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PostPosted: Sun Nov 07, 2010 7:17 am 
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Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 5:06 am
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11/7/10

I (age 62 and in good health) want to purchase a boat that I can use with my wife (age 61 in good health) and another couple or my two grand kids ages 4 and 6. I have no experience at sailing (currently reading "Sailing for Dummies") and want to learn so as to share the experierce with my grand children. I am an Avid Power Boat Person (up to 24' outboard). I plan to use the boat on the back side of Ocracoke Island, North Carolina where we reside. Use would be in a salt water environment in "shoaly water", say 1' to 20' (channels and shoaly water). The boat would be moored in Silver Lake Harbor (on the shore) or the back side of our Island (on the shore of the Pamlico Sound)?

Reccomendations are appreciated as well as "a source for the purchase of a used boat"?


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 07, 2010 5:38 pm 
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Joined: Wed May 05, 2010 9:52 am
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Location: Latrobe, PA, USA *** Show YOUR Location - Edit Profile ! ***
http://north-carolina.freeboatshopper.com/boats-parts/hobie-cat-16-feet.html

I saw this yesterday- nice deal?
Too far for me...

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Raise your sail one foot, and you get ten feet of wind.
起你的一只帆,和你10英尺的。 -- Chinese Proverb
William D. Latinette @ Latrobe, PA, USA w. H14 Turbo X 2... [email protected]


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 07, 2010 6:52 pm 
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Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2009 12:25 pm
Posts: 183
Location: Georgia
FYI: Age 68, 235lbs. health- reasonably good.

My current boat is a Wave. I've previously sailed monohulls, Hobie 14, Hobie 16, Escape PlayCat. While the '16 is faster, more fun, carries more crew it can be a handful single-handing in open water. The Wave 'tramp' is comparable in size to the '16, obviously not as fast. Stepping the '16 mast also requires a little more finesse than the Wave. If you're crossing sand, the '16 is heavier too.

I've sailed saltwater bays with 3 small grandkids and the Wave is stable and fast enough to keep them happy. The '16 has a boom, jib sheets, jib tracks, and the fiberglas is not quite as bullet proof as the plastic Wave.

Do I miss the '16 when sailing solo in 10-15 knot winds, you bet. But as the winds (and chop) pick up the '16 is tougher (by yourself) to keep upright, come about, etc. More than once I've had to come in off the Gulf, sailing solo, 'cause it became too difficult and a little too dicey.

Righting a '16 (by yourself) in open water with a chop and 10-15 knot winds can be somewhat exciting too - as you get older (read)........ it can become very tiring.

I'd start with a Wave and if you so choose, move on up to a '16 or even a GetAway.


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 07, 2010 9:49 pm 
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Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:46 pm
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If you have no sailing experience, then obviously your first step is a "starter" boat. Kind of like that starter home, before you moved up to the bigger house.

If you are new to sailing and on the Pamlico Sound, then any boat with daggerboards -- or center boards that don't kick up when they hit the sandbars -- is going to be a no-no. No-no because you will damage the boat and may catapult passengers if going fast.

I put together a checklist when I first started:

1) race or recreational?
2) primary sailing location? (this is the daggerboard/centerboard question)
3) weight of boat you want to wrestle with?
4) how many people on the boat?
5) what kind of wind do you want to sail in?

Pamlico Sound is a fantastic place to sail. Cat sailing is wet sailing though. You sit on a tramp and get wet. Righting lines are attached if you capsize. Better tell that to your wife first. :wink:

Along with question 3 is the whole mast stepping problem. It's like Highland Games caber tossing, a bit. The Wave has a 20' mast, which is easy. Bigger boats have bigger masts. Decide how much you want to hoist. Mechanical stepping help exists.

Done a bit of NC boating too. I like cat sailing best. It's wet, it's hairy at times, but it is a blast.

The Wave is a great starter boat. Easy to rig and you can sail with 800 lbs on it. More butt room than starter monohulls. No daggerboards or centerboards. It is hoot in heavy air.

