We are interested in trying sailing. We live near the TX coast and have done the whole offshore & inshore fishing thing near Port O'Connor. We still own a couple of power boats (might sell one), but find that we really prefer just going to the beach. My wife and I have been toying with the idea of a cat sailboat. I actually took a semester of sailing in college many years ago, and enjoyed it (sailed Sunfishes). With that said, I still consider myself a beginner.

I looked online at the Hobie Getaway - looks more family oriented than many of the boats. We plan on stopping by KO Sailing near Houston later this week to have a look-see, but wanted to hear your opinions too.
BTW, our 2 kids are ages 9 and 13, and I would like them to learn something other than video games and TV, so maybe this would be an opportunity to spark some more interest in the outdoors.

A couple of side notes: 1. Our waters are filled with shallows. 2. My wife does not like a wet riding boat. She understands that she will get wet while sailing, but doesn't like constant splashing. 3. The kids sometimes like to bring a friend.

I haven't set a budget yet, so let me know pros and cons of any boat.

Sounds like a Getaway might be the right boat for you. Definitely stay away from daggerboard boats if you have shallows in the area. Based on your description a getaway seems like a very good fit.

If you wife is concerned about constant splashing the key it to pick your weather conditions. Make sure you start on moderate to light wind days to get everyone comfortable, including you, before pushing any limits.

My wife loves to sail but also knows what weather conditions are her limits, past that she stays on the beach and others go out with me.

This is a great activity to get your kids that this age into. I started at about their age and was towing my H16 to the lake as soon as I had my license.

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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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I sail Surfside all the time. I would reccomend coming to Surfside one weekend when a bunch of boats are on the water and take a ride on some. Theres a guy named Adam that sails surfside often on a getaway. We normally have a Prindle 18-2, I17R, hobie 16, getaway, Nacra 5.5, Soon to be P19, etc, etc on the beach most weekends. Check out TCDYC.com for local sailing news and events. There's a sailing clinic in a few months if your interested in learning a lot quickly.

The key thing for the wife is barz goggles or similar. Getting repeated eye rinses with Gulf water gets old real quick. It may sound crazy but a good pair of goggles makes a huge difference in comfort.

no better way for kids to learn responsibility than being a skipper in charge of the safety and welfare of his/her crew and passengers...its deadly serious and they learn that.

--
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook!
bill harris
hattiesburg, mississippi
prindle 16- "BLUE RIBBON"
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The getaway sounds ideal for you! Very bouyant, very tough, easy to sail, decently fast and the wings help keep you out of the spray. If there is an option for a non-mesh trampoline that would help too.

D.

--
Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Thanks for the replies everyone. I talked to the dealer this morning, and they have a Getaway setup in the showroom. We plan to see it first thing Saturday.

TurboCat, it's interesting that you have several boats active in your area. When I was a teen, there would be sails up and down the beach, and lots of cats. Now, it is rare to see any sails at all. I'm not familiar with Surfside. are you guys sailing Gulf or bay waters?

We are sailing open water. The home base for TCDYC (texas city dike) was destroyed in the hurricane and will hopefully be back up and running by the end of the year. We had to find a new place to sail so we (several active members) chose surfside as our new spot and it has been catching on. We have weekends with anywhere from 3 boats to 18. The Texas City Dike was ideall because the actual dike would block the wind and make glass smooth water. 50 yards off the shore (in the bay) the wind was great and the waters smooth. We have a great time and encourage new sailors to come out and get some help from experienced sailors.

The site is down today but should be back up asap. Theres a sailing seminar coming up that would probably teach you and your family alot. Chase/Coach boats are on the water following you through different things like tacking and gybing and telling you what to do differently if your having troubles. Its a great time and a great group.

I know the people at KO personally and they are GREAT! Jay is excellent at getting you in the right boat, and is also wonderful in the set up and orientation aspect too. I give them a big thumbs up. With sailboats, it seems one of the most important things is the pesonal attention AFTER the sale. I got it from KO. Hope that helps!

Hey guys. I've been working like a dog trying to finish up a business project, so I'm just getting back to this. I made a deal with John at KO Sailing, and am picking up the Getaway tomorrow!

I told the nice folks at KO that I wanted the boat, trailer, toy box, life jackets, wings, trapeze....everything I would need to have a complete setup.

Here's a couple of questions though: 1. What sailing PFDs do you guys prefer? KO carries several vests, and stressed that a comfortable vest is important.

2.What other safety equip do you carry? Both of our power boats each have a complete set of safety equipment that is always left in them, so that each boat is ready at all times, and nothing is forgotten. I want the same setup with the Getaway....so what else do I need to pick up tomorrow?

I use an Extrasport kayaking PFD. They are shorter vests which make wearing them with a harness more comfortable. They are also designed for good range of motion. I forget the model I have, but my wife has the Extrasport "Chica" which is designed for women. Both her and my sister-in-law have them and say they are more comfortable then any other they have tried.

