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PostPosted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:07 am 
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Hi everyone, I'm looking to buy a Hobie sailboat but I'm not certain which is the best fit for me.
On my honeymoon in St Lucia 10 yrs ago my wife and I sailed a Hobie 14 (I think) each day in the bay. Ever since then I've wanted a hobie cat. I've always figured i'd get a 16 since they seem most available, popular and most importantly fast! I am the kind of person who loves speed, but I have two kids (5&7) who will be with me and maybe the wife too. She's not adventurous like me.
I don't want to be bored on a Wave, but I can't be flipping it with my kids aboard either. I know the Wave is the more responsible choice but I really love speed so if the Wave is significantly slower it's probably going to bore me.
I intend to use it primarily on a small lake near our house, but also on summer vacations at Cape Cod and the Maine coast.
Please provide advice as to the difference in speed and stability between the various Hobie boats
Thanks Brian


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 3:00 pm 
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Location: Hatteras Island, NC.
If you're looking for outright fast, the Wave won't cut it! If your kids are not too young, I'd recommend the 16. Fast, good weight capacity and not hard to right. A Getaway might be good for the family, also I own a 16 and have sailed Getaways. My impression is that the 16 is faster and more powerful, Portsmouth numbers bear the seat of the pants feel out. I can't speak for the rightability of the Getaway, though. The new T2 might fit somewhere in the middle! Additionally, as your kids get older and interested in sailing the 16 is a good boat to grow into.

Dave


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 3:16 pm 
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Location: Harsens Island, Michigan
I was sailing in the Keys earlier this week at a resort on a Hobie Wave. I thought we were moving pretty well until I spotted a Getaway and tried to catch it. The Getaway is much faster (or I am that bad of a sailor, who knows!)

The Getaway is a big boat compared to the Wave, and seats a family of 4 easily. It looks pretty stable, also. If I were you, I would get the Getaway, and in 5 years upgrade to two H16s. By then, the kids will be able to race you and win!

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1979 Hobie 16 "Orange Crusher"
2017 Hobie 16 "Cayman" sails 114795
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 6:23 pm 
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Location: Jersey Shore
For what you describe (new sailor, two young kids, wife who isn't too adventurous) I would say Getaway. The Getaway is easy handling with lots of room, easy to set up, but pretty good speed (it is a catamaran after all). The 16 is a bit less forgiving, a little more complex in its setup, and considerably less space on board for four people. As a new sailor, you're not going to notice the speed difference. When you get a couple years experience under your belt, upgrade to a higher performance boat if you feel you want to take your sailing to the next level.

sm


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 7:58 am 
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T2


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 11:04 am 
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Location: Georgia
I've owned a Thistle (monohull), H-14, H-16, Playcat Escape (16ft), and now a Wave. They all perform differently to meet different needs. H-16's are terrific boats and fast, as you've said. If you want to sail in heavy weather, either on open water or a lake, you will most likely need a crew member. I've had to come back onto the beach (Gulf) when single handing 'cause the wind increased enough the H-16 became unmanageable and almost dangerous to tack....a jibe being even more exciting.

I would choose the Wave over the H-14. They're more expensive and not as plentiful used, but the rotomolded hulls are great, especially if you sail off the beach. I think they also are rated to carry more weight.

If you bury a lee hull on the H-16 you've got a more than even chance you're going for a swim. I've capsized the H-16, in the Gulf in heavy weather and single handed, and had it capsize multiple times immediately after each righting. Clue #1 - I shouldn't have been out alone.

I've buried the lee hull on the Wave many times and it's always poped back up, unlike the H-16 or even the H-14. Check out the nose shape on all three hull designs and you can see why. Don't get me wrong, when I was younger, the H-16, without a doubt, created the biggest grins.

Another issue affecting your choice would be the mast. Each mast gets progressively longer: H-14, Wave, Playcat, H-16. If you're sailing alone or with little assistants, stepping the mast either on the trailer or on land, can each present their own separate of challenges. Storage also, if you plan to store the boat/mast in your garage, check out their overall lengths.

With a little practice and some extra (fred flintstone engr'ing) blocks and lines, you can step a mast by yourself while on the trailer. If you're 5'-nothing, I would have serious concerns stepping the H-16 or the GetaWay masts by yourself.

