Best Recreational Beach Cat?

[J_Grove]

Apparently the spigot for making them has turned open so you can get a new one if you want it. The previous production issues related to the moulds not making good parts reliably. Currently there are still production issues due to supply chain issues related to a needed chemical, but several (9) new ones are on the water this year. So you can get one.

Would like to get your thoughts on buying a used rental Getaway. Local rental fleet got some new Getaways recently and are selling two of their 2014 boats. I've rented from this concession over the years - generally seem to take care of the boats, including replacing the sails and tramps which decent after market versions. Have wing seats and forward tramps - no spinnaker of course. I know to look for cracks around tramp platform-to-hull join and bad forward bridle, standing rigging, etc. Know those roto hulls are supposed to be bomb proof, but being dragged up on a beach daily for several years has me concerned. Any simple way fpr the untrained eye to tell if they've gotten thin? There will be new ones right there to compare to ... but I think there was a hull change along the way.

I would have to source a trailer separately. New Getaways are sold out in 2022, there is a 2023 waiting list. I generally don't like to buy new anyway. Owner is asking 5500 each. Not any other Getaways in the Florida used market at the moment, but not in any kind of rush. Getaway season is ending here now, as F27 season gets underway.

 

[MultiThom]

Would like to get your thoughts on buying a used rental Getaway. Local rental fleet got some new Getaways recently and are selling two of their 2014 boats. I've rented from this concession over the years - generally seem to take care of the boats, including replacing the sails and tramps which decent after market versions. Have wing seats and forward tramps - no spinnaker of course. I know to look for cracks around tramp platform-to-hull join and bad forward bridle, standing rigging, etc. Know those roto hulls are supposed to be bomb proof, but being dragged up on a beach daily for several years has me concerned. Any simple way fpr the untrained eye to tell if they've gotten thin? There will be new ones right there to compare to ... but I think there was a hull change along the way.

I would have to source a trailer separately. New Getaways are sold out in 2022, there is a 2023 waiting list. I generally don't like to buy new anyway. Owner is asking 5500 each. Not any other Getaways in the Florida used market at the moment, but not in any kind of rush. Getaway season is ending here now, as F27 season gets underway.

Another thing you should look at (besides for cracks around the beams) is the skegs. Thats where the dragging will show, but those skegs are pretty thick. Check to see if rudders are damaged. Verify the mast is straight and that the comptip is not falling out or damaged--comptip is very common replacement item and pretty expensive.

 

[Will22]

I know "cat" isn't the same as "tri", but I have been loving my windrider 17. I grew up on a hobie 16, but appreciate the comfort of a bucket seat, pedal tillers and being dry for 3 season sailing in mid atlantic. It handles the chop of the Chesapeake quite well!

 

[BGeff]

Weta. While not a cat, and I am a cat guy, I enjoy my time immensely sailing the Weta.

 

[martin 'hoff]

Would like to get your thoughts on buying a used rental Getaway. Local rental fleet got some new Getaways recently and are selling two of their 2014 boats. I've rented from this concession over the years - generally seem to take care of the boats, including replacing the sails and tramps which decent after market versions. Have wing seats and forward tramps - no spinnaker of course. I know to look for cracks around tramp platform-to-hull join and bad forward bridle, standing rigging, etc. Know those roto hulls are supposed to be bomb proof, but being dragged up on a beach daily for several years has me concerned. Any simple way fpr the untrained eye to tell if they've gotten thin? There will be new ones right there to compare to ... but I think there was a hull change along the way.

I would have to source a trailer separately. New Getaways are sold out in 2022, there is a 2023 waiting list. I generally don't like to buy new anyway. Owner is asking 5500 each. Not any other Getaways in the Florida used market at the moment, but not in any kind of rush. Getaway season is ending here now, as F27 season gets underway.

The boats are ok (also been a client of Jacques' there) but if you're in Miami, for the money, get in touch with the CABB fleet (on FB for example). There's more, better cats for same or less money.

