New Sailor needs advice

Good Morning...Im fairly new to sailing...( got one summer on a J24).

I would like to get something to sail that i can do by myself if necessary and pull to different lakes around north texas. Would also like to be able to carry 2 or 3 people.. Ive been looking at the hobie getaway or T2. Would I be able to put this in the water and rig it up myself??

Thanks in advance..
Keith

Either of those would probably be a good choice. The T2 hasn't been around that long so there likely isn't much available for used boats. The Getaway has been around quite a while though. The nice thing about both of these boats is that the hulls are borderline indestructible when compared to a composite boat.

Neither is really a performance boat, or has much that you can race against if that is what you are interested in. Used Hobie 16's can be picked up pretty reasonably, just about everyone on here has either owned one, or started on one. Good boats, very quirky. Beware of some older models as it may take more to make them safe than they are worth.

If you are new to sailing, and catamarans, I'd stay away from F16's, or F18's until you are more comfortable. They're technical, power up very quickly, and can be a bit daunting until you know what you are doing.

A Hobie Wave might be a good choice as well.

thanks...I dont think im ready for racing now...although the GT300.com looks interesting . My main concern is whether or not i will be able to rig them up by myself and then sail...Im sure rigging up and getting in the water will be most difficult..

Keith, you are probably pretty close to a good choice with either one of those. The Getaway is going to be easier to rig and be a little better carrying more people weight. The T2 is going to be a little higher performance, have a real trapeze option, but may take a little longer to rig.

is it the shape of the sail that makes the t2 higher performance? the getaway seems to have more sail area and only like 2 more lbs. I assume its the shape that gives it less power?

http://houston.craigslist.org/boa/4719614921.html

something like this....is this a reasonable price?

I presume it would be hull shape and the lack of trapeze - but I'm primarily basing that assessment on a brief review of what's been advertised. I haven't seen a T2 in real life.

if it is in fantastic shape... sure, but seems a bit high to me for a 13 year old boat when a brand new one is 9k ( http://www.hobiecatsnorthwest.com/catamarans.html )


unless your buying from a shop/dealer, I allways recommend you rig and sail any cat you buy. that verifies all the parts are there, you can take notes on how to rig it (or video) and then you can make sure it has no leaks .... i wouldn't buy a car without driving it

ps my first hobie16 was 20+years old and i bought it for 1200 my TheMightyHobie18 was also 20+ and i paid $400 for it (guy wanted it out of his front yard)

If you have deeper pockets i would look a bit more this winter for a better deal or newer boat

The waves and getaways seem to hold their value really well. $4,500-5,000 seems to be about as cheap as the getaways get in any reasonable condition.

Don't be afraid to travel some for the right boat.

thanks guys....so no issues getting this boat in the water by myself and getting it rigged up and down?

You can do anything by yourself once you learn how, but it will help speed you up the learning curve if you first go to a catamaran regatta, or at least go out on a cat with someone who's experienced and can show you the little tricks that make rigging alone much easier.

That boat on Craig's List seems a bit overpriced, but you might be able to talk him down. You should be able to rig it alone and launch it alone pretty quickly, once you learn how, but as I said, there are lots of little tricks that will make it much easier for you, like using the halyard to hold the mast up while you pin the forestay, and parking it downhill while you rig, etc.

Welcome to the Dark Side, once you get out on the wire on a good windy day and fly across the water on one hull, you won't go back to that J24!

I owned/raced a J24 30 years ago, but once I got addicted to catamaran speeds, I've never considered going back to a keel boat!

thanks timbo..... Youre not helping my bank account Im really looking forward to this... Mariner sails here in dallas gives a few day school on the hobie in the spring. So i would def. go to that.. Just dont want to spend thousands on getting a vehicle to pull it and then the boat just to find out its overwhelming to do by myself

and about the price on the craigslist boat...i believe it does include the trailer.. Mariner sails is quoting my 7900 for the boat and about another 1000 for delivery and setup.. around 2500 bucks for the trailer.....then its 1200 for the seats... it all adds up to around 13000 i believe when all said and done

$13,000 for a Getaway??

Oh my god NO!

There are MUCH cheaper ways to get out on the water on a used catamaran, especially if you are not racing.

My first cat was an old Hobie 18 I got out of a backyard, with the trailer, for $750.

