Choosing the right Hobie Cat: 16 vs Getaway vs Wave

Hi,

I'm hoping you all can offer some advice on which Hobie Cat is right for me.

I sailed pretty much every day for several summers as a kid, and I'm decent but not advanced. I have no problem handling a Hobie Cat in high winds.

I've capsized a lot of sailboats and righted them myself -- but never a Hobie.

I used to own a (very) used Hobie 16, which I bought for $1000 from the classifieds, and I had a pretty good time with it. But I decided to get rid of it and wait until I could afford a brand new one.

I'm about ready to get a brand new one now.

I was pretty set on getting another Hobie 16, but then I tried the Wave on a recent vacation in Mexico, and it was definitely a fun little boat.

I'm thinking I'd probably get bored of it after a while, so I'm still leaning towards the 16.

I just heard about the Getaway, though, and I'm undecided again.

The rotomolded plastic sure seems like it has advantages over the fiberglass. (My old Hobie 16's hull was patched all over...)

But, looking at the Hobie site, I'm pretty turned off by the description and pictures of the Getaway. They call it a "family boat" and show a family hanging out on the Getaway on what looks like a lazy Sunday afternoon.

By contrast, the pictures of the Hobie 16, with the boat on one hull and double trapezes -- that looks FUN.

Is this just marketing or are the boats really that different?

Most of the time, I'd probably be sailing by myself or with 1 friend who's not an experienced sailor.

I might get into racing, but I'm not 100% sure (and I never have raced before, except a couple of times at summer camp as a kid).

I'm pretty athletic and I like going fast.

But I'd also want to be able to sail, say, to Catalina from Long Beach to go have a picnic on the beach (just like in the Getaway description...).

I plan to keep the boat in mast-up storage in Marina Del Rey. I'll definitely need to be able to put it in the water and sail it by myself.

So, that's the full story...

What do you all suggest I get?

Thanks!!!

_________________
----
Mike in Venice Beach
Soon-to-be owner of a new Hobie 16, Wave or Getaway
(Help me decide!!)

You just answered your own question.



No, it's pretty accurate. The Getaway is heavier, but more durable. It can carry more weight. The hulls won't scratch, but they can't be patched, either if something does manage to ding the boat. There's no racing class.

The 16 is lighter, faster and there's lots of racing. Fiberglass scratches. Fiberglass you can fix - seamlessly.

I started with a H16 in '79 an went to a H18 in '88. While I'm not suggesting a big boat like an 18 for singlehanding, the significant advantage to that style of cat is the straight hull and deep bows, makes a world of difference compared to a H16 with the hull rocker and shallow bows. Bouyancy in the bows is a great asset. if you've ever pushed a H16 hard downwind and buried a bow, getting catapulted around the forestay in a pitchpole can be troublesome.

The H17 is a good boat if you prefer singlehanding, though having a headsail is a must in my book. The FX is another choice.

_________________
Chris
'88 H18SE Arís

First off, saying I'm biased is an understatement. I never liked singlehanding the 16. It was always too much for me in not much wind. That and I don't like dealing with the jib singlehand.

My recomendation:








The FXone is stupid fast once you get it dialed in. It is a complicated boat compared to the H16. It handles two people just fine, in Europe they're raced two-up all the time. I can right it on my own with a small bag, and I'm just above minimum at 160lbs. Plus you can do wings.

Like I said, I'm biased.

Contact the gang at this Yahoo! group for info on sailing to Catalina as the crossing is not to be taken lightly - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/So_CA_Beachcat_Sailors/

They were chattering last week about seeing a Hobie 16 that left Long Beach for Catalina alone, then heard a radio distress call from it about 8 miles out. The sailors and boat were safely rescued, but beware not to make an example of yourself of what not to do.

+1

Getaway is fast, but also very comfortable.
If you have small kids and family, get it.
If you plan on sailing for 3 hours every time or want relaxing ride, get it.
If you are not comfortable in 20+ knots wind, get it. (furl the jib and continue sailing)

If you liked hanging on the trapeze on your old Hobie 16, stick with the 16.

Wow. Just like the varied response that I got when starting out...

Bmxracer, here are the TRUE basic questions to ask yourself. (Watch out for these vets and their "preferred" boats.)

1. You want to race or recreational sail? You said prob not race. The 16 is both a racer and recreational boat. Others do not leave you as much option that way.

2. What is your primary sailing location? If you are sailing off the beach, keep in mind that daggerboards are a drag. (Pun intended.) None of the three you have mentioned have them. They have hulls with skegs. But some of the bigger boats (not on your list) do have daggerboards.

3. What weight of boat do you want to wrestle? The Wave you can handle alone. The Getaway you will probably need help with. The 16 is a middleweight.

4. Who do you want on your boat? All three boats can carry enough passengers for a good picnic.

5. What kind of wind do you want to sail in? If you have the need for speed, the 16 is your choice; but in higher winds (17-21 knot winds), it may be over-supplied with sail. The Wave can handle it. In lighter air, the Wave may be slower than you want.

The point that OlderBowman makes about long bows is a good one. But all in all, of the three choices, there's no doubt in my mind, looking at your list of three that you are a 16 choice.

