Looking for advice: is the Hobie Getaway that slow for a rookie sailor?

I sail all sorts of cats and mono's fast and slow. The Getaway is an awesome boat, quick enough to stir the blood but also a real family cruiser when needed. I intend to buy one next year to add to the "fleet". The Getaway is bombproof and has tremendous features

My question to the more experienced cat sailors: is the boat really that slow?

compared to an F18 catamaran (sailed by an experienced sailor).. .yes
compared to any 16' roto-mold monohull - no

It is a very hardy, and sail-able catamaran. at your size, soloing should be great but still fine to take out friend.

The getaway should do a good job for you. It isnt the fastest cat but it isnt the slowest either. Once you learn the ropes you may want something a little more racey, in that case pick up a cheap hobie 16 and keep the getaway for times when you dont have knowlegable crew. You will likely be happy enough you will stick with the getaway, though.

capecatsailor wrote:
My question to the more experienced cat sailors: is the boat really that slow?

Welcome to TheBeachcats.com! Thanks for the introduction.

The Getaway is not slow, it's a very fast and powerful sailboat.

The comments you hear about slow are comparing very small differences. These small differences mean a lot when racing but very little when you want to blast along having fun.

The Getaway has the advantage of weight capacity.

It's "slower" than a Hobie 16 but challenge a 16 sailor to sail with six onboard and you'll win that race for sure.

It's "slower" than a Hobie 16 but challenge a 16 sailor to sail with six onboard and you'll win that race for sure.

Very true. That line brings back a memory from early this summer. I was soling the 5.7 & went for a run down to a Provincial Park 8 miles down the lake. Spotted a bright sail & went to see if there was another Cat.
I easily caught & passed what turned out to be a Hobie Wave, sailed by a young kid of about 14. As I went by he yelled, "hey mister, how do you get your boat to go so fast?"
I headed up & let him catch me. His biggest problem?
There were 8, yes, I counted them, 8 kids on that boat. The hulls were only a few inches above the water.

Hey,

I can relate to what you are looking for (I also have a wife that isn't interested in sailing and have 3 young kids). I have been on the lake with my Nacra 5.0 when there also was a Getaway sailing around. My opinion, I would have been quite disappointed had I been the guy on the Getaway seeing the Nacra pass me up time after time. The Nacra looks somewhat similar aqnd has some of the same advantages (see the good below) but it just has that little extra that I would be missing on a getaway. Here some of my experiences (which is a repeat of what I posted in other threads) The good:

- It's a very fast boat (I carry 3 kids sometimes without issues, even pull a tube behind it).
- no boom
- no dagger boards to handle (or break).
- easy to set up, it takes me literally 15 minutes to set up the boat (mast stays up on the club).
- straight hulls are very forgiving so no pitch poling, etc..
- easy to get on off trailer.
- is set up for solo sailing as well with crew

The bad:
- It might be a little harder to find a good used one and so you may pay a little more then a hobie 16 of the same age as those are readily available. If you are looking for new look for the Nacra 500, a 2004 from the classified section was just sold, was listed at $6200 I believe.
- What else is bad? Your wife might get pissed because you are hanging out with your new love too much.

Here are som vids that I have made during the last 2 years.
Pulling the tube http://www.youtube.com/wa…UUThnz5W77LRR3tRNOxp9kXQ
Just having fun going fast http://www.youtube.com/wa…UUThnz5W77LRR3tRNOxp9kXQ

buy a 2nd hand getaway

learn to sail on it, take out your wife, children and friends

and if it turns out you really get into cat sailing

sell if for something faster

or even better, keep it and buy an old beater h16 for giggles

I can smoke 'em with my Prindle 18, even when my sails were 25 years old. Smoking 'em means I am probably 30 seconds to a minute faster in a mile though. Woohoo (sarcasm goes here).

I thought long and hard about the 18 footer that would last me through my kids teen years, and I had to go with something more sporting and older/cheaper. If I bought a Getaway, it would have cost more, but I wouldn't have to leave town to find it. It wouldn't have needed as much work over the first three year's of ownership either. I drove many, many milies looking at older 18 foot cats that weren't Getaways.

On the other hand, that front tramp, the coolers, and the boom-less rig is pretty sweet for a family.

All things are trade offs with boats.

you might look at the D-PN column of this table for some comparisons between cats.
http://offshore.ussailing.org/Portsmouth_Yardstick/Current_Tables/Multihull_Classes.htm
j

Well, that doesn't help the argument for the Getaway does it? About the 3rd slowest cat with a rating. At least it isn't a wave, with a 92 - argh.

the getaway is fast enough to catch most recreational monohulls

for most people

most of the time

certainly it's enough for taking a small child and wife who isn't convinced of the need to go sailing...

Edited by erice on Sep 08, 2012 - 05:44 AM.

An alternate boat is the G-cat 5.7 or 5.0, the G-cats have front tramps, are extremely smooth riding with a good turn of speed. They are easy to rig, boomless, boardless and even easier to sail. Sailed skillfully they will outrun a Hobie 18 or carry a big load when the family comes out to play. Typically they are cheaper than the Getaway, another bonus. Both can be single handed and especially so if you tip the scale at 220.