Did I buy too much of a boat?

I went sailing with my friend back in college on his H16 several times. After his water skiing became more important, he spent his money on a ski boat and sailed less and less. After trying the H16 on my own with the wife, I'm starting to wonder if it's too much for what we wanted it for. The reason I am questioning it now is because we recently had the opportunity to sail a Wave and had a blast on it. I was a lot more in control, and the overall experience was just a lot more simpler and less stressful than when we tried it on the 16. Should I look into trading down to a Wave or similar, or just get a better hang on my 16? Bottom line I guess is I am looking an enjoyable experience (exciting, while relaxing) sailing with no plans to ever race.

If you have plans on doing alot of sailing, I think you would rapidly grow tired of the Wave. Especially, when you are getting smoked by all of the H-16's!
I came from a mono-hull background and was scared to death on the H-16. After a year of sailing quite a bit, I am quite comfortable on the H-16 and would like to upgrade to a larger craft. The only time I "white knuckle sail" the H-16 is in big air. Fortunately, I can reef my sail and it tames things down quite a bit.
All you need is time on the water. Every day you make it back to shore in one piece, it is a learning experience. The days you make it back to shore in multiple pieces are even greater learning experiences.
Don't downgrade! You will ultimately be disappointed.
Keep the pointy side up!
Regards!
Eric

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Eric Weller
2006 F18 Capricorn
1980 H16
Keep the pointy side up!

Pretty much what Eric said. The 16 is a great boat in many ways. I have had our H16 for about 4 years and really love sailing it. Yes it was scary at first (and at times still is). I had been thinking about getting an H18 for the last year or so because there were so many in the fleet already and they are an aboslute blast!!!! So in October, I pulled the trigger. We found a very sweet deal and could not resist.

Keep the h16 and get used to how it work and feels than buy an h18 and enjoy the ride even more. Do not go smaller. My wife really did not enjoy the 16 at all, after about an hour at the tiller, she wants to go sailing just about as bad as I do. The major difference is in the way the 16 is like a muscle car: Quick, Fast and Squirrely(SP) the 18 is more like a Cadillac: Very smooth, a bit more complicated, powerful and did I mention Smooth.

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Sail Like you Have a Pair
Bluish gray 73 - 83 H16
Super Nice Yellow 84 H18

I'm not so sure. I have sailed FX-1s, Tigers, Tornados, Formula 40s, 80 foot sleds, open 50s and lots of other fast stuff, but man, there's something about hopping on a Bravo and doing a mile marker run in 15 knots. Sometimes just cruising is all it takes to get high. In fact, I would say that the majority of people that walk into the shop, the 16 has the potential to be too much boat. Most people aren't into racing one bit, and don't care if another boat passes them.

Get what suits your needs. A wave might be the ticket. Try to get out on one a few more times and see if you really like it. Take it from the trailer to the water and get comfortable with rigging it. Good luck!

Everyone's needs are different, you just have to figure out what you want to get out of a boat.

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Sail Revolution
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I bought my H-16 25 years ago and am still sailing the same boat. Most of the time I single hand it including raising and lowering the mast. I started at age 51 and am looking forward to the start of the season at age 76, If I can still sail an H-16 at my age, I am sure you won't have any problem after you get used to it. Pick your days when the wind isn't too much to handle and gain confidence in handling the boat. After a while you will be disappointed when the wind isn't at least 15 to 20 mph.

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Howard

As a Wave sailor, I'll echo Jeremy's advice. Get out on a Wave a few more times, and get what you like.

For me the Wave is great. I can single-hand sail (and rig) anytime I like. I can take two or three friends out and not feel crowded. Granted, it's not the fastest boat on the water, especially with four on board; but when you've got friends with you, you're generally not going for top speed anyway. (I don't think a 16 with 4 aboard would do any better.) My wife loves it, because I do all the work while she stretches out and enjoys the ride.

If simplicity, control and relaxation are important to you, then a Wave's the ticket.

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What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"

My favorite part about the Wave was the simplicity of it. No boom to worry about swinging across (the wife especially liked this), no jib to mess with. With her I think it would be more for simplicity when we go out sailing. But if it's just me and a buddy, we might try to push it faster. I wish I had the ability to get out on a wave some more, but I don't think that will be possible. I'm partial right now since I already own the H16 and know that I would probably have some difficulty finding someone to trade a Wave (probably because a Wave is worth more than my boat, paying for a downgrade would kinda suck, but oh well).

Where are you located? There may be other Wave sailors around who will let you use theirs. You're welcome to borrow mine if you're in central Indiana.

I wouldn't call a Wave a "downgrade" from a 16; it's just a different boat for a different type of sailing. No more than a wrench is a downgrade from a hammer, just a different tool for a different job.

I had an Interlake (monohull) before I bought my Wave. My wife also hated tugging on the jib sheets and dodging the boom. With the simplicity of rigging and sailing the Wave, I (we) have sailed this boat much more than any others. Getting out on the water is really what it's all about.

Finding a trade could be a problem however. Used Waves are a hot commodity and tend to hold their value. Used 16s are abundant and can be inexpensive. Maybe you should hang onto your 16, while you keep an eye out for a Wave.

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What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"

Yeah, both. Covered both ways. Great, if you find a Wave. In the meantime, great on the better control.

Recognizing where the control problems are is where it's at. Tame that cat!