 

[bissona]

In 2019 we rented 8 different beach cats on the Atlantic coast of France (and a couple of tris) and the most fun I had was on an SL5.2. Easily fast enough for two but able to handle happily in a blow one-up. Seemed well-built and the layout well thought through. Can’t comment on it from an owner perspective but if I was in the market for a cat it would be high on the list.

 

[J_Grove]

The boats are ok (also been a client of Jacques' there) but if you're in Miami, for the money, get in touch with the CABB fleet (on FB for example). There's more, better cats for same or less money.

I've been on the CABB email list for years and follow along on FB as well. Sailing Corsairs with the family has occupied my time so never made it out for a CABB event. Would be fun to get a beach cat off the list and get smoked few times in CABB races - sure I'd learn something ... when is your son going to start offering lessons?

But I'm actually looking for a Getaway, mainly for the high hoot-meter with even 5 or 6 adults and kids aboard. I had a friend when I lived on Oahu that redundant-rigged and reinforced his Getaway and regularly sailed it to Molokai. Pretty cool expedition boats as well. And if I'm going to get smoked in a cab race, I'll have a built in excuse ...

 

[CatFive]

I've been on the CABB email list for years and follow along on FB as well. Sailing Corsairs with the family has occupied my time so never made it out for a CABB event. Would be fun to get a beach cat off the list and get smoked few times in CABB races - sure I'd learn something ... when is your son going to start offering lessons?

But I'm actually looking for a Getaway, mainly for the high hoot-meter with even 5 or 6 adults and kids aboard. I had a friend when I lived on Oahu that redundant-rigged and reinforced his Getaway and regularly sailed it to Molokai. Pretty cool expedition boats as well. And if I'm going to get smoked in a cab race, I'll have a built in excuse ...

Stripped down the getaway can do well on corrected time under SCHRF.
They also do well in the Everglades Challenge which is a good test of a boat

 

[martin 'hoff]

I've been on the CABB email list for years and follow along on FB as well. Sailing Corsairs with the family has occupied my time so never made it out for a CABB event. Would be fun to get a beach cat off the list and get smoked few times in CABB races - sure I'd learn something ... when is your son going to start offering lessons?

But I'm actually looking for a Getaway, mainly for the high hoot-meter with even 5 or 6 adults and kids aboard. I had a friend when I lived on Oahu that redundant-rigged and reinforced his Getaway and regularly sailed it to Molokai. Pretty cool expedition boats as well. And if I'm going to get smoked in a cab race, I'll have a built in excuse ...

Lol - glad you're already on the mailing list. We'll welcome you with open arms! Son and I going to Nacra 15 Nationals in a couple days - might get our asses kicked, or not, we'll see.

Gotcha on wanting it as load-all-your-friends vessel. It's great for that - we go to the sandbar on Deering Channel sometimes. Kick back, splash around. There's also lots of hidden channels and inlets around KB (near the golf course) and Va key (North end) - where a cat with skegs works perfect.

Edit: the fly in the ointment for a Getaway for ~$5K is the missing trailer, which could set you back $2K easily if purchased solo, but gets folded into the cat sale for peanuts if you buy a beater catamaran. Silly market rules.

 

[J_Grove]

Good luck to you and son MH. Thanks for reminder to check comp tip MT. Will have to lower mast to have a real inspection (if it comes that far) these for sale rental boat are still sitting mast up on the beach.

Two different boats for sale, two different cracks, both on port side hull just above forward cross beam.

No true repair method here right? Was going to post on hobie forum, but required posting a web link for photos and that killed that effort.

Runaway from these two? Not a lot of Getaways on used market, and whatever new 2022's there were are gone, with no word on 2023 ... but I'm in no rush.

