Greetings. I am thinking about buying a Hobie Wave but am worried it will be too slow in the usually light midwest winds. Is there a boat like the wave but with a little more mainsail? Or is there a reasonably easy way to make the Wave faster. By the way, most of the time the combined weight of the crew will be under 300 lbs.

The next step up in size in the Hobie line is the Getaway. More pricy, but twice the sail area.If you sailing with a crew, you will much happier. The Wave is fairly zippy one-up, but get more aboard and it slows significantly. 300lbs is not alot for it though.
That or add a Hooter!

Here is the story on the Hooter and it makes the boat as fast as a Hobie 16
http://www.catsailor.com/waves/superwave_overall.html
Rick

Rick, how about the blade jib mentioned in the superwave story? I looked in your store but could not find anything. Is this still under development? I like the way the jib blocks are minimally intrusive. Does this jib require an extreme amount of mast rake?

The blade jib does not do much thus far. I have been playing around with a much larger bow sprit and much larger jib that is self-tacking, both furling.
I was able to keep up with a Hobie 20 for about a mile or two before the whole thing exploded (or maybe imploded) but either was it *Ploded. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
For that to work, I will need a stronger pole with dolphin striker and wires. Haven't messed with it this year, however.
Rick

I do not know how the Getaway holds it value but the Wave sure does. I know of a lot of sailors looking for a Wave for a lot of different reasons. If you do not like it you should have no trouble getting your money back. Its a great boat and I have learned more on it than any boat I have ever owned, maybe becuase its so easy to set up. I go sailing when I would not have the time on other boats.

That is a very good point.., resale values.
For our fleets at Put-in-Bay and Key Largo we have loads of people constantly looking for used Waves to join our fleet racing.
By the way, first weekend in October is the Wave North American Championships in Duck, NC, right in your own backyard. Don't miss it. Great fun and you will learn a ton about sailing.
Boats are available from Jon at Norbanks, who is hosting the regatta.
Good luck,
Rick

Hey Rick, I'm actually asking for a friend who owns a wave. Any tips on righting a turtled wave single handed? Shouldn't a single person (170 lbs.) be able to right it solo?
thanks,
andre stern awaiting on a viper forever to arrive

You can't right a turtled Wave, singlehanded or manyhanded. That's why it has a bob on the top of the mast -- to keep it from turtling.

A capsized Wave (with the bob, of course)can be righted by a 110-pound woman or a couple of young kids.

If your friend for some reason does not have a bob on his mast, he needs to get one before he goes sailing.

The design of the Wave, along with its buoyancy, makes it just as happy and stable upside down as rightside up.

Agreed. It would be impossible for Wave to go turtle with the bob.
Rick

I've managed once. I don't remember if I helped stuff it by trying to stay dry and go over the windward hull. I also managed to right it solo, but it took a while and I'm 220#

Dan

Ican't imagine doing that, but somehow if it was in the turtle position, all you need to do is pull on the righting line on one corner of the boat toward the leeward
RIck

I was able to completely turtle the boat last Sunday, as I went on a reach, the boat went over and sent me for a swim. Because of how hard the wind was blowing the boat was blown away from me, and went all the way over before I could even get back to it. Basically the tramp acted like a sail, and submerged the mast and forced the bob under. Like what was said earlier the boat is just as happy upside down.

I am just curious about the circumstances that would cause a Wave to turtle with a bob:

1. What were the wind and sea conditions?
2. What point of reach were you on?
3. Was the mainsheet cleated?
4. Was the tramp solid vinyl or mesh?
5. Is it possible there was already water in the mast? (Or even in the bob?)Or that water got into one of them as a result of the capsize?
6. How/why did you get separated from the boat?

wind was 20-25, with gusts up to 35.
I would have to say the sea was at least a 2 to 3 foot
The main sheet was not cleated I was holding it; however I was using the ratchet setting on the block
I was on a beam reach, So of course I was taking waves broadside, not the best point of sail but I was heading back to friendly shore. Because I was basically sitting on the stern, further aft than the rear cross beam, when I went over I was already almost behind the boat.
I checked the bob and mast later, the bob had no water in it, and the mast had marginal amounts. As for the tramp it's mesh, I am guessing the waves had a lot to do with forcing the mast under.

I turtled one in similar conditions, but it took me all of 5 min to right it. Easy as pie to get them to come back over. I was wishing there had been a righting line on the boat but the mainsheet is so long, i just ran it around the sidestay and pulled her up and over. No biggie.

If it is windy, I rarely have to use the righting line.., just grab the lacings and lean back a bit. Not when it is turtled, however. But, then again, I have never turtled one. And I have been racing in 45 mph winds. Capsized several times, but never turtled.
Rick

Didn't say it was hard to get it back up, just use the righting line around the stay. But it is possible to turtle one given the correct conditions,even with the bob attached

Sorry, Mike, but I am completely discom-bob-ulated about the possibility of my Wave turtling, and I really want to get to the bottom of this without seeing the bottom of my boat.

If I do it again I will try to take a picture; however, I would rather not see the bottom of my boat again. At least not in that manner.