I 'came back' to Hobie after the Playcat. Hobie's design, support, seaworthiness, etc. can't be matched, especially if you plan to sail in salt water and/or heavy weather.

If you plan to beach launch, keep in mind the bigger the Hobie the more effort to get it to the water's edge.....key = lots of crew (a.k.a. friends). Yes, I use a Cat Trax, it still takes some effort i.e., on and off the beach. Obviously, your beach choices may be less challenging.

I can tell you we started sailing when our kids were about the same age as yours. Sometimes they loved to sail, other times they were bored to tears. Eating and snacks always helped. I now have 6 grandkids and three of them can't wait until we go on vacation in the Gulf, so they can sail. Two of my grown kids still mention their memories of our beach trips and the time spent on the water.

Lastly, like everything else, these are just my thoughts, opinions, and experiences, nothing more. Good luck and fair winds.

bill


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 4:43 pm 
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Thanks to all of you for the good advice. I'm still searching CL daily but i think I'll focus on a wave for this summer and maybe swap it for a 16 or Getaway after I get some experience and the kids get older. The T2 might be a good fit too but i doubt I'll find one in on CL in New England. Whatever i get will get me in the game instead of spectating.
Can't wait for summer.....


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 5:57 pm 
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Location: Minneapolis (Apple Valley), Minnesota
Without a doubt I would go with the Getaway and get the wing seats (once you go wings you will never go back). When I bought my first Hobie (after years of racing dingies) and I had a 4 year old I knew there wasn't enough room or things for him to grab onto to keep from falling off so I order a Hobie 18 Magnum back in 1990. He had the greatest fun jumping off the wings and they gave so much more comfort for the family. With the Getaway you have a front tramp for the kids to play or lay on giving more room on the main tramp for you and your spouse and with the wing seats it is SO MUCH more comfortable. when Hobie was going to discontinue the Hobie 18 after 2000 I ordered a new Hobie 18 with wings and that boat will not be sold until I cant lift the mast again. Get the Getaway....

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2001 H18 w/SX wings & spinnaker #16740 (purchased new)
1989 H18 w/SX wings #14565 (purchased new, sold 2000)
Would buy another if Hobie would build it.


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PostPosted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 12:53 am 
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Location: BC, Canada
Since this is the Wave section of the Hobie forum, perhaps you could have expected the following response, but I just thought I would offer my comments on the Wave vs the Getaway. A lot has to do with personal preference so I'm not saying one boat is "better" than the other - I'll just offer my personal observations as someone who owns a Wave, and then had the experience of sailing a (well-maintained) rental Getaway.

The rental outfit had Waves and Getaways, they knew I was a Wave owner, and they clearly thought that the Getaway was the better vessel. Perhaps that says something right there as they guys were pros. I kind of bought into that fact before the sail and was quite prepared to come away from the experience wanting to trade my Wave in for the larger boat. Surprisingly, that didn't happen and I hadn't really through about the reasons until reading this thread. So here are what were probably my reasons for favouring the Wave:

1. I think ASDASC touches on it a bit when he mentions that he thought he "was moving pretty well" until he tried to match speed with the Getaway. Although the Wave may be somewhat slower I find that it feels faster than the Getaway under sail.

2. I found the Wave to be more responsive to the helm and more nimble in turns - probably due to the shorter length. lighter weight, but the same rudder surface (control) area.

3. Ignoring the front tramp, the area of the main tramp is roughly comparable on both boats. The Wave is something of a cat rig with the mast moved way forward. The beam is almost the same.

4. As for the front tramp - this part gets really specific to me - when I was a kid I was always the type that when my dad took me fishing in a fiberglass cartop, I would hang over the bow, mesmerized by the bow entry into the sea. It's one of the things I love about catamaran's in general and my Wave in particular - being able to see the lee bow knife into the swells. I was disappointed when skippering the Getaway to learn that from the stern position my vision of the bow entry blocked by the front tramp. It was somewhat visable through the mesh but wasn't the same if you know what I mean.

5. I concede that the wings are nice. But sitting up high has some drawbacks too (see point 1 above).

6. The buoyancy of the Wave is tough to beat, with a hull cross section (across the beam) comparable to the Getaway, but somewhat lighter in total.

