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Should I get a Getaway over a Wave?
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Author:  augaug [ Sat Jun 25, 2011 7:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Should I get a Getaway over a Wave?

Ok. I've been considering a Wave for some time now, but my wife saw a picture of a bunch of people on a Getaway, and asked about it. Long story short. The Getaway makes some sense for my intended use. But as always, I have some questions. (Maybe too many?)

  • How much more difficult is the Getaway to sail, compared to the Wave? What are the differences?
  • With a trailer and the Mast Stepper III, can the Getaway be rigged single handed? If so, how long does this take, without rushing?
  • Is it smart to sail the Getaway single handed? Can the it be righted by one person (170 lbs) If not, will the Righting Bucket (page 18 of the current Hobie Catalog, pictured below) be enough to help?
    Image
  • I assume that it can't be paddled very easily. Are there many users using an electric motor? What do you do about placing the battery? Is it just dumb to put a motor on a boat like this?

I'm coming from an Adventure Island, which I'll keep. I'm in my early 30's and am quite fit. I can get some help with learning how to sail the bigger boat, but I don't want to have something that's too technical, or too advanced. Having said all that, I'd like something with good performance, the ability to take more people without forcing them to switch sides with every tack, and I like that the Getaway with wing seats, seems to be a bit drier then the Wave (for my guests, I don't care how wet I get). I also think that the bigger boat will be a little bit less intimidating for guests, because they can stay away from the edges of the boat if they want, which might mean that I can take non sailors, more often.

In short, I'm looking for a bit of a do-it-all sailboat. The reason that I've never considered it in the past was because I thought that it might be a bit too much of a boat to sail single handed.

I figured that I'd be trailering the Wave anyways, so that's no different then the Getaway. The bigger difference is that I might consider a small motor on the Getaway, which I would NEVER have done with the Wave, but I do think that a motor on the sailboat might help me use it more, as I can launch from more locations.

So anyone who has any information to share about the Getaway, I'm all ears. I've studied the Wave for a long time, but know very little about the Getaway.

Thanks in advance for any help that you can give.

Author:  jamoulto [ Sun Jun 26, 2011 1:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Should I get a Getaway over a Wave?

The getaway is a great boat. It is not much more difficult to sail than a wave but is much quicker when you have passengers aboard. Personally I find the wave slow in light to moderate winds with 2 people aboard. If your wife is interested in sailing, the Getaway is nice because it keeps both people actively involved while you are sailing. I have sailed mine solo on a number of occasions and it is easy enough to do, I have even done it from the trapeze solo but had to use a longer hiking stick to do so. I was not able to right it solo when I last tried, but was very close (I'm 170 lbs). I have worked on improving my technique since then and might be able to right is solo now, but I carry the Hobie righting bag anyways just to be sure.

I have carried 4 adults comfortably a few times (even without the wing seats) and have had 3 adults and 2 children on other occasions and the boat handles it well. I have paddled it a few times to get between a beach and ramp or out of a marina to open water. The boat paddles well unless you are against a current.

I can rig it from trailer solo in about 30 minutes. I do not have the mast stepper but instead have used a few tricks I have learned from other forum members. It is definitely quicker and a little easier with 2 people. The first few times will take longer but then you will find ways to make things simpler and faster.

The Getaway is a very versatile boat that is hard to go wrong with.

Author:  nO0b [ Sun Jun 26, 2011 2:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Should I get a Getaway over a Wave?

I can't imagine any scenario where I'd rather own a Wave over the Getaway. It's so much more versatile. Add the wings and the forward tramp for comfortable sailing with lots of passengers and gear, or take that stuff off and add trap lines for more performance.

Or, trap off the wings for an experience you can't begin to achieve with a Wave. At 170 lbs, that's where I'd want to be.

Author:  JTCole [ Sun Jun 26, 2011 5:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Should I get a Getaway over a Wave?

The Wave is fun to sail singlehanded and there are a growing number of fleets with opportunities to race.

But I agree with the other responses: once you sail the Getaway you won't even go back to the Wave. It is a bigger, faster boat but is still very simple to rig. I love going to regattas where there are Hobie 18's, F18's, etc. They have so many bells and whistles needed to put the boat together that I'm launched and sailing before they even have their mast up.

I've been in love with my boat ever since I bought it. Get the Getaway.

Author:  wxup [ Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Should I get a Getaway over a Wave?

I have an electric motor on my Getaway and can't imagine sailing without it. You can find a Minn Kota trolling motor on Craigslist for under $100. I have a 28# thrust and it is fine for getting from the boat ramp to open water to put up the sail and back. Instead of going with a big bulky marine battery, I used a 17 amp/hour battery used for emergency lighting. It's about 1/4 the size of a marine battery and will give about 1/2 hour of run time. You can always carry a second battery for longer run time. I mounted a small box where the Cheata motor mount fastens to the crossbar to hold the battery. This setup gives me more options as to where I can launch, and how far I can go (I don't have to worry about the wind dying). I would definitely consider it.

Author:  gmozavala [ Sun Jun 26, 2011 10:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Should I get a Getaway over a Wave?

