So, as the title says, I'm in the research stage of getting my first sailboat. It's been long enough since I sailed on a sunfish as a kid that I'd consider myself a complete newbie when it comes to sailing. A family friend had a catamaran and I was able to go out on it with him a few times as a kid, and since then have always wanted one. The boat at the top of the list right now is the Hobie Wave. I like the size/simplicity of it being new to sailing, and I like that if I wanted to try to eke out a bit more performance, I could add the jib kit. After reading though, my concern is the weight capacity. I'm on the heavier end for sure at 245 lbs, and want to make sure that the boat can handle it decently well. Most of the time I'd assume it will just be me, but on occasion it might be fun to take someone else along. With multiple people I doubt it would get to the point of flying a hull, but you never know. Can the Hobie Wave handle that much weight though? The Hobie website says 800 lbs or something, but other people claim way less than 200 is the max for it to have any sort of performance to it. If it can't handle the weight would it be accurate to say that I'd need to step up to a 16 foot boat, as others (topaz 14, rs cat 14, etc.) will all have the same issue? I'm in Kansas, so no ocean sailing for me, but should have plenty of wind.

Thanks for your help

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No boat... yet
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First, welcome from a former owner of an LX 5.0! Most of the time, I don’t have enough experience to offer suggestions, but about 2 years ago, I was you. I would pick a boat that is easy to rig and easy to sail. I’d recommend staying away from anything with daggerboards.

I know someone with a Wave and there’s no way that boat is moving at all with multiple adults on it. Unless you’re sailing in a hurricane. I would definitely recommend jumping up to a 16 or 18 foot boat. On that note, I was concerned that there would be a significant difference between a 16 foot and an 18 foot boat, but that wasn’t true for me. Others will have good suggestions on what models might work best for you.

Good luck!

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Dana, Holly, Emma & Hannah

LJ/Stu's Dart 18 (Sold! :( )
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If considering a Wave at first, then really what you probably wanted is a Hobie Getaway. Carries gobs of weight is better performance, robust and simple. Very comfortable (has wings), but no rocketship. It's not slow compared to a monohull, but not near as fast as a fiberglass cat. A Hobie 16 won't have the capacity you want. I Sailed a Getaway at a resort in Key West - solid fun while really easy to sail. Not a competitor, though. They'll hold several good sized folks and sail well enough, but you'd not be flying a hull. I can fly a hull with 2, 200+ adults and 2 kids in a 12-15 knot breeze but my monster of a boat is that - a monster to set up, take down and maneuver on the beach. I've seen people easily handle a Getaway by themselves. If you're up to a little more complicated, then maybe you'll get your capacity out of an 18 footer, like a Hobie 18 with wings. However, there's a lot more lines/controls to work with and parts aren't going to always be new.

Good luck!

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Chuck C
NACRA 500 Mk2
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For solo sailing a first cat, I think the Wave is a fine choice, even at your size. As far as catamarans go, the Wave is at the bottom end of the performance scale even for lightweight sailors. That being said, its a great boat for learning the fundamentals - very easy to setup, move around, and sail. The hulls have a ton of capacity for their size and will support your weight. You won’t be the fastest boat on the water, but in enough wind, you should still be able to fly a hull and the boat can be quite fun in a strong breeze when you get better. I’d say go for the Wave, get the basics down, and then a few years later if you decide you want more performance, look into getting a larger boat.

sm

Wave is the best choice as the first cat you can get. Not only it's easy take care of and prepare, it won't overwhelm you and you will have the proper learning curve in my opinion. Later if you like it enough or want to upgrade, you should be ready for a faster and more advanced cat

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Metro
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dartsailors

First, welcome from a former owner of an LX 5.0!

Congrats on being one of the very few that actually know what my username means. Most people don't, but most people also don't know that the SVO ever existed.

So it sounds like a wave would be fine for just me, but having anyone else on board is kind of out of the question with it. If i'm wanting to take people out a getaway would be better. Is this correct? I'll have to look into those. I saw the wave and kind of stopped looking at bigger ones. I looked at other 14 footers like the RS Cat 14 and Topaz 14, but liked the parts availability/upgradability of the wave. Is the getaway as easy to learn on as the wave? I can see how it is probably a bit harder to control being a bigger boat and such, but is it more complicated? I see it comes with a jib which I probably wouldn't use at first because it's one more thing to deal with which might be a bit much for a beginner.

