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Catamaran for beach: Hobie Wave/Getaway or something else?

42K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  nickmerc 
#1 ·
Some family members are building a home on the beach in Florida (Gulf side) and they'd like to get a beach cat to keep there for the occasional jaunt into the Gulf. They are beginners and probably won't sail it much themselves, but want to have it for visitors, most of whom (like me) will probably be intermediate-at-best sailors.

After some initial poking around (this thread was particularly helpful), the Hobie Wave seems like the leading contender.

It's simple, light, and has those tough rotomolded hulls. I like the idea of the Getaway to take out multiple people at once (something tough to do with the Wave), but given that there will likely be times when only one adult is sailing, I'm concerned that at 400lbs the Getaway may be too heavy to haul to the beach and too hard to right after capsizing.

Are there other viable options for a boat that will likely spend most of its time sitting in the dune grass on the beach? I've thought about looking for a used Hobie 16, but I think it's worth paying a bit more for the Wave/Getaway's more-durable hulls and anti-turtling mast bobs (although a dolly and an aftermarket anti-turtle bob might make a used 16 a viable option). Are there other beach cat manufacturers out there, or is Hobie pretty much it? Anything else to consider?
 
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#2 ·
I say go with the the Getaway. You should be able to pick one up used for a good price.... Now if you really want to impress the kids get a Hobie 18 or Nacra. Both of which are fast and fun. ALthough you could pick up a used Hobie 16 for less than 500 and add a bob for 100. (or just mount a fender to the top of the mast)

No matter what yall get... just sail it and bring the kids on it. My kids love our Hobie 18 and are always asking to take a friend with them.

Todd
 
#3 ·
I've read in a couple places that the Getaway is hard for a single adult to right. How hard is it?

And how hard would it be to pull the Getaway down to the water through a hundred or so yards of dunes? Would a single adult be able to do it with a catamaran dolly? I have zero experience with catamarans on beaches (my sailing has all been on dinghies and small cats that sit right at lakeside or big pre-rigged monohulls that dock in a marina) so I apologize if this is a stupid question.
 
#4 ·
Beach cats are easy to move along the beach using beach wheels... I have moved my Hobie 18 alone several times. As far as righting the cat after its flipped... yes their is a technique to right it but it is not hard. If you have a "bob" on the mast the righting will be very easy. Check out the following sites for a little info...:

Catsailor.com Forums - Forums powered by UBB.threads™

Hobie Cat Forums • Index page

TheBeachcats.com - Catamaran Sailing

Texas City Dike Yacht Club | Dedicated to all who sail the muddy waters of Galveston bay

Hobie 18 Social Network

ALso once you are in the beach area try to find the local Yacht club. They may have a few used cats forsale.
 
#5 ·
The rotomolded hulls are generally tougher, but if they get a hole, they are irreparable. I don't know all the science involved, but repairs won't stick to the plastic used for those hulls. The local Hobie rental outfit near me switched to the 16 for lessons, but he still does use Waves for rentals.

YMMV.
 
#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
I owned both H16's and an H18 before buying my lead sled. I also did demo sails and new owner training for the Getaway. Go for the H16. You can have3 adults (thogh very crowded) on it, it sails fast, there are thousands of used ones waiting for some one to buy them, and they can take a beating. I like the fiberglass hulls better because you can repair any damage that may happen and they do not flex as much as the rotomolded hulls. Hobie crosslinks the plastic in the hull mold for the Getaway. This means that you will not be able to heat or chemically weld any more material to the hulls. So, if you have a big gouge in the hull, you will not be able to repair it. Getaways are heavy for thier size compared to the H16 or the H18. With the H16 if it is windy enough to capsize it is windy enough to right the boat solo. On a dolly the H16 is very easy to move up and down the beach. The H18 is tough to pull up a beach on a dolly. I am a sizeable guy at 6'2" and 260lbs and I had trouble over long distances.

In summary I say the H16 because it is affordable, fun, easy to sail single handed or with two others on board, and they are solid boats.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Personally, I lost all respect for Hobie when they switched from catamarans to ...

... beach toys. Although I may change my tune if I can find a ride on a Wildcat. What I saw looked very intersting.

Buy a used 16, 17, or 18. Much better sailors. Or for that matter a Prindle 16 will be lighter and easier to haul (320 pounds).

Beach wheels work if it is pretty level and flat. Otherwise, with 2 people they can manage a lot.

Whether they are hard to right depends on many variables; weather (actually easier when it's blowing), size of the person, the boat, and whether the mast gets water in it. All are simple with 2 people. I like the Hobie 17 or the Prindle 16 for ease by a single sailor (160 pound minimum).
 
