Hobie backrests

Why on earth are the Hobie backrests for the wave so absurdly expensive? 600+ bucks and shipping? I just bought a H18 in good condition with a trailer for that.

Dan

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Dan St. Gean
'82 H 18
'96 H Wave

Expensive?

You can not compare to a used boat that has lost its value. Buy that Hobie 18 and trailer new and you would likely be in the $12,000 - $14,000 range.

These parts are custom bent tubing and has a low volume of production. This is an expensive process. The parts are than quite large and expensive to ship... so shipping costs cannot be included.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Bad comparison. How about 600 being an expensive option for a boat costing around 4500.

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Dan St. Gean
'82 H 18
'96 H Wave

I can see this point, but I have to agree, when you compare the cost of this accessory to the cost of the boat, then look at the Getaway and the wing option (my dealer lists the GTW wing option for $695) something is out of proportion. The Wave backrest kit has almost no hardware not even quick pins, those were $24 extra! On the other hand the Getaway wings (for $95 more) are complex arrangement of pins, hinged struts, designed to actually carry a load. Alot more hardware, manufacturing and engineering go into those wings. I am sure the limited production must be the big difference, you don't see many Waves w/ backrests, while most Getaways I have seen have the wings. Probably in part due to the cost.

I love the backrests on my Wave, but I got a deal on them when I bought my Wave. I would not have justified $600 otherwise. I could not even afford the trailer. But I have also read posts where that $600 is easily justified considering the added level of comfort and security (esp w/ small kids). My $.02

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Jim

2007 Hobie Wave

Getaway Wing Assembly $757
Getaway Wing covers $142
This is before Shipping

I know most dealers who stock wings order them with a full truckloads so shipping is little to nothing. if a dealer has to order just one then shipping is rather high.

_________________
Brad Stephens
[email protected]
(866) 786-5266 <--- Advice HOTline
http://www.sunjammers.com
www.facebook.com/sunjammers

So, shipping on either backrests or wings aside, I can kind of almost justify the Getaway wings @ $900, way more too them, tons more versatilty. I cannot imagine a Getaway w/o them in fact.

Maybe it is a marketing thing. If the W backrests were less expensive, more would purchse them, offset production costs thru volume?

(edit: changed 'cheaper' to 'less expensive', the backrests, although simple, quality is top notch and should remain that way as we expect nothing less from a Hobie product)

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Jim

2007 Hobie Wave

There is a simple solution here... raise the price of the Wave?

This has to do with differences in structure of the two boats. The solution for backrests for the Wave is just more expensive (as compared to the price of the boat) to produce. We have already reduced pricing on these to make them more reasonable to purchase. They are just expensive to make. Partly because we have to have a vendor do them. Tube bending is not something we do here.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

That surprises me.

Brian C

The large wings we don't bend here (like the H17 too) but stuff like tiller arms and Bravo A Frames....as well as every H16 front X Bar...(now that is a serious machine there) - I think Matt was being specific to wings with his answer.