During the 60s, while the Beach Boys were making records, the legendary Hobie Surf Team was setting them. Their lineup featured all the surfing rock stars of their day- Phil Edwards, Joey Cabell, Corky Carroll, Micky Munoz, Joyce Hoffman, Joey Hamasaki, Gary Propper, Billy Hamilton and Herbie Fletcher to name a few.

In the years to follow, Hobie Alter started messing around with boats. He developed a prototype for a lightweight, fast and easy-to-sail playboat based on the Polynesian twin-hulled catamaran. Soon afterwards, the legendary Hobie Cat was born. Four decades later, Hobie Cats are still the world’s best-selling cats. Look around almost any body of water on any continent and you’ll discover an active Hobie racing fleet.

It was only natural that Hobie Alter would continue spreading the gospel of his sport and revolutionize an industry in the process. Hobie’s logo has meant the very best in everything from radio-controlled gliders, skateboards, world-famous polarized sunglasses and sportswear. The new millennium brought about event further innovations in the world of kayaking and standup paddleboards. Hobie’s revolutionary Mirage drive opened the world of hands-free kayaking and leading to the birth of extreme kayak fishing. Most recently the Mirage drive was adapted to a new paddle board design and leading to the creation of the world’s first stand up pedal board – the Hobie Mirage Eclipse.

It seems incredible that one man’s vision could provide so much fun for watermen and women the world over. Hobie Alter didn’t just create toys, he created a way of life for many generations of dreamers, all of whom continue to spell fun in the sun, the surf and the sand with a flying capital H.

Nautical Ventures is the Go-To store for all things Hobie in Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and the Palm Beaches. They have the best inventory of current Hobie products complimented by a great parts department. And the knowledge base provided by their Hobie experts are second to none.