I then put $200 into the trailer mostly for new wheel bearings, bought new wheels/tires (Walmart, $30 each) I installed new lights (Walmart, $25) and replaced the most faded lines (main sheet and halyard) on the boat, rigged it alone and sailed it for two years, sold it for $2500.

Right now I've got a Prindle 18 I paid $500 for, without a trailer, and a Hobie 14 I also got for $500, but with a trailer. Those are my two beater boats for playing around on the lake. My racing boat is an F16, but I bought that used for less than $13,000, six years ago.

See if you can find a used Hobie 18 or Prindle 18. There are thousands of used Hobie 16's but if you want to put more than two people on it, it's not big enough.

The Hobie or Prindle 18 would be much better for more than two people but they are a little harder to find just because there were fewer of them built.

Oh, and the roller furling jib that those boats have is a great help when you are alone and the wind comes up!

thanks ..i will keep an eye on craigslist......any other good sites for cat sales?

This site has a classifieds section and www.thebeachcats.com is another good place to keep an eye on.

Timbo, that $13k I believe was for a new Getaway. I have no idea where that lands in the grand scheme of new cats but it sounds a little pricey for a rotomolded boat. What is a new Hobie 16 selling for now?

Don't forget beach wheels, a two-wheeled dolly to get the boat from the trailer to the water. Unless you can always back your boat right up to the water or always use a ramp (no fun) you will need wheels. Beach wheels will cost $400-$500 and are hard to find used.
The Getaway is a heavy boat to handle on land. Solo setup and sailing is easy but watch someone unload and launch a cat so you see what is involved. Wheels make the job easy.

North of $10k for just the boat

i imagine most of the time i would be using a ramp....but definetly want wheels if i make it out to somewhere near galveston.

Do you have any local cat racing fleets? There may be some guys here on this web board in your area who can show you the ropes, so to speak, and get you pointed in the right direction finding a good used boat, vs. spending a ton on a new one.

In the beginning, I wanted a used cat for two reasons;

1. I didn't know if I was going to like sailing cats and

2. I figured I would probably crash it a lot until I learned how to sail it, so I'd rather break a cheap used boat than a brand new, expensive boat!

I came here to ask these experts how to sail cats, and you will want to get ahold of Rick White's book, also available here, "Catamaran Racing for the 90's" But nothing beats going to a regatta and walking around, looking at the different boats and set ups, so if you can get to a local event, do it! You'll meet lost of guys willing to help get you started, even if you have no desire to race, they can give you great info on rigging and sailing cats.

That's quite a lot for the trailer. Should be able to do much better than $2,500 unless you're talking about one that is pimped out with some nice boxes which are not all that necessary for a getaway IMO.

I think a new trailex is about $1,700.

hmmm...same place i was pricing the getaway is a dealer for those trailers also...

How far are you from Pensacola, FL?

I just looked at the Key Sailing website and guess what? They are advertising a new Getaway, with a galvanized trailer, for $9495.

It also says 'several used also available' so you might find a good, cheaper one there.

Here's their site, scroll down to see the Getaway add:

http://www.keysailing.com/sales.html

ALSO...they rent cats, so you can try one out before you buy, and Kirk, the owner, is a great source of info, he's been racing (and winning) cats for a long time.

im quite a ways...( Dallas) but not opposed to a road trip thanks so much.

If you're interested in buying a new boat, get a price from sun jammers in Panama City Florida as well. They can send it wherever you want it.

just start cruising up and down the streets... You're bound to find an old cat parked in someone's yard... Offer them a cheap deal to get it off the lawn.

Seems to work for a lot of us.

There appears to be a P-19mx or some variant in someone's yard up near Forrest. On a trailer, too...

I presume the same concept applies in Texas?

Hell, just show up at a regatta or two. Someone is bound to offer you a ride or two on their boats (to get a feel for them) and I'd suspect a few of them may be willing to sell a boat or two (some of us have more than one beachcat...)

Find the local cat fleet(Maybe Texas City Dike) and go crew with some guys on various boats and see what you like. Dont make a hasty decision, buy this winter when you can get a better deal, dont wait until Spring when the prices go back up.
You can get a good starter boat for $1000-$2000, so look around. When you find something, run it by here again, lots of people here who may know the boat or who can give you great advice.

Go to Texas City Dike Yacht Clubs website, (catamaran site)

Tell them Todd went sent you, they'll say, who?

Really, try that site for a Tx boat, etc.

My avatar was in Galveston Bay