... this past weekend. I think it was Sunday the 21st, in Mississquoi Bay. Your sail is KC XXX, I forget the number. I was vacationing there, sailing a Wave furnished by the resort. I waved to you, wanted to say hello... you waved back and sailed on... I guess you're too busy for a "mere" Hobie Wave... or else you missed the "My other cat is a Nacra" sticker!
Anyways, looked like your crew was having a fine time on the wire as you beat your way south into the bay. Just wanted to say "hi".... sorry we couldn't chat in person ;-)
BTW, had a lot more fun on the Wave than I expected to. It'll never be a Tornado, but for what it is; a simple, light, easy to dominate boat; it's a fun time on the water. I sailed 5 of the last 7 days on Waves, while my brand new Smyth sails waited for me at home (my trailer imploded at the last minute or I'd've taken my boat up; and so I finally get to try 'em out tomorrow!)(Yay!) but the Wave's made waiting bearable. Had some steep chop with whitecaps curling over one day, and the Wave actually did very well, charging up one swell and stuffing into the next, only to bounce outbckwards, shrug off the brown water and gamely accellerate up the next, then into the one after... etc. Roll tacks nice, didn't "back 'n fill" in heavy air, I admit I missed traveler and hiking stick. Traps woulda been superb, but I taught 2 people how to sail, gave the resort staff a hellride ( in the aformentioned chop), showed him how to roll tack and hot-jibe, then we ran down and ate the other staff-crewed Wave, blanketed him, took a 'safe leeward" on him, luffed him up, roughed him up, then bought hiim a beer and showed hiim where the bad air came off my boat, why he couldn't pass me to windward, couldn't win a tacking duel; my crew promised to teach him how to roll tack. Yippee! I had lotsa fun, all in all. Feel like I might even hope to have launched one or two 19 yr olds in the direction of catsailing.
I'm very glad Rick's getting behind this little boat. I See Paula Smyth's racing one, too.
Whether it's the Mystere 4.5(?) which MIke says is sweet (and I'm eager to try), or the Wave, or some other simple, cheap boat, it offers to get some newcomers hooked. I bet the manufacturers would sell more of these if there weren't so many used 14's, 16's, 5.0's etc going for less out there. Of course the fact that there are lots of old boats still quite serviceable says nice things about the manufacturers, too. And some people just *like* that "new little toy feel" they can't get with an old one - - others really dig getting more boat for less money, and don't mind the occasional new parts here and there. Happily, both can be served in today's marketplace.
Of course, they can have my Nacra when they pry the stick out of my cold, dead hands!
