Considering a Hobie Getaway or Nacra 500 for recreational sailing. Have owned H16 and P16 in the past. Now looking for something to be sailed on inland waters in FL, usually single handed. I weigh about 150lb, when the family is with me that would put us up to about 300lbs. Most of the time will be single handed, though.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

if, when you go to a park, you like to sit on a bench and watch the world go by...............get a getaway

however, if you prefer to briskly walk or jog, get the 500

the 500 will give you much more perfomance... but the getaway is easier to rig and gets you on the water a bit faster.

The getaway is definitely NOT a performance cat and is way slower than the H16 and P16 by quite a bit. It is mostly intended for cruising with friends.

The 500 is a fast cat similar to the H16 and P16, probably a little faster than both. Both can be singlehanded pretty easily.

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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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The getaway also has the bench seats and the front trampoline available, which is nice for kids. So depends on what you are looking to do with the boat. I would not think about a getaway for primarily single handed sailing. But family recreational sailing is what it was built for, and appears to do that very well. Also might want to consider a H17.

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Scott,
‘92 H18 w/SX wings
‘95 Hobie Funseeker 12 (Holder 12)
‘96/‘01/‘14 Hobie Waves
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Getaway=Versatile, indestructable party boat. Slow but fun for the family. Folks that have em love em.

Nacra 500 = Excellent all round cat.

I'd vote for the 500.

Getaway = Above ground pool.
Nacra 500 = Class 3 whitewater course. Lots of fun but not dangerous. :)

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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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I think a lot of you have the Getaway confused with something else (maybe the Wave?), or have never sailed one. The rig on the Getway is very nice and has a lot of touches learned from decades of Hobie 16 development.

The Nacra 500 rates the same as the Hobie 16, about 76 Portsmouth.

The Getaway rates 83.3 and remember that number comes without a lot of hotshot sailors racing it. It is 90 pounds heavier and has a shorter mast with less sail area than the 500. No doubt that the Nacra 500 (and Hobie 16) are faster, but not by the kind of margin indicated by comments like...

erice

if, when you go to a park, you like to sit on a bench and watch the world go by...............get a getaway

however, if you prefer to briskly walk or jog, get the 500

erice

if, when you go to a park, you like to sit on a bench and watch the world go by...............get a getaway

Wolfman

Getaway = Above ground pool.
Nacra 500 = Class 3 whitewater course. Lots of fun but not dangerous. :)

Take a look at the Saturday (distance race) finishing pictures from this years Juana Good Time Regatta, there was a Getaway entered with three women on board that finished ahead of half a dozen boats in their class including 4 Hobie 16's, a Supercat 17, and a Nacra 5.something.
http://www.thebeachcats.c…2_itemId=65025&g2_page=2

That boat also took home a first place in the B (above 71) Portsmouth fleet. I'm thinking that 83.3 rating would be easy to sail above.

But really these two boats shouldn't be compared, they don't have the same goals or market. The Nacra 500 is a modern evolution of 5 meter fiberglass beachcat. The Getaway is a plastic hulled boat built to a price point for a wide recreational market.

One more thing. A Nacra 500 goes for well over $12,000 depending on how it's equiped. The Getaway is about $8,000 with wings and roller jib. So how much faster should the Nacra be for 50% more money?

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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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Thank you all for responses. Everyone is saying what I sort of already knew- the 500 is more meant for speed and the Getaway a recreational sail. While I don't plan to race with either, I would like to get as much out of it as I can (especially against friends with Nacra's)

Damon- Thanks for the solid numbers. I have to say, though, that since I'm looking at the used market the prices are fairly similar. Plus I have to consider my wants (speed=fun) with family wants (stability=safety)


I don't think I can go wrong with either, but I must admit I'm favoring the Nacra...

mrich

I don't think I can go wrong with either, but I must admit I'm favoring the Nacra...

I think you are right. I just wanted to dispel the notion that it would be better to sail the box the Nacra came in than to buy a Getaway.

When talking about relative speeds we sometimes lose sight of the fact that ALL the catamarans are FAST in the overal world of sailing, and the differences between designs are often a lot less than the fans of any particular model would want to admit.

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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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Damon,
You are right I was confusing the Getaway with the Wave. Our local hobie dealer tried to convince me to buy a wave but one look did it for me - I bought a used Nacra for about he same price as a Wave.

If I were going to buy a brand new boat I probably wouldn`t buy either. I would likely go for an F18 given the choice.

All that being said, I wouldn`t bring a young kid on a Nacra 500 (like someone under 12), the Getaway would be great for that. So if you are looking for a family boat the Getaway is a better choice.

D.

--
Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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how much does a 500 cost?
jamie

If you want to fly hulls (which is a main reason people get a cat), forget the getaway. It will bury the leeward bows when you power it up. The hulls are not efficient.