Next would be the Wave, IMHO, only because it's simpler, takes heavy air well (with a traveller).

In the end, only you can add up your various preferences and match them to these boats and their strengths.

Skipshot,

The H16 left the beach just before I got to Claremont (where they launched from) a few Saturdays ago. They left about 11am and we heard the distress call at about 5:30pm. This means that they had already been sailing for at least 6 1\2 hours before they capsized (turtled). Although the harsh conditions didn't exist when they left, the wind later kicked up to 20-25 mph w/4 foot (plus) swells. After 6 1\2 hours of that, somehow the word "exaustion" comes to mind. For me, these are great conditions, as long as I'm well rested and no more than a few miles from the shoreline (Catalina is 26 miles from Claremont). The worst thing that could happen is that I get blown back in to shore by nightfall.

Hats off to the Skipper and his (female) crew but not even I (with my crazy self, GPS & VHF) would try that. Nevertheless, that doesn't mean that the journey is not to be made. I know of GROUPS of H16 sailors that regularly ( a couple of times a year) sail to Catalina. They launch from a point further north of Claremont to get a better angle on the upwind leg but they make the trip none the less. They go over, spend the night and come back the next day. Actually, that's a trip I'd like to make. One day!!!

_________________

Happy Sailing,

David

thanks for all the great replies!!!



you find the 16 too hard to handle alone? but not the fxone? can you tell me more about this?



in what way is it more complicated?




so, aside from wings, what other differences are there between the 16 and fxone?



how competitive is hobie 16 racing? is it something that's easy to jump into or is it only for super-intense sailors who've been doing it for a lifetime?



i'll primarily be sailing out of marina del rey, where i'll have the boat in mast-up storage and will roll it down a launch ramp. i may occasionally want to beach it, but it sounds like that's not a problem for either the 16 or the getaway (or fxone).



well i'd definitely like to be able to put it in the water and sail it by myself. so you're saying this is possible with the 16 but not the getaway?



typically 1-2 people, occasionally 4. sounds like that's not a problem on any of them.



well, i just checked the marine forecast for marina del rey, and it looks like typicallly it's under 10kts but sometimes 10-15.



ok, thanks for the detailed response, i'm thinking it's the 16 too!





wow. so basically sailing to catalina is treacherous, under any conditions, and should only be attempted in a group with other experienced sailors?

you mention claremont -- not sure what that's referring to. (claremont, california, is a good ways inland...) is it not possible to sail to avalon from long beach/san pedro?

are there other islands that are easier to sail to? (channel islands?)

thanks again for all the great replies!!

--mike

_________________
----
Mike in Venice Beach
Soon-to-be owner of a new Hobie 16, Wave or Getaway
(Help me decide!!)

Hey BMXracerX,

Come down to the Claremont Launch Ramp in Long Beach this weekend and I'll take you for a spin on my H16. There's a regatta there this weekend so there'll be plenty of boats. Let me know.

_________________

Happy Sailing,

David

I just didn't like having to deal with the jib while tacking. I was never good at depowering the boat either in higher wind. While there are more things to do on the FXone, they don't have to be done at the same time.



Adjustability. On the 16 your sail control is basically the main and the traveler, and the downhaul. With the FXone you have mast rotation, downhaul, outhaul (which does next to nothing on the HC16), the main sheat, and the traveller. Plus adding the spinnaker. Which is actually pretty simple to deal with. Off the water adjustments are about the same, mast rake and rig tension, but the FXone has diamond wires which are used to tune the bend of the mast. It takes time to dial in, and I'm still struggling with getting the right combination of spreader rake, and diamond wire tension.


Wave piercing hulls, 17ft long vs. 16ft. Dagger boards, flat bottom hulls. Having a spinnaker adds a whole diferent dimension to sailing. I don't think that I could go back to having a boat that doesn't have one. Flying a hull downwind is a trip. The shape of the hull on the FXone is awesome. I've pitchpoled it once, it was crazy windy, I had just gotten the boat and was sailing downwind without the spinnaker up. With the chute up it would be very difficult to pitchpole, I've completely burried the front crossbar numerous times with the chute up and not pitchpoled.




There are starter fleets. It ranges from folks who are just learning to get around the course, and for those who are super intense who have been doing it for a lifetime.

Get a Hobie 16 period. I am in high school and sail in the long island sound now I don't know about pick-nicks on a 16 (probably because I never tried it) but every weekend my dad helps me bring it down to the water I set it up and go sailing all by myself trapezing is the best on a 16 and they really go fast in good wind. Also every Wednesday and Friday night my town holds races that are lots of fun. So overall besides my dad helping me bring the boat up and down the beach I do every thing else by myself and the boat is big enough that I can take out a few of my friends every once and a while. So overall either if you are sailing for fun or racing you can do it all on a 16 so get the 16.

Captain Hook

While this thread started 2 years ago, be good to know what the choice was...

Had a H16 for 20 years and solo'd most of it. Then got a H17 Sport and would never go back. The H17 is a great high wind boat. If you want to go fast in comfort (wings make great backrests and allow you to get 'out' without a trapeeze), and plan to have no more than 2 people on it, consider a receint used H17.

16 MATE,YOU WONT BE SORRY!