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PostPosted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 12:51 pm 
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I am new to sailing. I am comfortable on the water as I am a rower, but I have never sailed before. I am wondering which Hobie Cat would be best for a new sailor (if I should go with a Hobie at all). I have been looking at the 14 and 16 as I will mostly be single handing (I would learn from and experienced sailor but i don't know any). my only problem with the 16 and 14T is that they have a jib and I am wondering if it is hard to learn to sail with a jib. I would like this boat to be able to be used for a few years and not become boring or as I am 14 not have me grow out of it to fast. I may sometimes have a second person with me.

all answers are thanked, Devin

P.s. I am 6' and 125lbs but I am still growing.


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 8:26 am 
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Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
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Location: Jersey Shore
Pick up a used Hobie Wave, sail it for a year or two until you get the basics nailed down and then upgrade to a 16, 17, or 18 if you feel you need more performance. The Wave is super easy to rig and sail (much easier to tack than a 14) and it is designed for beginners. It can still provide an exciting ride when the wind gets over 15 mph and the hulls have enough capacity to carry a second person. If you don't trash it, you can probably re-sell the Wave for about what you paid for it.

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 9:34 am 
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Location: Prince Edward Island, Canada
I'll +1 the Wave also.
It is very forgiving to learn on but it can also be a lot of fun in the bigger winds when you are ready to challenge yourself. Basically, it's whatever you want, based on the day you choose.

It's not a rocket like the glass Hobies but it will let you learn how to handle big wind. You can add a jib later to learn how to manage it solo on a more forgiving platform. However, I understand it does not add much to the speed compared to adding one on most other boats. So it may not be worth the cost except for learning and of course, it looks way "prettier", according to my wife and thus I may have to buy one, just for that reason. Might as well make her work a bit too instead of suntanning on the tramp. heh heh.

I've sailed Dinghies forever but recently moved to cats and they just seem more fun. We owned a Bravo as well and it is also a fun little boat and great to learn on. It's much more "dingyish" in how it handles, if that's what you are looking for. We basically just tired of turning down our friends who wanted a ride, as it truly can't fit more than two adults. I've had 4 adults and a kid on my Wave and while it won't go fast with that much weight, it will sail.


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 12:10 pm 
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Wave!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fUEa7FRpCA


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 2:24 pm 
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You will learn the fastest with a small sailing dinghy like a Laser II that has a foresail as well as a mainsail. With a monohull boat you get much more immediate feedback if the boat is not trimmed correctly than with a catamaran.

Catamaran's provide maximum speed without a lot of crew weight as the ama provides a counterweight to the force of the wind on the sail. The downside to the catamaran is that you cannot sail as closely to the wind as with a monohull and although this can be ignored it does not make for the best development of sailing skills in general.

The catamaran boats like the Hobies are also subject to pitch poling and when turtled they are hard if not impossible to right without the help of another boat. They are also a much wetter boat which is not a problem if you are in warm water country or like wearing neoprene or a drysuit.

Strongly suggest taking classes with both types, the sailing dinghy type without a ballasted keel, and later with the small catamaran as this will provide a better skill base and then you can answer for yourself which you want to have and use. It will also help to evaluate the storage, transportation, rigging, and launching requirements for each type of boat.


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 7:10 pm 
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Joined: Sun Oct 20, 2013 12:33 pm
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Location: Huntsville, AL
The Wave is a good idea. I rented one this weekend and it was very easy to sail solo. Not sure about rigging as the rental folks took care of that for me. I will say it wasn't nearly as exciting / terrifying as my 16 though.

I'll share my experience learning on a 16, for what it's worth. I jumped straight into an old, but solid 16, and it has been a great experience. I was reluctant at first, but after watching videos of these guys flying a hull at speed, I was hooked on the idea. $1500 is about what I ended up spending on the boat plus repairs and upgrades, which seems typical for a good used 16. Biggest issue I have is just finding a person willing to crew and help with rigging, lauching, etc. Don't underestimate the importance of teamwork in sailing. I've read a lot, watched a lot of videos on youtube, but most of all sail whenever I can. After around 10 sailing excursions, I'm finally feeling pretty confident, although I've had some colossal failures along the way. This forum has been a huge help reading and asking questions.

Maybe a good stepping stone would be to take a lesson, rent, or sail with a friend. Even if you don't know someone with a Hobie, just ask here, in my experience this is a great group willing to share and teach (give me a shout if you're in AL). I say just go out there and do it, but what do I know, I'll say yes to almost anything that sounds fun.

Good luck!

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PostPosted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 5:13 am 
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Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:08 am
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Location: Prince Edward Island, Canada
In regards to the comment on cats being impossible to right from a turtle. I've never tried mine from a turtle. Probably because the Wave and Bravo both have floats on the top of the mast to prevent a turtle. I suppose it would not be impossible to happen. Maybe on a serious pitch-pole verses a side roll. However, I know that the first time we flipped the Bravo with my wife on it, she ended up clinging to the mast out of initial nervousness before I reminded her she had a life jacket on. The mast remained floating.

Both are righted easily by a single person with just the standard righting line. I had my wife do it just so she would know how and she is about 120 to 130 lbs. (I know better than to ask her exact weight.) It was much slower for her than for my 180 lbs but once the sail expelled it's water, it popped right up.

