Has anyone tried a current best technology spinnaker on a Wave?

I am talking about custom building something like new F18's use with a sail built specifically for it, not the fun sail Hobie sells for it.

I have tried jibs and hooters. I need to go deeper and faster. I have had several sailmakers tell me they could make it go faster with a real spinnaker, especially in light air. Maybe it's time to try.

Yes.
I don't happen to be a fan, this is supposed to be a simple boat, but there's a description of some experiments along this line at "It was a good night to race a catamaran" topic further down.

http://www.catsailor.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=247491#Post247491

No, that thread is about hooters/gennakers/code zero. I have already tried hooters and reached the same conclusion, a hooter equipped boat is not significantly faster on a windward/leeward course than a stock boat.

No I am talking about a symmetrical spinnaker with some type of mid pole snuffer. I suspect that this rig would be an advantage only over a narrow wind range.

Any spinnaker using a fixed pole is by definition an assymetrical spinnaker as it has a designated tack and clew. A symmetrical spinnaker uses a spinnaker pole that moves from one side to the other on jibes while the corners take turns being the tack and the clew. When the sail is folded vertically the clews and leeches match each other in length and location. When an assymetrical is folded vertically, the luff is shorter than the leech and the corners do not match shape or location.

You want a larger, fuller cut A sail for the Wave in 1/2 oz nylon. Yes, it will make the Wave faster downwind than stock up to the time it pitchpoles. There is very little bow in front of the main and with the spinnaker the sail plan center will probably be about even with the bows. My opinion is that this will never be worth doing unless you already have the snuffer and sail and you would use it often. Buying the parts retail might double the cost of the Wave.

BTW, you could purchase a Mystere 4.3 with all of this ready to go for probably less than the retail cost of a snuffer, pole, spinnaker, halyard, sheets, blocks, and cleats to modify your Wave. Then you would have a much faster boat that is only a little bigger but much better for spinnaker use and w/o needing any work and w/o messing up your Wave. The Wave is beautifully simple as a cat rigged boat and there are much better alternatives if you want more than that.

Geesh, Mike! ReallY? And on a Wave Forum?

What's wrong, Rick. You don't agree with "The Wave is beautifully simple as a cat rigged boat"? :-)

I messed around with a jib and a downwind sail on the Wave and I think it ruins the boat's appeal. However, if someone buys a Wave and eventually yearns for more to do or more of a sailing challenge, I think a better way to go is to get a different, purpose-built boat, and KEEP THE WAVE for fun, quick-to-go, carefree sailing. A perfect way to get your personal fleet started. Maybe it would make you feel better if I add that every sailor should have his own fleet and every fleet should include a Hobie Wave. Certainly YOU cannot dispute that!

Mike, quite the contrary...the hooter actually creates loads of LIFT and the boat has no tendency to pitch-pole at all. The Wave starts to plane at about 12 kts!




So what's your point?