clarsen123 wrote:
Another question, is there a spinnaker option for the Getaway? I find it a little interesting that the Wave has one, but I can't seem to find one for the Getaway.
I, too, found it interesting there was no spinnaker option for the Getaway. Last October I asked Hobie USA about it and they explained Hobie France had originally requested development of both the jib and spin kits for the Wave so it could be used as an advanced club trainer. The jib kit had sold well overall, but not the spin kit, which is why they hadn't developed one for the Getaway and had no immediate plans to do so.
Nevertheless, I wanted a spinnaker for my Getaway and suspected I wouldn't be alone! So I pressed the issue and, with Matt Miller's help and cooperation, I developed a plan to modify an H16 spin kit. I won't bore you with the details of my six-month saga, so to make a long story short, suffice it to say that
on Sunday, 25 Apr 04, I achieved the first-ever (as far as we know) launch of a spinnaker on a Hobie Getaway!
In a word:
Awesome! What a rush...
The good news is the H16 spin hardware kit is almost a perfect bolt-on; only a few minor mods and extra parts are required. The H16 sail may be a bit too large, but we now know the right size for the Getaway and Hobie will happily build one for you.
Does this mean Hobie will now "officially" offer a spin kit for the Getaway? I can't say for sure, but they've indicated they might now that I've given them a head start in the development, testing, and documentation.
If you'd like to see photos of the installation and the spinnaker in action, check out my web page (especially the Mods & Repairs section). There's also a copy of my DRAFT instruction manual--significantly updated from the stock manual--wherein I captured all my "lessons-learned." You can take a look to see what the project involves.
One last tip... if you do end up ordering a spinnaker, make sure to have Hobie e-mail you a color palette for available spin cloth. I think both sides will be happier with the result if you choose your own colors.
Good luck & enjoy!
Steve