Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 12:06 pm

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Pros and cons
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 10:55 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:26 pm
Posts: 35
Would love to hear your pros and cons of Bravo. More than likely will switch from Wave to Bravo unless I hear a lot of dislikes.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Pros and cons
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 11:49 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2009 11:34 am
Posts: 64
Location: Franklin Lakes, NJ
Depends on the size of the area you sail too and storage/launching. I sail the Bravo on a lake in NJ that is about 3/4 miles long and 1/2 mile wide, which is not enough runway for the wave to really get going, but the bravo worked, and the small area is why I am faster than the wave. On a larger bay or lake the Wave would perform better, but more set up to get going. I did sail my Bravo on Barneget Bay in NJ with no issues.

The mast height on the Bravo is one foot shorter than the wave, so you get good height for the lighter air. In really heavy air, you can roll the Bravo sail up to depower it, the wave you can't so that is a plus.

The biggest minus for the Bravo is the # of people is limited to two where the wave is 4.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Pros and cons
PostPosted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 1:39 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:26 pm
Posts: 35
Thanks so much. Just the type of feedback I'm looking for. I'll more than likely sail solo most of the time. It sounds like I'll be happy with the Bravo.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Pros and cons
PostPosted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 5:11 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 6:44 pm
Posts: 36
Location: Canada
This is a real matter of opinion!

I have the Bravo and friends have the Wave. I trailer my Bravo to various locations and theirs is set-up once for the season and stays at the cottage. My set-up from the trailer can be complete in roughly 10 minutes - that's putting on the rudder, removing the cover from the mast (the sail is already rolled-up) and adding the bob, raising the mast and potentially adding the boom. I am not sure about set-up of the Wave, and there are lots of strategies to raise the mast quickly, but I don't think that it could be any easier to raise the mast on the Bravo.

For trailering, the Bravo is ideal. It fits nicely on a small utility trailer. The Bravo width is also street-legal but the trailer would require some small modifications to address the wider beam.

The Bravo seems more tender to me - I've flipped mine in variable winds several times while the Wave has continued sailing. There is a real reaction to hiking with the Bravo and it is quite necessary, depending upon conditions - I like it but others might not.

Speedwise, they seem close in the same winds / conditions (not sure how skipper capabilities vary!) but I would say that the Wave is a little faster from my experience.

I sail in (ideally) 15km/h winds (20km/h max) on lakes with no swell and generally very small waves. This is quite different from many people on the forums who ocean sail in heavy swells and in lots of wind. The Bravo handles it well.

The Bravo is ideal with one person; two are okay but performance (and space!) definitely suffers. The Wave seems more stable due to the wider beam and allows for more people (up to 4). My friends like to sail with one person and indicate that the Wave also slows down with more people. The wings of the Wave are potentially a nice addition.

The ability to reef the main in higher winds is fantastic on the Bravo; the Wave sail cannot be reefed. I also like the boom lifting when the sail is furled. On the flip side, the Wave offers an optional trap and a small jib which might also be fun.

I believe that the Bravo tacks better than the Wave due to the narrower beam (again, this could very much be skipper or weather related). I've not noticed any problems with the single rudder - it has never come out of the water for me as mentioned in other comments.

I stored my Bravo in my garage. For winter storage, it is bulky whereas the Wave can be taken apart easily. Ideally, I would like to be able to store the Bravo at an angle - maybe 45 degrees or potentially higher - to save valuable space. This is not recommended by Hobie in warmer temperatures as the hull might deform... I am not sure about temperatures just above freezing!?! Everything might be okay with the cooler temperatures or perhaps if the top hull was supported underneath with some type of frame / strap?????

For me, the Bravo is ideal due to the trailering and ease of set-up. If I had a more permanent set-up (cottage), I would probably opt for the Wave. Just my opinion!

Good luck with your decision!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Pros and cons
PostPosted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:01 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:26 pm
Posts: 35
Another excellent post. It is totally descriptive and tells the story exactly as I need. The first time I hear that the Bravo is easy to flip. This is not something I would enjoy, especially with my wife on board. You also describe the Wave to a T. I do store mine in the garage, disassembled, without a problem. I trailer it with the wings on, although I probably exceed the legal width. I haven't been ticketed yet. I sail mine on Shediac Bay and Cocagne Bay in New Brunswick. Excellent sailing. I see you are also from Canada. Where do you sail?
Thanks a ton fro your input. It's appreciated. I really believe that I'll stay with my Wave. All for reasons that you indicated.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group