Design and Construction
The Wave’s symmetrical hulls work with sleek keels to eliminate the need for daggerboards. Skegs along the hull bottoms serve the same purpose as centerboards.
Hobie describes the rotomolded polyethylene hulls as nearly indestructible. Their impact-resistant, two-shot construction gives the boat the toughness needed for beach launching and careless groundings.
Hobie’s notes describe the three-piece mesh trampoline as heat-melded for longevity, with two main sections that are easy to adjust. The Club version has a lace-up, three-piece mesh trampoline with grommets. The Classic disassembly model uses a cable system and Velcro straps to tension its trampoline.
Rig and Handling
The Wave carries a cat rig with a comptip mast and a Hobie Bob mast float, which helps prevent the boat from turtling after a capsize. Its large, fully battened, boomless mainsail provides plenty of power in light air but is designed to reduce power in a gust. The single sail slides up and locks with little resistance.
The fitted sail is a fully battened, multicolored, square-top Dacron mainsail with a safety viewing window. Because the rig is boomless, new crews don’t face the usual risk of being struck by a boom.
The EZ Loc Rudder system operates simply by raising or lowering the rudder. A tiller stick lets the sailor move weight forward in lighter air. Reviewers found the Wave incredibly easy to sail across a range of skill levels. It can be sailed solo or raced single-handed, yet it can also carry a crew of four. The boat is extremely difficult to capsize and can right itself if fought by the wind.
Cockpit and Capacity
The Wave is a daysailer rather than a cruiser, so accommodations are basic. It does have special padded seat cushions, while the Classic version adds an easy-to-attach, one-piece colored mesh trampoline with built-in drink holders.
The forward bow height is 18.5 inches and the stern is 25.25 inches from the floor, creating a low, stable platform. The boat is rated for one to four people, with the US version carrying a stated capacity of 800 pounds.
Classic and Club Versions
Hobie formerly built the Wave in two versions: Classic and Club. The Classic was the original model, designed for easy disassembly and car storage, with standing rigging that hooks to the hulls.
The Club uses clevis pins and rings for its standing rigging, along with a lace-up trampoline. It’s the preferred version for sailors who want to race or who place a higher value on speed.
Ownership and Upgrades
The Wave’s simplicity keeps ownership overhead low. The rotomolded hulls don’t require gelcoat repairs, and both trampoline systems can be serviced in the field with common hardware.
Available upgrades include:
- Zipper-reefing mainsail
- Spinnaker kit
- Aluminum trailer
- Padded backrests
- Beach wheels
Verdict
The Hobie Wave is a forgiving, nearly bombproof introduction to catamaran sailing that still rewards a racing mindset. Its daggerboard-free hulls, boomless rig, and mast float make it well suited to families and juniors, while the Club version offers more appeal to speed-minded sailors.
Pros
- Nearly indestructible rotomolded polyethylene hulls
- Symmetrical, daggerboard-free hulls with skegs
- Boomless, gust-reducing mainsail and mast float
- Simple rigging
- Suitable for solo or crewed sailing
- Easy capsize recovery
Cons
- Little creature comfort beyond cushions and the trampoline
- Classic trampoline tensioning is more fiddly than the Club system
