Posted By: Berny Hobie Bravo - 05/18/04 10:10 PM
Whats the mail on the Hobie Brave? Anyone test sailed it? What sort of money are they? They look like they'd make a very neat club trainer.
Bern
I sailed one briefly on a demo. Think of a VERY VERY stable production monohull. It starts heeling (flys a hull?) in about 8-10 kts of wind.
The Bravo is a tunnelhull. As far as I can tell they were developed by the International Moths in the 70's. Those boats looked like a tall scow with a tunnel going the full lenght of the boat. That is what gave me the idea for my 14.
The really big difference is the Bravo weighs 250 lbs and the Moths weighed ~60-70 lbms
The major problem with the Bravo is sail handling. All you have is a mainsheet. When you try to go downwind, the sail kinda curls up on you. I have been told a boom and a vang is available but I have never seen one.
A much better boat is the Wave.