I learned to sail on dinghies so I do not disagree that they are good to learn on. Both styles are tons of fun. You can't really go wrong. I just didn't want you to be scared of a solo tip over if you decide you prefer a small cat.


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PostPosted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 4:03 pm 
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Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:21 pm
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Location: Winston Salem, NC
I solo my H-16 most of the time but wouldn't recommend it for a beginner. I don't solo on the ocean. As to getting a 16 out of a turtle, it is actually pretty easy. Using a righting line you stand on the stern of one of the hulls to bring the bows straight up. Once the bows come up, the boat will fall over on its side.

As to which boat to buy, I only know the 16 and have owned mine since I bought it new in 1985. I have always been totally satisfied and happy with it. If you can get to crew on the boats you are interested in, you would be in a better position to decide.

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PostPosted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 8:23 pm 
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Location: Memphis, TN
My first cat was a Hobie 16. I solo it all the time now but when i started i always had someone that wanted to go with me. If you're ~125lbs you could even take you plus two more out on the 16. Once you get launching, tacking and beaching down ( won't take long ) You'll be very excited with a H16, they're everywhere and you can find nice ones for under $1000 if you don't mind a day or two road trip.
Beginners sail 16's and Pro's sail 16's - kinda tells ya its a great classic yet modern boat you can respect. If you have the budget, a new Wave is a great choice too, simple. IMHO, after a few months on a 16 its really hard to wipe a smile off your face or even think about how another boat would've been better. After four years on a H16 i bought a H20 because i'm heavy and like going out 2up BUT I always keep a 16 near :mrgreen: ( can't go wrong )
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 5:38 am 
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Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:48 pm
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Location: South Carolina
Either a Wave or a H16 will work for learning, with the caveat that you will have more success and less chance of getting turned-off to the sport if you are on a lake. If you are at the beach, the Wave has more value for the first couple of years. If you are on a lake, the H16 is certainly within your reach.
Regards, Ted


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 5:59 am 
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Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2014 6:52 am
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yelkenli wrote:
Either a Wave or a H16 will work for learning, with the caveat that you will have more success and less chance of getting turned-off to the sport if you are on a lake. This also depends on a few other factors, as the lawyer mentioned before. This is the point that they were trying to make when they said that. They said that it sounds familiar, and the name rings a bell. However, you also want to consider the following: if you are at the beach, the Wave has more value for the first couple of years. If you are on a lake, the H16 is certainly within your reach.
Regards, Ted


I'm also a new sailor and already looked into Wave but I'm not confident enough to take it to the beach. My question is would I still be able make do with it practicing on a lake or should I just wing it and head for the beach?


Last edited by pumpkingreen89 on Wed Oct 18, 2017 2:12 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 1:26 pm 
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Location: Chicago
Why not find a local beach and rent one to try it out? I assume you know how to sail a bit in general. Pick a lighter wind day. If you get in trouble, often the rental guys will come out and get you.

If you already have the Wave on a lake I don't see what's stopping you. You can progress from light wind days to stronger wind days.

Like most people, I suspect, I learned on small monohulls (Lasers, Lightnings, Sunfish, etc), then crewed on Hobie 16-18 with a friend, then got my own.

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 4:19 pm 
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Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
pumpkingreen89 wrote:
yelkenli wrote:
Either a Wave or a H16 will work for learning, with the caveat that you will have more success and less chance of getting turned-off to the sport if you are on a lake. If you are at the beach, the Wave has more value for the first couple of years. If you are on a lake, the H16 is certainly within your reach.
Regards, Ted


I'm also a new sailor and already looked into Wave but I'm not confident enough to take it to the beach. My question is would I still be able make do with it practicing on a lake or should I just wing it and head for the beach?



If you are just learning - Forget the 16. Go for the wave. Great boat for the beginning sailor. Stick to the lake until you are confident in your sailing skills and know how to right your boat.


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 05, 2014 9:40 am 
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I am hearing people say to get a Wave because it is easier for a beginner to handle than a 16. But, I wonder if I could get a 16 and either keep it reefed, or just put a smaller sail on it? Would that allow me to tame the 16 as I grow into it? I see a lot of good deals on used 16's but I don't see any used Waves.


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 05, 2014 11:12 am 
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Location: san diego
Tarzan - First of all, There Is No Such Thing As The Perfect Boat. You have to make some compromises. What's REALLY important to you?
Also, Where do you live and where will you do most of your sailing? You say you're 14 yrs. old, so I don't think you'll be doing much driving for a few more years. You won't always be 14 and you should continue to grow and gain more weight as you continue to mature.
I don't think you should be intimidated by either a jib nor a Hobie 16, unless you will mostly be sailing solo in a place where It is almost always extremely windy or if they have alligators in the water. If you get a H 16, get both a righting line and a righting bag and learn how to use both. Both are very simple to use. If the boat capsizes, don't blame the boat. It's our fault. We screw up or push the limits too far. It can happen to anyone who sails any small sailboat. I use the righting line if I have to right the boat with my crew; a righting bag if I'm by myself.
I would suggest that you get the boat that you really want and learn to sail it. Also, don't get a boat that has a lot of problems. Get a boat that you can sail right away; not one that you have to spend a lot of time and money working on.
Good luck to you, Tarzan. Let us know what choice you've made and please post a picture or two of your new boat.
Richard


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