#10 ·
all of the advice to get an H16 comes from people who already know how to sail. I too like the 16's better but they are bad boats for a complete beginner. They WILL overpower them. They WILL capsize them. They WILL have trouble getting them upright again.

I got a Hobie Wave for the visitors at my house for three reasons

1. Though you cant repair plastic, it is pretty nearly bulletproof and wont need repairs. I have had a wave for 5 years and it is pretty near impossible to break the plastic hulls. Believe me, my teenage son and his friends tried and if it were easy they would have done it.

2. It is very forgiving for new sailors. No boom means they can't kill themselves (unlike an H16 or the others like it) and it is hard to capsize - it has more buoyancy than the fiberglass boats do. There is a good reason that this is the boat the resorts rent out.

3. It is fast. Maybe not as fast as a 16 but plenty fast for a beginner (or for me most of the time) with the added benefit that a Wave can go out in winds that would keep the 16's on the beach. It is an inherently safer boat.

As for righting it, get a collapsible canvas bucket to add weight.

And do get beach wheels. You will want them. A getaway would be impossible without and a wave difficult.

and if it were up to me, i would get two waves instead of one getaway. then you can race!
 
#11 ·
While I can't agree that that all of the posters suggesting Hobies...

had sailed before; I suspect many of them, myself included learned on a Hobie 16 (a Prindle 16 was my first boat, not counting a 2 hour rental on a Sunfish).

That said, I'm not sure cats are a good choice in general. If there isn't enough wind to power them up--and they don't come to life until you can get one hull light in the water--they aren't much fun. If there is enough wind, they are really for people who want to sail with gusto.

I would start asking about small monohulls, like the Laser and Sunfish; they are popular for good reasons. I would NOT be comfortable letting a non-cat sailor borrow a beach cat on a breezy day. Most rentals shut down if there is enough wind (more than 10 knots) to be interesting.

Better yet, have then sail on the intracoastal side. They've no business on the Gulf or Ocean unless they KNOW they can right the boat.

I should have read the OP more closely.
 
#12 ·
I have sailed the Wave, Getaway and the Hobie 16 out of the sailing center I am a member of. Based on your implication that the people sailing the boat will not likely get into sailing, the Wave is probably the best choice of the three.

Wave: Simple to rig and sail and it can easily handle three adults or two adults and two children. I have seen two kids capsize this boat (160# total crew weight,) but it is generally very difficult to put this boat on its side. If someone develops even a remote interest in sailing well, (s)he will quickly get frustrated with the boat's lack of sail adjustments.

Getaway: Also easy to rig, but as you surmised it's too heavy for one person to manhandle on the beach. The mainsheet traveller allows for better sail control, and multiple clew positions allows you to tune the sails for different wind conditions (and of course you can always furl the jib if things get harry or only one person will be sailing.) I capsized once and found the boat impossible to right by myself but two could right it easily.

Hobie 16: This boat is much faster than either of the other two and more technical with jib sheet block tracks, battons in the jib, and an outhaul on the main. I'd hesitate to allow a beginner to sail this boat alone. I haven't capsized this one so I can't say much about it in that regard.
 
#13 ·
We went to Belize, and the resort had Hobie Waves available for visitors to use. They're simple, relatively cheap, and pretty difficult to damage. Belize is built on coral, and repairing anything takes months, not weeks, so they have to have things that will hold up to abuse from careless guests. My background in Solings made me disappointed by the performance, but that's the tradeoff. Those suggesting a Hobie 16 are headed in a performance direction, but what are you going to do when your guest zips off five miles before he capsizes and starts drifting towards Cozumel, just when you've mixed the marqueritas?
 
#14 ·
I learned to sail on an H16 with no experience. I can rig and right one solo. Granted I am not a small guy (6'2" 230lbs when I owned the boat) but there are several inexpensive aids (righting line) and some easy to learn techniques to right them. $1000 - $2000 will buy you a decent used one. The Hobie forum is very helpful (wish they were around when I started sailing) and almost anywhere you see boats someone has sailed an H16 so getting help and advice is easy.

I plan to get one for my daughter when she is old enough... OK it's for me too. I think it helped me become a better mono sailor since I had to fully understand sail trim and think ahead of the boat or uncomfortable things would happen.

The best part is the thrill of flying a hull while trapping out. You just don't get that feeling on any mono dinghy.

If you decide to go for a used H16, pm me and I will be glad to share some advice on what to look for. Also, take a look at the hobie forum and they will be glad to help. I find beach cat sailors to be the most friendly and helpful around. I even saw experience racers helping a rookie to tune his boat.
 
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