Unless you have a very strong reason to get the Wave, I'd say get the Getaway. It's nicer and faster and fits more people comfortably. Sailing and rigging it may be a little more complex (larger mast and one more sail to handle), but that "con" is definitely outweighed by its versatility, speed and ability to carry more people.
I single hand the Getaway regularly (I did today with 12 knots) and it takes very little practice to get used to it. I haven't been able to right it by myself, so I'd say get the righting bag just in case.

Author:  ScottR [ Mon Jun 27, 2011 9:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Should I get a Getaway over a Wave?

How far will you have to paddle. I live on a small lake in TN with lots of coves. Sailing on the main lake is great but when I leave my house or come back in I have to paddle as I get into the wind shadows of houses and trees. I have found that it actually paddles quite easily. Guess it depends on how far you are paddling though.

My wife goes sailing with me but is not a sailor. She enjoys laying on the tramp or net while I do the sailing. I have given up asking her to move to the high side when we tack. The boat handles the weight well.

I singlehand quite a bit (gusts up to 20mph is my limit by myself). As long as you always have a hand on the traveler or main sheet and are prepared dump wind, the boat is very forgiving. That being said 8- 15 mph is the sweet spot for me when I go out alone.

I think both the Wave and Getaway are great boats. The Wave is clearly easier to rig by yourself or with help. I don't know how you rig the Getaway by yourself unless you have the Mast Stepper III - (I have one on order but from what I read it is the way to go). I rig and de-rig mine twice a year and always have help. There is virtually no yearly maintence for either boat. Quality is great in my opinon on both boats. For me it came down to wanting a fast boat, easy to sail, easy to own, and that could hold a lot of people. The built-in coolers were an added bonus.

By the way I also have an AI. Another great boat. I had my Getaway before I bought the AI. The Getaway will be more challenging to sail (ie no mirage drive when you tack) but much much easier then most other sailboats out there.

ScottR

Author:  augaug [ Tue Jun 28, 2011 8:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Should I get a Getaway over a Wave?

I really appreciate all of the replies! I had been so set on getting the Wave as my next boat, so it's hard for me to wrap my head around the Getaway. It really is a different boat to me.

I'm one of those purists, or minimalists who is completely against putting any kind of motor on a sailboat, but once you own an Adventure Island, you view sailing very differently. I almost always pedal out, and pedal in from various launch spots, and the ability to get to and from a launch site without any fuss is a huge reason why I get out on the water as much as I do.

wxup wrote:
I have an electric motor on my Getaway and can't imagine sailing without it. You can find a Minn Kota trolling motor ... Instead of going with a big bulky marine battery, I used a 17 amp/hour battery used for emergency lighting. It's about 1/4 the size of a marine battery ... I mounted a small box where the Cheata motor mount fastens to the crossbar to hold the battery. This setup gives me more options as to where I can launch, and how far I can go...


wxup - That is EXACTLY what I'm thinking of. I don't really want a motor to help me when I'm out in the middle of the open lake, I just would like to launch from, and return to, a few boat launch sites in my area that are on smaller rivers, or in Marina's with plenty of expensive boats that I'd rather not brush up against. The ability to get out, and back in with a small electric motor is perfect. I would just need about 10 minutes of battery life for 99% of what I plan on doing. The ability to mount everything together on the Cheata mount is perfect! I'd love to see a picture if you have one!

ScottR wrote:
How far will you have to paddle... I have found that it actually paddles quite easily...

My wife goes sailing with me but is not a sailor. She enjoys laying on the tramp or net while I do the sailing. I have given up asking her to move to the high side when we tack. The boat handles the weight well.

I singlehand quite a bit (gusts up to 20mph is my limit by myself). As long as you always have a hand on the traveler or main sheet and are prepared dump wind, the boat is very forgiving. That being said 8- 15 mph is the sweet spot for me when I go out alone...


As far as paddling. I just don't think that I could paddle the boat effectively if I were single handing it. I'd like to think that my wife would come, or some other family member or friend, every time that I wanted to go out, but I need to get a boat that I can rig, sail, and launch without any extra help from others. The fact that I can take people is what makes me want the Getaway over the Wave now. However, what you describe is exactly my situation. If my wife can come along, not have to be hyper alert to which side of the boat that she has to be on, and when, then I think she'd come out more often. Of course, I expect times where she'll want to come out in bigger winds, where she'll actively participate in the sailing process, but I know that she'd love to just sit and watch the scenery and chat with me. I think the Wave would require her to be much more active no matter what the wind conditions are.

I'd definitely want the Wing seats, and I believe it now comes standard with the forward tramp. If I could mount a small electric motor with battery all off the back of the boat, and not have to run wires up the hulls, that would be perfect! The only concern that I still have is how hard it would be to right on my own. But I guess if it could be done reasonably well with a righting bag, then the one disadvantage that the Getaway has over the Wave would be taken care of.

The only other thing that I think would be disappointing would be the ability to sail up to a beach, and pull it in off of the water. I'd have to assume that this is possible with the wave, but MUCH more difficult, or even impossible to do single handed with the Getaway. I think I could work around that though!

