The Wildcat has arrived in Britain at the Hobie Cat Centre
by Hazel Beard, Hobie Cat Centre 22 May 2009 11:34 BST
Hobie Europe have been inundated with orders for their new boat, many of which have come out of the wrappers and been put straight on the water at major sailing events.
The much anticipated first Wildcat arrived in Britain this week and will be put together this weekend at Poole. The photos that we have seen of the Wildcat did not prepare us for how different this boat really is - there are new innovations wherever you look.
The first thing we noticed was how slim the daggerboard slot was, only 17cm wide, the rudders are equally slim with a completely new locking mechanism. The top of the hull is covered in part with neoprene to make for a more comfortable surface with great grip.
The hull shape is really striking and radically different from that of the Tiger, at the moment we can only guess at the benefits of the new shape - we will be able to tell you more after our on the water testing. In the meantime here are a few photos of the boat at Poole - check out our YouTube Channel next week where we will upload some close up film of the boat once we have put it together. If you subscribe to our channel you will be the first to know.
www.youtube.com/user/hobiecatcentre