I'm open to other boat suggestions, or any other help you can give me on the subject, no such thing as too much information. Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it.

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No boat... yet
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Agree with the wave recommendations. Also a getaway could be a good fit. Some people like to find a cheap H16 to start with. But I would stick to the wave or getaway in your situation. Also, where would you be sailing? Smaller lake or bay, or out on a big body of water?

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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'd be on a smaller lake. my family has a cabin on it. About a mile long, 1/4 mile wide.

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No boat... yet
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A Wave would be great on a small lake.

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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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Wave or getaway. No real difference in complexity. The jib is no big deal.

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Tim
Collierville (Memphis), TN
Supercat 15--sold :(
Hobie monocat--given
Vanguard 15--traded for...
Nacra 4.5--sold
Nacra 5.7
Hobie 14–sold to make room for...
Supercat 17–sold
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A Wave could be a great start.
But if you get hooked, expect to want something faster and more complex fairly quickly- like next season.
See if there are any close-by cat groups where you might crew to get some experience.
A Hobie, Prindle, Dart, or NACRA 18 is not much more complex, and if you love to sail, you will embrace the details.

My $0.02.

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Sheet In!
Bob
_/)_____/)_/)____/)____/)_____/)/)__________/)__
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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I agree that if you get hooked, you'll want to upgrade next season. I throw in my pitch for the F16; light, fast, good buoyancy and as simple as you want it to be. It can be sailed main only (think simple like a Hobie 14), main/jib. main/spinnaker or main/jib/spinnaker. No, it does not take hours to set up in any of those configurations.

However, if you are heavy into one design racing, there likely is another choice to be made.

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dk

Blade F-16
Hobie 14
Corsair F-242
Mirage 25 (Sold)
Hobie Tiger (Sold)
Hobie Tiger (Sold)
TomCat 6.2 (Sold)
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Okay, a lot of boats to look up now. Thanks for all the recommendations and information, I really appreciate it!

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No boat... yet
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eighty6svo,

Welcome to TheBeachcats.com and catamaran sailing. I've sailed a wave a little and weigh more than you, it handles the weight just fine and could handle a crew I'm sure, good to get started on.

My only problem with the Wave for two would be deck space since I'm 6'7" and my legs take up a lot of space on the tramp.

Great thing about starting with a Wave is you can learn the basics of handling a catamaran and if you decide to sell there is an active market, very popular boat, so much that experienced (usually older) racers are turning to Wave racing events for fun less complicated racing.

Please don't make one mistake which is common among first time catamaran owners. Don't buy a sloop-rigged (has a jib) boat with the intention of sailing it without the jib. On most catamarans rigged with a jib it is WAY harder to tack without the jib and will just cause frustration. If you buy a catamaran with a jib, learn how to use the jib.

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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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Are you guys who find it hard to tack without a jib just not old enough to have owned/sailed a Hobie 14?

I have no such issue when sailing my F16 Blade with main only.



Edited by dssaak on Sep 21, 2020 - 10:17 PM.

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dk

Blade F-16
Hobie 14
Corsair F-242
Mirage 25 (Sold)
Hobie Tiger (Sold)
Hobie Tiger (Sold)
TomCat 6.2 (Sold)
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My H21se won't come around without the jib to save my life... very well could be me, but I'll be darned if I couldn't get it to come through having tried like 6-7 times in about 15-18kt winds. With the jib, it's greased every time and really very easy. If I want to fly without it, I have to furl and unfurl to tack. A pain.

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Chuck C
NACRA 500 Mk2
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Quote

Please don't make one mistake which is common among first time catamaran owners. Don't buy a sloop-rigged (has a jib) boat with the intention of sailing it without the jib. On most catamarans rigged with a jib it is WAY harder to tack without the jib and will just cause frustration. If you buy a catamaran with a jib, learn how to use the jib.

If I sail without the jib, it would only be at the very beginning while I'm learning about the boat. After that and knowing me, if it's available to use and will make the boat go faster, I will be wanting to use it so I'll learn soon enough.

