Maybe this has been covered but I missed it, could I add a single trap to a Wave? I know, I would have to also add a tiller extension, but my question is more to; Will the mast support it?

I have a Hobie 14 that doesn't get much use because I'm about 200 lbs and if I bring my kid, we sink it. Hell, I can sink it -alone- if it's blowing and I'm sailing on one hull! I would like to get a used Wave to play with for those few days when it's blowing 25 but without a trap, well...not so much.

Can I transfer my Hobie 14 mast/sail/trap setup directly to the Wave? What is the difference, sail area wise, between a stock H14 sail vs. a Wave sail?

Will this work or will it damage the Wave hulls? I thought back when the Wave first came out (1996-7?) I saw it was offered with both a Jib kit, trap kit and even spinnaker kit. But I've never seen a trap on one, let alone a jib or spinny.

I really like the shape of the Wave's hulls, lots of volume compared to the H14, but will it stand up to a fat guy on a trap?

HI Tim,
You are on the right track. The Wave has tremendous volume and buoyancy. That was why when several of us tried converting to a F14 Class, the Wave performed extremely well, especially in heavier winds.
The H14 guys had similar rigs, Main with a roller-furling Hooter. They would be a little faster, but the hulls were really digging in. Pretty soon they were swimming and I passed them anyway -- sort of the tortoise and hare. Only, I wasn't that far behind them, certainly in striking distance.

The mast is a telephone pole -- very strong and will easily support a trap. For the tiller you will need a one-piece tiller that extends out both sides. See the full story on the Super Wave at http://www.catsailor.com/waves/superwave_overall.html

The Wave can literally sail with four adults aboard -- not fast, but it will remain upright and still sail.
It is hard to capsize and easily righted.
When Mary got one for our Resort Hotel, I thought it was a dumb boat and a dumb idea. So, I immediately took it out to test it:
Wow, it tacked at 90-degrees despite not have a board -- amazing.
In moderate winds I sat on the leeward side on a reach and sheeted it. It would not capsize. I had hang off the side by the stay before it would finally go over.
Then I got back on the hull and just grabbed the lacings and it came right back up
I was beginning to get impressed.

The masts look similar, but for class racing the H14 mast is longer. Some have cut off the aluminum H14 mast to comply. I think. I believe Nelson Wright did something like that.

We and the Kulkoskis of NJ tried the Hobie Add-ons (jib and spin) and they simply did not work. There was no way you could put a load on the jib luff, and the spin just laid up against the main and killed any speed you would have had as a uni.

Again, look at the story on Hooter set up. Now, that works.

In a race down here in Biscayne I was able to stay at the same or similar speed to all the Hobie 16s, upwind and downwind (you can use it upwind up to about 12mph while just sitting on the boat -- and I am sure with a trap it would be much higher -- sort of like sailing on an International 14 (all sail and no boat)
With that rig I place 2nd in the Conch Cup (about 40 boats)
and won the Around the Bay Race in Ohio/Mich with 60 boats.

But the real fun is racing in the fastest growing class in North America, with major pockets of local class races popping up everywhere.
Hope you will join us -- we need a good navigator in the class.
Rick

Thanks for the Wave info, I'm in Atlant right this moment heading out to Kuwait. They have lots of water over there but usually light wind, and no cats that I have been able to find, no windsurfers, no real water sports of any type.

Oh, and Alcohol is strictly forbidden, come to think of it, maybe that's why there are no sailors?? ;^0