daytonawave wrote:
I would like to see Hobie raise or arc the cross bars in order to eliminate this fault. The tramp is dragging on the chop and is bogging down when the bow pitches under during high wind.
Every boat design will have different sailing characteristics. You really have to get the mast raked aft and keep your weight aft in high wind. It does not do well in those conditions with lots of weight on board. It is, after all, a 13 foot boat. With my weight at 200 lbs, I have found that the Wave performs very well in higher wind and swells / chop.
Design decisions have to take into account the end purpose of the product. There is a balance between performance and economy. We have to consider production and retail costs. The main purpose of the Wave is recreation and entry level sailing. It is simple and inexpensive. The Wave design is simple and inexpensive due in part to the way the crossbars attach to the hulls. By keeping the crossbars flat, we save cost on material and machining. By keeping the number of attachment fittings low... we save cost. By allowing one mold to form both hulls... we save cost. Arching the crossbars would have required a second (very expensive mold) as the hull deck would not be symmetrical to accept the crossbars ends. This also introduces more material (weight) and possibly structural differences. As it is, the connection to the hulls is quite robust.
Higher performance was definitely second to the value and durability concerns with the Wave.
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