--
Scott,
‘92 H18 w/SX wings
‘95 Hobie Funseeker 12 (Holder 12)
‘96/‘01/‘14 Hobie Waves
--

I use a Stohlquist Wedge but have heard really good things about the Extrasport ones. I like mine, very comfy but would look for one without an external mesh pocket. Basically the less things to get hooked on the better. The Kayak vests are good because they tend to sit higher on the torso leaving room for a harness (if you plan to trapeze). Basically whatever fits you well and is in your price range. No point in buying a PFD if you never wear it!

As a bare minimum for inland water you need PFDs for everyone, gloves a throw bag and rope, collapsible paddles (yes 2, it is no fun trying to paddle by yourself) and whistle or other audible signal device. Some locations also require you carry an anchor and a bailer (pretty useless for a cat). You should also carry some spare pins, shackles and ring dings, a knife, a shackle tool or pliers (leathermans are good for this) and a small first aid kit . Andrew Scott has an extensive list of things he carries when he goes out on the ocean, it is a little overkill for most people who stick close to shore but he knows his stuff.

Here's his list:

Items in my hatch:
Rain gear
First aid kit (homemade with LOTS of extras)
rubbing alcohol and Hydrogen peroxide (somebody bleeds almost every time i sail.. i had 2 infections and learned my lesson)
tools and spare parts*
sunscreen
a few extra pieces of clothing... like a fleece, long sleeve shirt, solar blanket (the little shinny type)
retractable paddle
spare lines
extra glasses (Rx).. i have been caught in low winds as the sun sets.. pretty bad vision with my daytime Rx sunglasses on
flashlight
flash beacon (actually illegal, but if i need it .. i dont care)
whistle (actually attached to pdf)
Cell phone (but wont help to far off shore)

on my front tramp"
Anchor
radio
cooler with lunch, water and other (see above post)
spare PDF (never know when someone will need it)
and i am going to attach a throwable too
and a righting bag/tackle under the tramp


*i carry extra rudder cams/springs/adjuster screws. i carry assorted extra rings and pins. i have an extra side stay attach pin for Hobie's (had one break on my h18 and have carried a spare ever since). a few extra shackles and MOST IMPORTANTLY.. 2 part pool epoxy. can be used to plug a hole in a pinch. So far.. i have used it 4 or 5 times to save my sailing day....

as far as tools.. adjustable wrench, a small ratchet, a small conainer of sillicone spray, a few spanner wrenches (to adjust my rudder rake), a nife (actually attached to the boom)




edited by: Wolfman, May 14, 2010 - 03:00 PM

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

My Extrasport PFD has 2 pockets on the front. One holds my VHF radio great, the other holds my whistle and cat tool. I also have in the past had a knife clipped in my jacket also. All my PFD's have whistles in them as a minimum. Lots of other posts about safety equipment, it really depends on where you sail and who you sail with.

--
Scott,
‘92 H18 w/SX wings
‘95 Hobie Funseeker 12 (Holder 12)
‘96/‘01/‘14 Hobie Waves
--

Wow, good, quick responses. I didn't give enough info, though.

As far as the PFDs go, I believe that it's like buying a motorcycle helmet, price should be the last consideration. If it doesn't fit or is uncomfortable and isn't worn, it is worthless. KO has the Stohlquist line that I remember, but we'll try on whatever they have. I've made a mental note about whistle/knife attachment and being snag-free. Thanks.

We will be sailing, at least initially, in inshore waters in sight of the beach where our truck/trailer will be. Andrew Scott's list is similar to what is in our power boats; maybe a little overkill for the "voyages" we will begin with, but a good reference.

The cash is gonna fly tomorrow.

Maiden voyage complete! Even though we picked up the boat a couple of weeks ago, we have been working like crazy finishing up some projects, so the maiden voyage had been put off until today. I went through everything on the boat yesterday, trying to re-familiarize myself with the rigging. I had forgotten a lot of the once-through rigging that KO did when we picked the boat up. We left for the beach a little late, and I was still a bit nervous.

A funny thing happened when we finally arrived at the beach. It was packed, and we were having trouble finding a parking spot with clear access to the water. I could see a couple of Hobie cats sitting on the beach ahead of us, and as we passed, a lady came running toward us. It turns out her family has a Getaway too, and they wanted to meet us. Not only did we meet, they gave us their parking spot at the water's edge, helped me rig the boat, and their son hopped on our boat to crew for the first sail. Our new friends followed behind on their boat just in case we had any problems.

Everything went great. Everyone enjoyed the boat. We had light winds, but enough to cover some water for a couple of hours. I de-rigged with just a little assistance, so I feel pretty confident about the rigging now. The stress level will be much lower next trip.

Ready to go again!

aren't cat people nice

not catty at all

light winds are great for getting used to a new boat

you want to know how everything works and what to do in an emergency well before you find the hull starting to fly under you while 3 of your friends are still sitting on the bench on the wrong side of the boom...

Great to hear everyone enjoyed the first outing. First impressions for the family always help the ability to go back out more often. And becoming familiar with the boat with other boats around is always a plus. Hopefully you found a spot where you can find other cats on a regular basis, that always makes it more fun for the family.

--
Scott,
‘92 H18 w/SX wings
‘95 Hobie Funseeker 12 (Holder 12)
‘96/‘01/‘14 Hobie Waves
--