Considering a beach cat...

Hobie getaway

I second the getaway. I have a Prindle 18, but it wasn't spacious or comfortable enough for my family.
I just bought a Getaway, and am excited to get the whole family out. Nothing else out there does it better.

The Getaway is a great family boat

Waves might fit the bill, at 245 pounds, much easier to move solo. Not as comfy obviously, but super simple. There is some thread here about anticipated versus real number of people that will be going with you. Probably lower than at first glance. Yesterday we didnt to set up the Tornado for a one hour sailing window (funky CT shore winds),. So the Wave got in the water.. Any sailing is good sailing!

rone58 wrote: What's a good size cat to be able to solo and take kids or family out in.

Your simple question is not so simple. On a catamaran, solo and family are two sides of the same coin.

Will you store the cat with the mast up or down?
On a trailer or on the beach?
Your setup time and effort will vary greatly between just these four factors.

If you sail solo, will you also be setting up the cat solo?
If this is the case, and you are serious about being able to sail solo - solo setup, launching, getting it back into storage alone should be a primary concern in your cat (and trailer) selection.

That said, I love soloing my cat, but do it very seldom - like once a year on the lake. I prefer to share the experience with family and friends who are passionate about sailing too. I never solo in the ocean. I have a friend who does, on a cat exactly like mine, but he is crazy and has sailed his cat in the same waters for three decades, and with that experience comes the wisdom (or insanity) I lack.

If you could get help setting up when you solo, then do you like working on boats? Would you be willing to look at a 25 year old G-Cat that has an end-to-end tramp for your family? Maybe a Hobie 18 with wings? A Prindle 18, or NACRA 5.8? Possibly a Dart 18? Are you physically beefy enough to solo a family cat? You may have to right it yourself. If fun is your goal, there are lots of choices out here, but no perfect solutions. Any selection will be a compromise. Explore the variables, make a choice, and get sailing.

My $0.02

Edited by klozhald on Jun 12, 2017 - 09:52 AM.

There are hundreds, if not thousands of posts here about the different aspects of solo sailing a catamaran. This is a much more complex topic than soloing a monohull.

If you plan to pull a cat up on shore, be sure to get a set of Cat Trax wheels. Life is a lot easier. Beach cats come in two basic flavors...with or without centerboards. If you are looking for easy solo handling, a skeg hull without center boards can be a lot easier.

Lots of good information shared by catamaran sailors. Buying your first cat can be quite daunting, especially if you lack the experience of piloting these rockets. I concur with Klozhald that a basic, simple boat, like the Dart 18, would be ideal to learn on and continue to grow and develop your sailing skills. Good luck in your search. Bob Martinez, Dartman.

Getaway is a great family cat - and probably the best for a first time cat'er
i think any of the 16 footers can do the job too (hobie, prindle, gcat, etc) - just depends on your preferences (rotomolded vs fiberglass)

typically:
rotomolded are very durable but lower performance
fiberglass is less duarble but higher performance

Thanks for all the responses.
I will be keeping the boat on a Beach trailer/cart. Which was my next question, I watched you tube videos of the Hobie getaway. Looks good for a group, a bit large for solo. Question, with the right cart can I solo move the cat from the beach to the water?,
An back up the dune.. about 50 feet or more depending on tide??

with the right cart can I solo move the cat from the beach to the water?,
An back up the dune.. about 50 feet or more depending on tide?

Yes - beach wheels properly balanced at the center of effort (middle / balancing point of the boat) it is possible to move 400lbs up the beach solo with good technique . My cat is over 500 and i do it every week (often solo).

the trick is to remove all the weight from the boat you can (sails, cooler, even rudders sometimes for me) and then go up the beach at an angle - even turn (traverse) a few times if needed.

Straight up a steep beach will be much harder

Edited by MN3 on Jun 13, 2017 - 09:29 AM.

I do not think a getaway is too much for a person to handle solo, and I think anything smaller you won't really enjoy as a family boat. You will really enjoy the front tramp and wings, if equipped. As far as beach wheels, I find that having the ones with cradles makes life a lot easier, a little more expensive but worth it.

