Hi Everybody!

I just got my first boat this week, a 5 year old Hobie Wave. It sat unused for the past 2 years, and the tarp is coming off at the back edge, but the rest looks pretty OK. I am going to read up a bit here, but any pointers for a first time owner/sailor?

Just sail often and sail hard. Try to find an experienced sailor to show you the ropes if possible.

Read the learn to sail page...

http://www.hobiecat.com/experience/learn.html

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Congrats! Welcome to the Hobie family. You could not have picked a better boat to learn on. Get a Wave assembly manual if you don't have one (you can download one from this site). This will help at rigging time. You may even want to practice setting up mast (called stepping the mast) at home. Just watch for overhead wires!!!! Can't stress that enough.

The best way to learn is by doing. Yeah, definitely read up to understand the concepts, maybe even the terms. Although the latter can be picked up later on. Once you read up and kind of understand how a sail reacts to wind, then pick a day with LIGHT wind, and remain in protected waters. Tie some yarn about 1/2 way up on the bridle wires (the wires coming off the tips of the bows) to give you some wind indicators. Believe it or not, feeling for which way the wind is actually blowing is what takes the most practice at first. Otherwise, the boat just about sails itself.

Just get out and do it! You will have a blast.

One more thing, tie a small paddle to the trampoline, just in case the boat is 'uncooperative', the wind dies, etc.

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Jim

2007 Hobie Wave

Thanks for the encouraging comments guys. I am looking forward to an exciting summer. I am keeping the boat at the Nagasaki Sunset Marina (no place to store it at home), and am itching to hop in the water now, wondering if I can hide buying a wet suit from my wife.

I went a whole year before buying a wetsuit.

BUT...the first time I flew a hull, I was hooked, and my life changed forever. No more easy, lazy, sailing for this sailor.

If the water's cold, the spray feels like icy bullets. If you capsize (and I figure with the way I sail these days...my time is coming)..well, you want to survive it.

On warmer, lazier days I keep mine in a dry bag hitched to the hiking straps, ready to be yanked out and zipped on if conditions liven up.

A wetsuit is a great investment in safety and comfort.

_________________

"HOBIE....
Say it LOUD and there's music playing...
Say it SOFT and it's almost like praying.....
I just sailed my WAVE out the Marina !"
West Coast Story