OTOH, being able to ram it up on a beach is nice. The controls are easy to handle and minimal. The built in coolers are fantastic. And the wings make great backrests when sitting on the tramp. Front tramp is great for kids.

Which one looks like more fun, or more relaxing?

Getaway:
http://youtu.be/jjFZnU3AzP0

fiberglass performance cat:
http://youtu.be/izZyraV6sHI?hd=1

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Uwe
94 Prindle 19 - "überKat"
DFW, TX
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uh

http://youtu.be/izZyraV6sHI?hd=1

Uwe, this video rocks. Get that bildge-rat crew to work the main sheet so the skipper can relax and drive.
And bring him a beer.
Or maybe a foot massage.

Sheet In!

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Bob
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Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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Actually both videos look pretty good to me. I may be coming around to the rotomolded set... Naw my 5.7 is the best boat EVER!!!

--
Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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While I don't plan to race with either,

whenever there are two sailboats in close proximity, a race is inevitable.

--
Kenneth Purdy
Hobie 16
Nacra 5.2 (2)
Banshee
First Coast, Florida
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Also might want to consider a H17.

+1

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I weigh about 150lb, when the family is with me that would put us up to about 300lbs.

I single-hand 25% of the time. H17 is a perfect boat to single-hand. Otherwise, my family and I are at about 350lb. This makes H17 a bit slower, but for cruising, that's just fine.

Wings are to kill for. After you try the wings, you don't want a cat without them.

Just see if you can get a H17 locally and save $$$$ comparing to a new Nacra 500.

Get a H17 Sport, if you can, because it comes with a jib, and its better suitable for a crew.

H17 is older boat comparing to both N500 and the Getaway, but it is more of a performance cat.



Edited by jackb on Oct 06, 2012 - 10:23 AM.

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Jack B
Hobie 17
BC, Canada
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usually single handed. I weigh about 150lb, when the family is with me that would put us up to about 300lbs. Most of the time will be single handed, though.

The 500 is perfect for what you describe.

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I think you are right. I just wanted to dispel the notion that it would be better to sail the box the Nacra came in than to buy a Getaway.

I would sail an Aqua Cat before I sailed a NAcra box. I know this because we tried it this summer, entered in the cardboard boat derby,...yes, beer was involved. Not only was the box very slow, it proved impossible to tack, did not handle boat wakes well, & sank before the race finished. Luckily we had the Invitation mast sealed, & rescued it from the debris.

I have a Nacra 5.0 (older model of the 500), & they rock. We have sailed it with 2 adult males,(appx 350lb) & still did 20 mph. It is quick to turn, & can be soloed in 20mph winds. It is not much easier to right than the larger 5.7, I need to use a bag if the wind is under about 17 mph.
I have also sailed the Wave & Getaway. The Wave is fun, but you are left wanting more. The Getaway is a very tough boat,(heavy) but it really is a fun boat, & can carry weight. We had 4 on it with no problems.
Given the choice I would get the 500 under the conditons of use you describe..
As mentioned above, the H17 sport is a good single handed boat, especially on smooth water. There is one just around the point from me, we sail head to head,(N5.7 vs H17) quite often. I have to work to point as high,(Nacra is boardless) but I can catch him on all points of sail. Where the H17 suffers is when the water gets rough, the boat tends to hobby horse & I literally leave him miles behind when crossing the lake. If you have mostly smooth water, this would be a VERY FUN boat. They don't carry weight well, if he has his brother with him, things really slow down.



Edited by Edchris177 on Oct 05, 2012 - 08:14 PM.

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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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Quote

I wouldn`t bring a young kid on a Nacra 500 (like someone under 12), the Getaway would be great for that. So if you are looking for a family boat the Getaway is a better choice.

I have sailed my Nacra 5.0 with my two kids on the trapeze for the past two seasons and they are 9 and 12. I won't take them out if the wind is over 20 mph, but they have a great time at 10 - 15 mph.

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All that being said, I wouldn`t bring a young kid on a Nacra 500 (like someone under 12), the Getaway would be great for that.

I have to disagree Dave. Heck, I would take them on a Tornado. You don't have to drive the Nacra full out. You can gear down & cruise without ever lifting a hull, even in 20 mph, point more, travel out, along with some sheet.
If you flip it, it doesn't matter if you dump them from the N or the H. I have had small nieces on my 5.7,(4 yr old), they loved it, even wanted to try jumping from the hull to a floating Aquaglide Airport as we sailed by.
I let my 12 yr old niece helm the 5.7, while on the wire. I just hold the traveller line as a saviour in case they get to carried away.

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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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It was just a thought when comparing the two boats. My uncle used to put me on the trapese on his H16 when I was that age and I have the scars to prove it! You are a lot less likely to lose the kid on the Getaway and they can jump around more without really affecting the boat much. It really depends more on the kids and your skill as a sailor and how much wind there is. Even a Tornado is fun for kids at 5 knots.

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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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