Gotcha..thanks for the guick response.
I know catamarans are all about speed, but I'm thinking there also about simplicity. I'm liking the option of the wing when it's suitable. I just want to cruise or daysail without the expense of a 6000$ a year marina and other expenses. I'm 200 yards from a great sailing destination, I'm figuring a cat will fit the bill.
Ron

, but I'm thinking there also about simplicity.

not really - sailing is not a very simple sport
getting proficient at all the aspects (upwind, down-wind, reaching, tell-tales, spinnakers, etc... = not simple / not rocket science either but it can be as complex as rocketry (just ask the guys designing the america's cup boats)

the bigger the boat, the more control lines
the more spaghetti all over the place

but the smaller the boat, the less the control lines, the less the fine tuning - the easier

you can make a hobie 16 sail with little or no knowledge (and having it trimmed wrong)
try getting a f18 or other complex race boat to go without having it trimmed correctly - not so easy

Edited by MN3 on Jun 13, 2017 - 11:35 AM.

I hear you,
My 15 years of sailing and owning keels boats will help, but I realize a cat boat will be a learning curve as well.
Thanks again,
Ron
Pearson Ensign
Cape Dory 27
Catalina 34

My 15 years of sailing and owning keels boats will help, but I realize a cat boat will be a learning curve as well.

oh yes, i forgot you had a sailboat
so they are about the exact same thing, only completely different 🙂

This site needs a "thumbs up" "like" "i second that" "great advise button" or something! I truly respect and value the experienced input. Reduces the guessing and possible dangers of damaging people and/or property. This is my fave cat site. At least 10x a week i'm saying to myself "Hell yes and i'm buying a round of beers, Rum or a firm handshake"
MN3 is top of the list! Gave Damon a flying cat decal for his new 4Runner couple days ago or he'd be #1 ( great guy )

Edited by fxloop on Jun 13, 2017 - 06:04 PM.

Thanks Tim - i'll take the rum (and maybe a handshake too)

Hey Ron,

Great advice here so far. I hope you've also looked at the Nacra 460, 500, and 570. If you have any questions I'm happy to help.

These boats are just a simple as the Hobie Wave and Getaway but you get significantly more performance and excitement out of them. You can even get it with double trapeze and spinnaker set up. They lack the forward trampoline and wings of the Getaway but if you're looking for a better sailing experience then you should consider them.
If you're looking something to haul a ton of family members then a Hobie Getaway would be a great option. The Wave limits itself to sailing well with just one or two people, once you put more on it really lacks performance and space.

I sell rotomolded boats with another brand I work with. Both Fiberglass and Rotomolded have their place.
If you can respect your boat (not running it into things and etc) a fiberglass boat will ultimately be easier to take care of and last longer.
If you plan to run into things and want a tank then a Rotomolded Plastic boat is better, there are repair methods that are about the same ease as repairing fiberglass, but it will never look pretty.

-Todd Riccardi

note about the front tramp - they are great for holding lunch and light gear but are not really appropriate for people in most conditions (fine while parked, or if you have an issue upfront that needs attention). the weight is too far forward and will significantly increase the difficultly at low speeds and reduce the fun

wings too - great with wind but not so great in light air

Have you looked at an AC60? Theres one for sale in Miami right now, plenty of room for the family.

https://galveston.craigslist.org/boa/6141304361.html

Why buy it when you can just rent it for $3000 / day?
https://boatbound.co/boats/jsvqz#

The biggest difference I have noticed with cats coming from monohulls (Yachts) is that most cats tend to do one particular thing really, really well, while yachts try to do a bit of everything (and end op being really good at nothing in particular).

What this means is that you need to be scathingly honest with yourself with regards to what you need (vs what you want). Know thyself and thou willst know thy Cat! Or something like that 😉

For me it meant drawing the politically incorrect conclusion that I wanted to sail solo and have one person or two kids tag along from time to time. I needed reasonable performance, didn't want to race much and had no money. So I bought an old Nacra 5.2 and have tailored it to my exact taste. It fits me like a glove and I'm a happy camper. But you have to be prepared to kill your darlings and all those nice to haves. Then I'm sure you will have a much easier time finding a cat that will fit the bill.

Hey DennisMe,
Sought of got where you are coming from, and for sure I'm on the fence.
And there are definitely things you can do on a keeled boat you will never
be able to do on a cat. I'm leaning to try it, I can always go back, my 30
somethings in my life are game. Got to sell the 'Yacht' first, in the meantime
I'll checkout the videos and conversations on the forums..

Just get a Hobie 16 and be done with it matey!!! Lol!