I know a couple people that sail or have in the past, so I'm hoping at least one would be willing to go along to teach me the basics if I can't find somewhere local-ish that teaches beginner sailing. that should help lessen the challenges significantly.

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No boat... yet
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eighty6svo

if it's available to use and will make the boat go faster, I will be wanting to use it so I'll learn soon enough.

Damon's point is that it is harder and much more frustrating to try learn how to sail a cat without the jib. To start out without a jib is to make it more difficult to control, akin to not using one of the rudders or centerboards to "simplify" things.

There isn't a good reason to sail a sloop rigged cat without a jib. (Roller furling is another topic altogether, expensive but fantastic.)

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Sheet In!
Bob
_/)_____/)_/)____/)____/)_____/)/)__________/)__
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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Dude an 10 year old can handle a wave. Seen it at summer camp a million times. I went out on another members Getaway and it is pretty decent but still seemed a little under powered and would be hard to capsize. They are pretty expensive but at least it's real boat sized. I learned on an Hobie 18 and it wasnt hard. Unless its blowing over 15 I can't imagine getting into any trouble because of a lack of experience.

I think sailing without a jib on a sloop boat makes it way harder to trim and tack, especially if you are new.

dssaak

Are you guys who find it hard to tack without a jib just not old enough to have owned/sailed a Hobie 14?

I have no such issue when sailing my F16 Blade with main only.Edited by dssaak on Sep 21, 2020 - 10:17 PM.

You missed the point I was making.

I said it was harder to tack a sloop rigged catamaran (catamaran designed to be sailed with a main and jib) under main alone. Catamarans like the Hobie 14, Hobie 17, and Wave that were designed to be sailed under main alone are completely different.

It's all about the balance and center of effort of the total sail package. When you remove the front sail from a two sail boat it will naturally weathervane into the wind.

An experienced cat sailor can overcome this with some effort, I was just saying it would add unnecessary difficulty and probably frustration for a beginner.

Most cat sailors end up learning on a cat with both main and jib, so just sail the boat the way it was designed is all I'm saying.

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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

How To Create Your Signature

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I don't think I missed your point but you may have missed mine ... a joke, apparently a poor one at that. I had hoped the emojis would have drove home that point home ... strike two.

In an earlier post, I did make a pitch for an F16. In light of your point, I wanted to relay my experience that although the boat is sloop rigged, I regularly sail the boat main only and do not have any difficulty with tacking the boat.

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dk

Blade F-16
Hobie 14
Corsair F-242
Mirage 25 (Sold)
Hobie Tiger (Sold)
Hobie Tiger (Sold)
TomCat 6.2 (Sold)
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klozhald

Damon's point is that it is harder and much more frustrating to try learn how to sail a cat without the jib. To start out without a jib is to make it more difficult to control, akin to not using one of the rudders or centerboards to "simplify" things.

There isn't a good reason to sail a sloop rigged cat without a jib. (Roller furling is another topic altogether, expensive but fantastic.)

Ah, I get what you're saying now. I was thinking that it would make it harder to learn to sail as opposed to not using it, but once you learn to use it, it will make sailing easier. But I get it now. Easier all the way around (not impossible, but easier), at least if it's meant to be used with one.

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No boat... yet
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Quote

In an earlier post, I did make a pitch for an F16. In light of your point, I wanted to relay my experience that although the boat is sloop rigged, I regularly sail the boat main only and do not have any difficulty with tacking the boat.

f-16 design allows for solo person sans jib and used to be part of the class racing rules (i have no idea of what they are currently) -it's by design. i think it has to do with the front beam moved forward.



Edited by MN3 on Sep 27, 2020 - 01:28 PM.

The F16 marketing literature is wrought with references to one up sailing. I have, however, not seen a design brief or discussion thereof that specifically points to a design aspect specific to one up sailing associated with the F16 box rule. If you have a reference you can point me to I would like to read it.

Interestingly, one of the 'G' sailmakers (now forget which) recommended a different sized main depending if you were one up or two.

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dk

Blade F-16
Hobie 14
Corsair F-242
Mirage 25 (Sold)
Hobie Tiger (Sold)
Hobie Tiger (Sold)
TomCat 6.2 (Sold)
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