ArtofSS wrote:
... Paying for a storage unit isn't an appealing option and would probably put me off to owning a Hobie...
I am you! I want a Getaway, but don't live in a place where the Getaway would make sense. The mistake that I see you making is the "all or nothing mistake" You want the Getaway, but it's really not going to work for you right now, so instead you'll get nothing.
If you want the Getaway, and you don't live near the water, you need a trailer. It's pretty much as simple as that. Could you make due with your truck? Sure you could, but you'll NEVER sail. See if someone at work, a friend, or a family member has a place where you could store it. Also, budget for the trailer, it will make your goal of sailing a Getaway a true possibility, instead of just a dream.
ArtofSS wrote:
...However, I've had my heart set on the Getaway because of the more genuine sailing characteristics...
I bought a Bravo as an intermediate boat. Is it a Getaway? No. But this whole, "more genuine sailing characteristic" argument is a bit of a funny one. The Bravo doesn't have a jib, but it's a true sailboat. You can fly a hull, you can tip it, and you can get moving pretty well. I considered the Wave, but two things brought me to the Bravo, it's by far the easiest to rig, and I found one for a GREAT deal. The easy to rig concept means that I can have an hour free, and spend 50 minutes of that hour sailing, and 5 minutes on either end to rig, and take apart the boat. An easy to rig boat is a boat that gets sailed. Nobody on this forum will disagree with that. If I was looking to stay in the smaller class of boat, I probably would have bought a Wave for the slightly higher performance window, and maybe the Wave is a boat for you, for now.
If your choice is Getaway or nothing, you're probably going to spend a lot of time in that apartment. You don't want to do that. Sailing any Hobie is better then sailing no Hobie! If you want to sail now, but really want a Getaway some day, you have options. A Wave, and even a Bravo or an Adventure Island could probably work for you now. The Getaway might have to wait.