Hi,
I am new to the Wave and have a couple questions.

The halyward hook on my Wave has a tendency to slip off if you don't apply a little tension while lowering the sail. This is a royal pain causing me to have to tip the boat over to get at the clip (which rises to the top of the mast)! I was thinking of replacing this hook with a clip that has a positive locking mechanism. Is there one most people use or what do people do to prevent the hook from slipping off and flying in the breeze?

I sail in Lake Michigan which can often have sizable waves (and wind). I have noticed that the leward hull tends to submarine easily. I thought about attaching some kind of hydrofoil blades to the bow of each hull and after looking in the catalog see that these are indeed available parts for other Hobies (fiberglass). Does anyone know if such a thing exists for the Wave or has anyone used such a thing? Does anyone else notice this submarining phenomenon by the way? It really seems to stall the boat especially when in 3+ ft waves.

Thanks,
-Tom

Hi, Tom,
Everybody was having that problem with the hook coming off, so the Wave halyard now comes with a shackle instead of a hook. We just got two new halyards, and both came with shackles.

I still have my original halyard with the hook. There are at least two ways to solve your problem. Some people tie the hook to the grommet, so even if the hook slips out, it will at least stay with the sail.

What I do is make the halyard continuous. I take the end of the halyard and tie it through the top of the hook (with the knots of my tie-job facing away from the mast). This results in a double-line to tie off on the cleat at the bottom of the mast, but you don't have any excess halyard to store in the pocket.

Racers do not like my system because it creates more windage with the halyard being double on the mast. I don't care because I'm not a very serious racer any more.

It will be nice to get a halyard with a shackle, though.

Maybe somebody else will be able to answer you about the bow hydrofoil blades.

Thanks for the tips Mary. Is the shackle a Hobie part (and do you know the part number) or do you have a picture of it you could post? Thanks again!

-Tom

We sell the halyards on this site's store. ITem No is 02-0873-60 and the price is $51.50

However, we have not yet posted the item online, despite that fact that we have them and can be shipped the same or next day.
So, to order, you will have to email gen@catsailor.com or call her at 866-451-3287

Thanks,
Rick

Hi Tom, I have owned Waves since 1999 (as many as three at a time but now just one) and have always had the hooks. You gave the answer in your question - just keep some tension on the sail as you lower the main. You simply teach yourself a new habit. Write a reminder to yourself on the luff of the main if that's what it takes to remember (I'm not kidding) - very easy to do and very inexpensive! Before long you remember to do it automatically - just like breathing!

More simple advice for your other problem - move back! If the bows go under the water, move your weight back! That easy. Do not mess around with diving planes or other add-on crap. It messes up the boat, costs alot, is a bunch of trouble, and delays the learning process.

Now go sail some more and practice these easy solutions! ;-)

Mike

A large part of the Wave's attraction comes from its simplicity; do not fight it! Adapt to it, do not adapt it to you. You will come to appreciate its attractiveness when you are more receptive to it.

Amen.

Tom

I also sail on a big lake (lake Champlain in NY) and have experienced the problem of the leeward hull imitating a submarine! I have my Wave on the broadest point on the lake and with a strong south wind often get large 3’ – 4’ waves. I have had many occasions where both hulls have buried up to the mast, often with the result of having the boat pitch over bow first. I am not a small person at 6-2 and 230 lbs. and I push my self back to where I am sitting with the tiller arm over my thighs and I sit on the hull ports of my Wave (Club Version). This helps some but you will still have the problem. The one thing that is great about sailing in those conditions is that boat pops up like a cork! And just takes off again. If it does go over it is so easy to right and keep on sailing. One thing that I did notice was that if you have not raked your mast the problem is much more pronounced.

Ron

I have sailed the Wave in almost all conditions and find it is one of the best and safest boats I have ever sailed in my 40 years of sailing. And I have sailed in flat water, oceans and one of the worst conditions are right here in Lake Erie (one of the most dangerous bodies of water around).

As in any boat, weight distribution is extremely important for speed and for safety.

Light Air
I sit inside the windward hull and somewhat forward -- I do not want to hear gurgling coming from the stern. Also, I want the windward hull slightly up.
Downwind, I try to get as much of my body weight forward as possible. Some sailors lay on their bellys and steer with their feet. I don't like that as I want to be looking back upwind for puffs to get into, so throw my hips and legs forward and reach back to steer.

Moderate Air
The speed of the boat is up, so the stern gurgling is no longer a factor. So, I start to get my weight back. If there are waves or chop I would like to keep the bows a bit high (the bow entry is quite blunt and does not really slice through the water).
Downwind I do not worry too much about getting my entire body forward, but be sure to listen for gurgling and fix it.

Heavy Air
Use the hiking straps from the aft quarter of the boat. The more wind, the farther aft. Straight leg hiking is best, but you had better be in good shape. Again, it is pretty good idea to keep the bow a bit high and not deep into the chop.
Downwind, no need to get forward, and as described in the previous post get back and under the tiller. This is also a great way to reach with the boat in any kind of wind at all -- get as far aft and out as possible, sheet in and fly.

Really, Really Heavy Air.
You will be doing a big of feathering going to windward and you should be in full hiking position
Downwind, you will not be able to get far enough aft -- the boat is just too short.
Normally, the Wave is more efficiently sailed downwind by simply heading for the mark. But, in winds like this (we were racing in 45 mph winds in Lake Eustis last year) I found out the only way to stop the pitchpoling was to let the main all the way out and go on a very broad reach. On normal cats when the puffs hit you bear off. But, with the Wave there is not enough buoyance for heading off, so you actually head up more and let the sail almost luff.

Rigging is another issue. I always rake my mast as far aft as possible. It comes with a 7-hold forestay adjuster, but I use a 10-hole to get farther aft. Then I remove the sidestay adjusters and just use shackles.
This loads up the rudders and makes them the daggerboards as well as steering devices. And downwind you will have less tendency to pitchpole.

Good luck,
Rick

Hi Mike, thanks for the response. Yes, I know this is the method and have tried to be diligent but sometimes it is just not possible. I often need to lower the sail before beaching due to wind direction and with the boat pitching in the waves I have lost the clip twice, even while concentrating on keeping tension on it.

However, for $6 I found a clip that operates like a climbing carabiner but is more tear drop shaped and it works great. No more flying halyards!



I am all for simplicity, but I depart from your philosophy when it turns from simplicity to stupidity (I think Hobie's choice of the open clip was wrong)!

Thanks again,
-Tom

Thanks Rick (and others) for the advice. I will take it to heart. I will also check the rake on the mast as it is set as the person from the dealership set it up originally.
-Tom

Most dealers do not have a clue how to set up a clew. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Rick