Thanks for the input so far, if anyone had anything to add, I'm all ears! Also, if anyone has a small electric motor and battery mounted, I'd love to see pictures. It still makes me cringe to think about an engine on a boat like this, but I can't see how I'd sail without it, and frankly, it's a small part of the attraction to the Getaway for me.

Author:  wxup [ Wed Jun 29, 2011 4:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Should I get a Getaway over a Wave?

It may take me a week or two to get pictures posted. Keep checking back. I'll get them on eventually.

Author:  gmozavala [ Wed Jun 29, 2011 7:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Should I get a Getaway over a Wave?

Quote:
The only other thing that I think would be disappointing would be the ability to sail up to a beach, and pull it in off of the water. I'd have to assume that this is possible with the wave, but MUCH more difficult, or even impossible to do single handed with the Getaway. I think I could work around that though!


More difficult: Yes, definitely.
Impossible: Definitely not.

Yea, it's more work to handle it in the beach by yourself, but it is manageable. I do it regularly when I can't find crew.
When pulling from the front, lift the boat a little from the front crossbar and pull hard. Maybe you'll have to give it a yank. If the boat needs to go backwards on land, never push from the front, it is impossible. I usually disconnect one of the tillers and then it is easier to lift the boat from the back crossbar and pull hard. Lifting is a LOT more important when going backwards because of the little fins that will get stuck in the sand. You can also turn the boat around and just pull forward.
Also, if there is some decent wind, take advantage of it even on land.

Author:  crobiecat [ Sat Jul 02, 2011 12:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Should I get a Getaway over a Wave?

The Getaway is a great boat, but IMHO, you need to be at least 2 to enjoy the boat.
It is absolutely possible to sail it single handed, but It feels so big and heavy that it is not much fun to me (like driving a truck).
2-up, and it is much better.
Put 2 small kids on the forward tramp, and you will smile.
Go out in 25 knots, and you still smile.

I have sailed a wave only in light wind, and that was beyond boring. If I had to get one of those, that would be to go out solo when the wind blows. It feels good to sail a boat in high wind, and feel like you are in control, and you can easily get it back up if something happens.

And yes, dragging the getaway up the beach is really hard. I had it dialed down to the point where I could do it very easily solo, but I hat to use a jack, beach wheels, and tie downs...
The wave is half the pounds, but the weight being in the hulls, it still killed my back to lift and drag the boat.

Author:  augaug [ Sat Jul 02, 2011 8:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Should I get a Getaway over a Wave?

crobiecat wrote:
The Getaway is a great boat, but IMHO, you need to be at least 2 to enjoy the boat.
It is absolutely possible to sail it single handed, but It feels so big and heavy that it is not much fun to me (like driving a truck).
2-up, and it is much better.


This is still my biggest concern. I know I'll be doing some sailing on my own. The Wave has 95 Sq Feet of sail area, the Getaway has 180. My fear is that without 2 people it could be a lot to handle. I hadn't thought that it would be like a truck. I'm ok if it's less enjoyable with 1 person instead of 2, I only hope that it's still manageable in most wind conditions.

If anyone has something to add, I'm interested. Thanks for all of your responses so far!

Author:  crobiecat [ Sat Jul 02, 2011 10:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Should I get a Getaway over a Wave?

augaug wrote:
This is still my biggest concern. I know I'll be doing some sailing on my own. The Wave has 95 Sq Feet of sail area, the Getaway has 180. My fear is that without 2 people it could be a lot to handle. I hadn't thought that it would be like a truck. I'm ok if it's less enjoyable with 1 person instead of 2, I only hope that it's still manageable in most wind conditions.


it is 180 sq ft, but the boat weights twice as much.
and you can also furl the jib, which calm the boat down a lot.
At the end of the day, this is a 16 ft boat with 2 sails, and the boat is really manageable by one person. easy to rig, easy to control, you can walk on the hulls, ... it is just heavy and feels large when you are alone, compared to for example Hobie 16.
Not sure about righting it by yourself though, that's what always scared me.

So it is really very manageable by one, but after a certain strength of wind, I would just switch to a boat that I can feel is more in line with the size of a solo sailor.

It also really depends on the wind condition in your area. How much wind do you get ?

Author:  augaug [ Sun Jul 03, 2011 10:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Should I get a Getaway over a Wave?

Today is a perfect example of a great sailing day (and I'm on my way out on the AI right now) the winds are gusting up to about 30km/h, maybe 35. Which is 16 to about 20 knots. There are certainly days that are more windy, but I think if I can sail up to 20 knots on my own, comfortably, then I think I'd be happy.

Author:  af [ Mon Jul 04, 2011 10:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Should I get a Getaway over a Wave?

I'm curious why you want a boat to sail solo if you already have an AI for that. Or is the AI too slow?

The reason I ask is that we love our Getaway as a family boat, but I'm considering adding an AI for those times I want to sail solo. It's certainly do-able in a Getaway, but just a bit too much work to rig, launch, sail, put back on the trailer and de-rig all alone.

We're picking up a Revolution next week, so we'll first see how the kids and I like the pedal-kayak thing.

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