 

[MultiThom]

Cracks have been repaired with Gflex but it is likely they will require repair again and again. Then when you want to discard it, you will not find a buyer. I'd say go for it if you can afford to play with it for a couple or three years and write off what ever you pay. I certainly would not pay $5K for it with those cracks-especially with no trailer. Half that, mebe. As luck would have it, someone video'd repairing a Getaway with Gflex.

 

[Foiling Optimist]

Just happened upon this thread. The Getaway is absolutely a fine boat in the relaxed catamaran category. We do however have to come to grips with the fact that the Hobie 16, while historically very important, is by modern standards terrible. It's substantially slower than a Nacra 500 let alone a 570 or 580, is hard to tack, pitchpoles much more easily than modern boats and seems to have a quite unbalanced helm, though maybe that's just the ones I've sailed. I sail a 570 regularly and it's great as a performance recreational cat, as is the 580, but they do require a bit more commitment. The 570 is remarkably good upwind against F18s despite the lack of boards. But I'm sure all the Nacra 5X0 boats are hard to find which is unfortunate as the 500 is probably the best combination of performance and ease of handling in this list.
What I would do if I wanted a performance recreational cat, assuming I had a good crew, and wasn't planning to race, is get an older and now non-competitive F18. They are much more common and potentially affordable, and parts and used sails will be likewise affordable and available and you have the fun of sailing with a downwind sail, which is really nice in lighter winds.
NB I have some sense of the relative speeds of these boats because some years ago, RedBull sponsored a race in English Bay where all the above cats raced against each other. The slowness of the Hobie 16s was the real shocker, but with a light crew on a Nacra 570 we fared remarkably well upwind against F18s with heavier crews.

 

[Irrational 14]

Cracks have been repaired with Gflex but it is likely they will require repair again and again. Then when you want to discard it, you will not find a buyer. I'd say go for it if you can afford to play with it for a couple or three years and write off what ever you pay. I certainly would not pay $5K for it with those cracks-especially with no trailer. Half that, mebe. As luck would have it, someone video'd repairing a Getaway with Gflex.

Yeah that thing is done. Worthless.

 

[J_Grove]

Message received. Shame the cracks on these two boats are in the exact same place, so no switching hulls to make one cracked boat and one uncracked boat.

 

[pitchpoledave]

Having spent a pleasant week in France with access to a Twincat 15, it got me dreaming about if I lived somewhere warm and sunny which cat to have. There seems an abundance of choice from Hobie, Nacra, Topper, RS, Dart, Topcat, SL and so many others. Not looking for an out and out racer so daggerboards not wanted, low maintenance construction, singlehanded and two/three up, good to sail, high quality fittings. Probably about 5m (16ft).

What are the best choices? The Topcat looks good?

Nacra 17 foiling. A bit of a learning curve

 

[nyker]

Buy a Nacra 500, or a 570 if you want it a bit larger. Great boats to sail and enjoy. Very strong and long lasting. If you take care of it, the boat will hold its value.

 

[RSsailingNA]

Trying to sound impartial but as an active F18 racer who happens to work in the industry selling boats....
Plastic low maintenance, RS Cats have the most modern hull design and sail really well regardless of being plastic.
If you can take care of a fiberglass boat, the new Nacra 500MKII is a great and super light.
If you're looking to load 10 people on it, then the Getaway is your boat (if you can get one).
If you want to go slow or want a very entry level cat then buy a Wave, but there are more fun boats for a small step up that will provide you more excitement.. if that's what you're looking for.
Keep in mind the 3 boats I mentioned also have manufacturer's current support with no sign of going away which is really important if you're planning to buy a new boat. There are several catamarans here in the US that have no manufacturer's support or spare parts, that's not fun if you're buying a new boat.

 

[bushsailor]

Hobie getaway is the only boat to get for recreational sailing. It needs the wings though.
And it is fast enough on a reach for most people.

 

[MultiThom]

My vote is for a Getaway. Still miss mine even though my SeaRail is a better performer. Getaway was just quicker to get in the water.