7. The larger size and sail area of the Getaway seemed to put more stress on components of similar size and composition, suggesting that it may lead to more component breakdown (although both are very robust boats). Although not a scientific test, try skimming through the topic titles on the Getaway forum and get a general impression of how many relate to breakdowns or problems. Then do the same on the Wave site. Perhaps it's just me, but I see a bit of a difference.

8. Set up and general beach handling of the Wave, again, benefits from the smaller size.

I hope this is of some assistance - and again - just my personal observations as to what suits me best. I'm sure the Getaway is a better fit for others.


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PostPosted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 8:30 am 
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Location: Harsens Island, Michigan
You bring up many good points. We really did enjoy the wave. Rigging was super easy, in fact I am wondering if I can get away with the same hooks from the blocks to the boom on my H16. The only time I wanted the Getaway was when I realized that I couldn't catch up with it. We were planning to rent the Getaway the next day but it was dead calm the next few days.

Sent from my LG-LS970 using Tapatalk

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1979 Hobie 16 "Orange Crusher"
2017 Hobie 16 "Cayman" sails 114795
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 6:21 pm 
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Location: Rockford, IL
How long do you want to keep this boat until you need to upgrade? I bought a H-17 in 1990 from the dealer, because I had small children and wanted a family boat. I didn't think the 16 was big enough for the family, and I didn't think I could handle the 18 alone. The dealer sold me a 17. Bad idea, it's a solo racing boat, but he didn't care or tell me, he just needed to unload it before he went out of business. We quickly outgrew it, and I spent many years trying to find the perfect boat.
I now have a Getaway. I can sail it alone, my wife and I have a blast together, and it's great with the kids and grandkids too. As fast as the 16? Probably not. But we're only talking a few MPH difference.
The downside is there aren't a lot of them on the used market, they sell quickly, and they hold their value.
So the Wave would probably meet your needs for a few years, but as the kids get bigger, and when they want to bring friends along, you need something bigger. The 16 won't do it, and I don't know enough about the 18 to comment on them. The T2 looks pretty cool, but again, I don't know much about them. I do know we've had 5 adults on the Getaway, and the boat handled it like a champ!

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Yet another Bob!
"Firefly" - 2012 Hobie Getaway with wings and spinnaker
"Sparky" - 1978 Sunfish (OK, it's not a Hobie, but it's a fun little craft)
Too many canoes and kayaks


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 01, 2014 12:39 pm 
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You are right in choosing the Wave. It has many more options for use than all the other boats.


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 01, 2014 1:12 pm 
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Location: Prince Edward Island, Canada
While the Wave is not always trying to be a rocket like a 16, it can go excitingly fast. All things being relative, of course. The catch is that you need higher winds to get to really fun speeds and that often means less than ideal conditions depending on the location and wind direction.

It takes little wind to move a Wave, which is good. I have little fear of not getting home as the evenings seem to magically calm the wind as the sun goes down around here. However, you will indeed soon wish for something faster on light wind days.

However, If you live in a location where you can actually combine high winds with manageable sized waves, then the Wave can take you out on days that many 16 owners (not all) would stay ashore. However, the 16 will get you to excitement levels much more often during the season because it won't need the high winds to go as fast.

Search Youtube or this forum for a few of Creative's videos if you want to see some Wave speed.

I absolutely love mine for it's convenience. I come home from work and I can be on the water in under 10 minutes without requiring anyone's help.

My bay rarely develops big waves so I'm reaching very exiting speeds (relative to my skill) on the occasions when the wind picks up and the timing is right. Best of all are the comments from the other day sailor's on the bay who think I'm crazy for going out in that much wind. The Wave is very forgiving indeed, as I claim no foul weather expertise.

Again, it's all relative. I already know I would like a 16 as a second boat for 'more speed, more often' but I'd never give up the convenience of the Wave for my Wife and I as I know we just wouldn't get out as much if it wasn't so damn easy to just decide and go at a moments notice.

Two very different boats with different uses. Just thought I'd add an another view point.


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 01, 2014 9:28 pm 
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Location: SE Michigan
We were introduced to sailing on a Wave while on vacation last year. I had already taken an interest in getting a Tandem Island (fits with camping & kayaking), and we thought the Wave was great and fast. We came home and I shopped about and considered the Getaway to be the ideal option. We settled on a used H16 as it was more affordable (under $2500 w/trailer).