It's a big deal with these boats. There can be a lot of rigging to work through (and sometimes a lot of questionable advice on how and what to use).

I go for very secure solutions that are very, very easy to use. This, IMO, is the right way to keep cats popular.

I am in central Michigan, so that is probably a little far. I think as I get better at rigging and controlling the H16, I maybe won't feel this way anymore. I guess time will tell.

Yeah, keep your options open. Say yes to both boats and see which suits you better.

My wife hated my 16 for the first four years and was plain afraid of it because I had more bravery than skill, but as my skills improved and she noticed the kids and adults I took out didn't come back bloody or in a state of shock or dead, then she lightened up. So she screwed up some courage, strapped on the harness and hooked in (I mean on the boat), and after a few minutes she got the hang of it and soon was squealing like a 13 year-old who just got tickets to a Hannah Montana concert.

Now, for you it may be different. If the 16 is too much of a boat for you then it will be too much for your wife as she'll pick up on your hesitation. And don't let pride get the better of you, because you should enjoy a boat for yourself and not someone else. (I don't know why, but I am hesitant to rig the spinnaker on my 18SX even though Jeremy (above) and others around here want me to do it; so I understand what you're thinking.)

So if you want to join me on Mullet Lake in Topinabee, MI around July 4th this summer, whether you have a 16 or a Wave, then let me know.

+1. I recently bought a 79 and a 89 Hobie 16 to make one good one. The plan was to have a fun little boat I could take the g/f out. Well, the first time I took it out after the mini restoration I was sailing it off the beach with my dad with my mom and girlfriend watching from the beach. Everything was going great, it was beautiful out and we found a school of manta rays. Just as we were about to turn in and grab my girlfriend and take her out on it...the shroud snapped and the mast fell into the water. Ended up having to swim the boat into the beach after 20 min of sailing.....Strike 1.

2nd attempt was the girlfriend, my friend and I. It was a REAL gusty day and both of them had no experience. Mistake on my part, didnt realize how windy it really was because we were on a lake this time and near shore it really wasnt windy at all. Well we sailed for like 15 minutes, flipped it...mast filled with water....couldnt get it back over....after like 50 minutes of mayhem we finally get it over with the help of a wave runner. The steering assembly somehow broke off and fell into the water and we had to get towed back in.....Strike 2

Now, my girlfriend is extremely skeptical about the Hobie but I finally get one last chance to get her to try it. We went out and just took it real easy. After like 4 hours of sailing she was comfortable enough to be on the trapeze while we were on one hull. SUCCESS! Now she cant wait to go out! Tame the 16 and I am sure you will love it!

Why is the Wave so much slower and why is it so much more simple to set up?

Fuzzy,

As an avid Hobie 16 sailor since about 5 years old, and having sailed both a 1975 H-16, and a 2005 H-16, Sabots, Laser, and Alpha Ones, and big boats, and crewing on a 20 ft Catamaran. The question you should be asking is not weather or not the H-16 is too much of a boat for you and your wife, (As I was single handing the 16 before I could drive a car.) Is how to learn to rig it, and sail it so that that it isn't too much of a boat for you..

Depending on the conditions, and the skippers level of experiance.. (Not trying to be insulting, just giving my 2 cents.) a row boat could be too much boat.

Instead of worying about moving to a smaller boat, search amazon for a couple of good books that are out there about sailing catamarans (Some of the sailing techniques are a bit different then mono hulls.), don't be afraid to get on here and ask questions about rigging (Ways to depower the sail IE Downhull, batten tension, Mast Rake.) As the wind pick up. Ask questions regarding proper boat trim. IE when I am out single handing my boat in puffy or heavy wind conditions I tend to sail allot higher then I normally would in lighter air, or if I am double trapped with crew. So when a puff hits, I can round the boat up higher into the wind, and pinch through the puff, then as the puff blows over simple round the boat back down.. Without ever even sheeting out.

One of the other tricks is to get a feel for how do depower with the traveler. As the further out the traveler the less the boat will want to heel, but you can still sheet all the way in and get pretty good flow over the sail. The windier it is, the further out the traveler goes going upwind. If you are crewed (IE when your wife is onboard.. Let her also run the traveler. That way she can let it out in a puff, and feel like she has a bit more control over the situation.) If your single handed, you will eventually get an idea where it should be. If you take a tack to windward, and you find your having to pinch or sheet out too much, on the next tack.. let the traveler out some more.

Find out who sails cats in your area, and plan to sail with them on the weekend. Not only is having another boat there more fun, but you make new friend as well... Find out if there is a Hobie fleet in your area. Go to a regatta, not to race but just to talk to people. Don't be intimidated to just go down and schmooze and fun sail. Find out if you pay for entry, if the chase boat will come get you if your capsized (Don't get in the way of the race, but stay close enough that the chase boat can easily get to you..). This will give you extra peace of mind in case something goes wrong.

Time on the water, and learning from others who where at one time in the same boat as you. Start off in light conditions and work from there. The nice thing about the Hobie 16, is that depending on when YOU choose to sail it, how you choose to sail it, it can either be a race horse, or a family boat.

Don't get discouraged.

I am done writing my novel now!

Brent

Catch yourself a ride on a spin cat and you will no longer find the 16 complicated. The 16 is a fantastic learning boat and if cared for will give you a lifetime of enjoyment.