the great little flying machine, the Hobie 14.
The Orange County Register tribute to Wayne Schafer