We took quite a few trips in the summer. We flipped once early in the season, as we were learning how to move about in quickly changing, gusty winds. As we started, we looked for days with winds under 10 mph. When we finished the summer, we were looking for 10-15 mph winds. We found that as the season went on and we were more experienced, what seemed larger lakes became small as we had to turn rather often and only got up to speed for a minute or two. We found ourselves trying to get on bigger lakes where we could run for a few minutes. In this part of MI, we are surrounded by lakes, but most of the lakes near us are too small to enjoy sailing with the H16.

After the summer season ended, we had a chance to try out a Wave again. We were shocked at how slow it moved.

The new T2 looks very interesting. The Getaway looks like a very nice compromise. I often wish we had wings to lean back on. In a lot of ways, the Getaway (or a TI, I still want one) may have been a better match for us.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2014 6:33 am 
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Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
Brian from MA:
This is all just my personal opinion, everyone's circumstances are different. We live near the ocean now and are able to go out on the south Florida gulf coast and the keys pretty much every weekend all year round. Another big factor for us is boat storage which is very expensive in Florida (we are not allowed to park our boats in the yard or driveway) and commercial storage here can be as much as $200-$300/mo. Some of these factors might make your decision for you as to what type of boat to get. At least around here it appears most cat owners prefer not to have to step their masts every time they want to go out so they opt to store their cats at sailing squadrons and clubs (typically not cheap). Also if your mostly just going out on small lakes and don't have good natural winds, a complex big and fast cat type boat might not be in the cards unless you have some place where you can open it up (a half mile lake doesn't cut it for us, that was fine for our Sunfish, a Getaway or F18 would be ridiculous out there, but a Wave or T2 would have been perfect). When we lived in Wisconsin it was a couple hour drive to get to any sizable water. All just stuff to think about.
As campers we have always enjoyed traveling around the country with our camper in tow, and sailing kayaks on the roof, and dropping into any body of water we can find (rivers, lakes, oceans, etc) and really enjoy adventuring. Now we live in Florida even more so.
That's why we selected the Tandem Island, it can be used for anything you can imagine as a whole family SUV for the water. One day we can be miles offshore scuba diving in the keys (the boat has to be hardened a little for off shore use (from the factory it has a CE "D" classification), then the next day exploring crystal clear spring rivers, then the next week you can be running mild rapids in Colorado all with the same boat rigged as a very capable and fast kayak (we have done all that). As Hobie says there isn't any day you can't go out on a TI, wind, no wind, big wind, etc it just doesn't matter, the boat is incredibly stable and the risk of capsizing with small kids on board is very low. There is no problem getting all four of you on a TI with the tramp option (people do it all the time). And the best part it can be stored in your garage, and can be car topped if you have a large enough vehicle (we car top our TI when traveling), Typically it's around 10 minutes to rig and get on the water (even faster with a trailer), did I mention you can store it in your garage (ie... no storage fees)
If you just want speed don't get a TI, it is no speed demon (.6x windspeed is pretty typical on a stock TI) but if you want a versatile family boat that can do pretty much everything and is pretty safe, and also sails well, then the TI might be worth looking into (just my opinion). They are pretty easy to mod and add more sails, motors,etc (most TI's out there are modified to some extent), A mod'ed TI can easily keep up with waves and lasers and most other small sail boats as long as your willing to pedal, but is not in the same category as an H16 or F18 cat and never will be.

At least around here I have never seen anyone doing anything else with their Lasers, sunfish, H16's or waves other than just sailing back and forth close to where they launched, or competing in racing (sailing against each other around bouys in a small pattern), to this day I have never seen anyone fishing from any of those type boats.

I'm not trying to influence you in any way, I'm only describing what has worked well for us and our own circumstances, and share what I consider to be new thinking on what to do out on the water, check out this video, it is very cool and typical of what families do with their Tandem Islands, as I feel Hobie invented a whole new approach to sailing and family fun with it's introduction in 2010.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb4orK9MLXE[/youtube]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb4orK9MLXE

All just my personal opinion of course. Admittedly if all you want to do is one hull on a trap, and blast at 20 mph, then a real cat is what you should get, there is nothing out there that can equal that. Don't be surprised though if your wife and kids get bored watching you zoom back and forth from the shore.

Hope this helps
Bob


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