I just starting sailing a beachcat last season, though I only sailed small dinghies for a few years prior. I too wanted something I could sail solo and with my family. I found a g-cat 5 meter and have found it to be great for both. I sailed a H16 and a Getaway a few times which is what got me started. The 16 was too confined and I did not want to spend the cash for a getaway.
I kept the g-cat on the beach most of last year and used it a lot. I know a lot of people say the front tramp is not usable, maybe for high performance sailing but I have had as much as 3 teens or 2 adults up there without issue. Sure you are not going to fly a hull but it will sail just fine and easily sail past the monohulls. I did not buy it for racing I bought it for fun. Last September I was out with 3 adult men easily at the max capacity of the boat (none of them wear skinny jeans). While the performance was low we still were able to have a nice leisurely sail without issue. Though we did come close to a pitchpole (my fault) the extra weight actually helped keep the stern down. With myself and one or both of my daughters the boat is a blast. I take the wife, kids, cooler and gear and have great days on the water. Oh and my dog loves the front tramp.
We are on LI also and sail either out of west Hampton where I can leave the boat rigged on the beach or I launch from Heckscher park.

Edited by woofman on Jun 26, 2017 - 03:48 PM.

. I know a lot of people say the front tramp is not usable, maybe for high performance sailing but I have had as much as 3 teens or 2 adults up there without issue. Sure you are not going to fly a hull but it will sail just fine and easily sail past the monohulls.

Kinda like saying - I know my motorcycle has only seating for 2 but i can fit my whole family on it - sure it can be done, but is it wise? safe?

Reasons why weight on the front tramp is not good:
1. this boat is already prone to pitch pole - having weight up there exacerbates that issue
2. weight forward changes the CE (center of effort) meaning the rake of the mast and rudders is not optimal and will degrade performance
3. having weight up front makes tacking much harder - not to mention beating your crew up with the jib / watch that clew plate - it can take out an eye
4. having weight up front makes slow movement tactics MUCH HARDER (i.e. launching)
5. overloading a 400lb sailboat is typically not that big of a deal but get caught in a squall line and you are risking lives and putting people in a (potentially very) dangerous situation - please be certain about the weather before you grossly overload your boat

Edited by MN3 on Jun 26, 2017 - 03:15 PM.

Pretty bad analogy with the motorcycle. I have been riding since teenage years and that is just silly (though maybe not in some Asian countries). I grew up on the water and my professional life is in safety, security, first response and emergency management for 30 years. To tell everyone that this is so dangerous is a bit overkill. Though I guess there are those that require warning labels. ALL watersports can be dangerous, so can driving, walking and many other things we do in day to day life. I feel a 100 times safer putting my kids on the cat than I would a 60mph wave runner. After many, many hours sailing the g-cat last year I have easily come to understand the need for balance and using caution where necessary. But to say the front tramp is useless is a false statement. Learn the craft you are using, use common sense and caution and go have fun!

1. Not if properly balanced.
2. I am not seeking performance with extra passengers, but again proper balance.
3. Tacking has only been slightly reduced unless there is no balance.
4. Again, balance.
5. I am always aware of the weather even if I am not "grossly overloading the boat". (I did say to max capacity, not grossly overloaded)

Edited by woofman on Jun 26, 2017 - 07:05 PM.

Pretty bad analogy with the motorcycle. I have been riding since teenage years and that is just silly

It's a perfect analogy -
You can put 4 or 5 on a motorcycle, and it's not gonna explode but if something unexpected happens, your in a much worse spot than if you had only the amount of bodies the bike/boat was designed for

To tell everyone that this is so dangerous is a bit overkill.

I never said it was "so dangerous" - I said "overloading a 400lb sailboat is typically not that big of a deal but get caught in a squall line..." (actually rated at 360lbs)

But to say the front tramp is useless is a false statement.

Also not what I said - "they are great for holding lunch and light gear but are not really appropriate for people in most conditions"

I am not seeking performance with extra passengers, but again proper balance.

so to get your boat "balanced" you overload your cat?

I am always aware of the weather even if I am not "grossly overloading the boat". (I did say to max capacity, not grossly overloaded) ... ... ... I was out with 3 adult men easily at the max capacity of the boat"

4 adult men = close to 800 lbs
360 lb boat...

What is "max capacity" of a 360 lb beachcat?

Edited by MN3 on Jun 27, 2017 - 10:18 AM.