Norbanks at Duck has some of their boats on sale now. See for sale forum. I may know a Wave in Raleigh for sale. Ask for an email and I'll get back to you.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 5:29 am 
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Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 5:06 am
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11/8/10
Your List, My Answers:

1) race or recreational? "recreational"
2) primary sailing location? (this is the daggerboard/centerboard question) "back side of Ocracoke Island, Pamlico Sound in channels and shoaly water")
3) weight of boat you want to wrestle with? "minimum possible for say a 4 adult boat"
4) how many people on the boat? "4 adults or 2 adults and 2 children"
5) what kind of wind do you want to sail in? "lite to medium, plan is for grand kids and early senior adults (lower sixties in age)"

Questions:
1. Righting lines are attached if you capsize. Better tell that to your wife first. Please elaborate on this? I am 62 in good health; can I handle "righting the Wave say with two grand kids (ages 4 and 6 with me)?
2. Along with question 3 is the whole "mast stepping problem". It's like Highland Games "caber tossing", a bit. The Wave has a 20' mast, which is easy. Bigger boats have bigger masts. Decide how much you want to hoist. "Mechanical stepping" help exists. Need a little more explanation especially relative to "terminology" (see in " "?)
3. Is there a need for putting a "reefer" (I think that is the correct terminology?) in the sail until I get comfortable sailing?
4. Any suggestion on if I need to go to sailing school or not? I am currently reading "Sailing for Dummies"; it strongly reccomends to do this?

Thanks so much for the information. It certainly appears the Wave is the Hobie to buy. Please send me your e-mail given I am new to the Forum; I do not know how private messages/e-mail works? I am thinking a Used Wave is the way to go given I have no experience. I would like to have most everything (boat, ability etc.) in place by say 5/1/11. My thinking is when the weather turns back warm, I want to be "good to go".

Any guidance as to finding that good, used Wave is appreciated


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 9:25 am 
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Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2007 7:58 am
Posts: 176
lucky duck wrote:
11/8/10
Any guidance as to finding that good, used Wave is appreciated


All of your questions are moot if you get a Wave.

It is easy to right, does not need a reefable sail, will accomodate a beginner (even a power boat guy), works well in shallow water, etc.

Jon at Nor'banks has them for rent and sale.

JJ knows of one near Raleigh (I'm not sure why he doesn't grab it... :lol: ).

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Wave #100
H20 #287 "Tallahassee Lassie" (down in FLA)


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:24 am 
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Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:46 pm
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Quote:
can I handle "righting the Wave say with two grand kids (ages 4 and 6 with me)?

First reaction is for safety's sake you always have to be careful when kids are on. True with any boat.

As long as you sail where the shore is within easy reach, in conditions that are not beyond your abilities, and with the kids in life jackets, then the Wave is a good choice.

If you read the forums you may note that some label the Wave as relatively slow. That is true only relatively! That is, in relation to other beachcats. The Wave can hit speeds 10 mph plus -- which is fast enough with kids on. Other beachcats fly faster.

With basic swimming skills, righting the Wave is no problem. My wife is still somewhat uncomfortable about capsizing, so I don't push it when she is on.

The one thing about all sailboats is that they are powered by the wind. (yeah, duh) Wind is the gas pedal and the wind is variable. Capsizing happens when the wind blows the boat over in extreme conditions.

Quote:
Need a little more explanation especially relative to "terminology" (see in " "?)

About mast stepping, most people don't store the boat with mast up. Bad for the rigging over a long period. Mast has to be raised or "stepped" each time out. You have to lift it into place. Wave's mast is easy. Other boats with 30' masts are a bear. Like lifting a pine tree...

The Wave weighs 250 lbs. With beach wheels, it is easy to push around by hand on land. It can be stored mast down on land and rolled to the water by hand. Other beachcats are heavier and so it is a matter of how much you want to lift.

Quote:
3. Is there a need for putting a "reefer" (I think that is the correct terminology?) in the sail until I get comfortable sailing?

I looked at the reefing option too at first. No, you don't need one on the Wave. They make a sail with a zipper reef. Not necessary. There are enough ways to depower the sail without it.

If you have done any kind of boating, you know the difference between safe conditions and iffy conditions. The Wave is very safe in safe conditions. It also has the potential for speed and thrills in heavier air.

Too bad that this is the end of sailing season. If you know Ocracoke, you know where Duck is. Norbanks http://www.norbanks.com/ is right down the road and they rent Waves. Also selling their rentals now...

The tech specs that Hobie posts on the Wave are thorough, IMO. Check them out.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 8:32 pm 
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Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2010 2:48 pm
Posts: 396
Get a Hobie Wave Club. You will love it!!!


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