[1][2][3][4][5][6] The design was built by Hobie Cat in the United States, starting in 1976, but it is now out of production.

[1][2] The design has a roller furling jib, internally-mounted halyards and adjustable mast spreaders to allow mast adjustments fore-and-aft and abeam while sailing.

[10] The boat has a draft of 2.50 ft (0.76 m) with a daggerboard extended and 7 in (18 cm) with both retracted, allowing operation in shallow water, beaching or ground transportation on a trailer.

[1][2] The Hobie 18 Magnum version has hiking wing racks that give a beam of 12 ft (3.7 m) to allow trapezing crew members more leverage in keeping the boat level.

[3][4] In 1980 America's Cup racer and media mogul Ted Turner was racing the Hobie 18 and said, "it's a terrific boat, why didn't they have these when I was growing up!