After reading Rick's post, let me respond even better to the specific points you mentioned in your post. I like the Wave because it is simple - wonderfully simple. That is precisely what encourages it to be used when the other boats on my deck which are faster and more complicated, and take longer to get ready to sail, get passed over. It takes ME longer to get ready to sail (get the sunscreen on, the life jacket, sailing clothes, etc.) than the boat (get the mainsail out, raise it, hook on the mainsheet, attach the downhaul, and push off! While racing with other Waves, it feels fast and the boats create such even racing that the best way to do better is to sail better; as opposed to working harder on the boat. It is THE boat to teach a person to sail. It is comfortable, stable, won't turtle, and faster than any other starter boat. "Starter boat" is not an epithet - have Rick pull out stats on the number of National, North American, Olympian, and even World champs who have raced Waves. I have National and North American Championship titles in several classes and enjoy the close competition in Wave racing, and even better, the close comraderie among the competitors. I have written several articles for Rick's magazine about many of the Wave regattas I have participated in and why they were so fun. Once you buy a Wave you will realize that it requires so little maintenance that there is no good reason to ever let go of it since you do not have to sail it much to make it worth keeping. And even if you do decide to sell it some day you will find they hold their value much better than most boats do. So, go ahead and get a Wave - the risk / reward quotient is WAY in your favor as is the fun / hassle ratio!