going to make it better.
Sorry, couldn't resist. 
Best way to to start racing is to jump in and do it - take your lumps at first and vow to beat the suckers next time! Or find a club that's a little lower pressure. Can't find one? Start one! Also, if you wait until your boat stops breaking to do anything, you'll never do it! Breaking is just one of the things boats do...
You might be surprised at how much weight total the wings add. My wings are the old style magnum wings, not the even bigger SX wings. Mine are basically a loop of tubing with some extra supports and small tramps - pretty much the same idea as the 17 except they hinge and thus have support tubes underneath that rest on the outer beam castings. And, taken individually they're not that heavy, and yes, you can lift them easily with various body parts if you're so inclined! 
For 40lbs or so total, that's 20 lbs per side. The tramps actually weigh a bit (even the mesh), so the bare wings themselves might be 10-15. It all adds up.
My point being about the class sailing, it simply isn't worth it.
Driving halfway across the country, skipping out on several days of class and work, and spending ungodly amounts of money in the process simply wasn't worth it for a DFL. No matter how fast or what I do to my boat, those guys have been doing it for years, and I'll never really be as good as they are. Plus, this is my learning boat, so when things break, I simple spend enough on it to get it working (not always class legal).
Maugan, this is really depressing stuff. If other people have your attitude, no wonder one-design racing is dying. Almost everybody begins their racing career finishing at the back of the pack -- including my father and including Rick White. You learn a lot more about sailing by racing and being DFL than by not even trying and having a DNS (did not start) or a DNC (did not compete).
Mary:
I'm not going to drive all over the country, spend a ton of money, and be DFL.
I've got local regattas here where I can hone my skills and become a better sailor without landing myself in the welfare line.
I think you would be surprised where you might end up with all your monoslug experience - I know the guys you speak of well.
Honestly, I take a little offense to your approach (perhaps it's because I'm still cranky from the 14 hour drive back from Ohio yesterday). I do travel all across the country and spend money on this sport but I hit the race course in the morning with the mindset of "what can I learn today?". Yeah, I've had my DFLs but I have learned a ton, am a much better sailor for it, and only spent a very short while in DFL. Don't knock it till you try it.
Maugan, somehow I got the impression from one of your other posts that there are Hobie 17 sailors in your area, so I didn't understand what you meant by driving all over the country. If you are just referring to it being necessary to go to a Hobie 17 Nationals (Continentals) in order to sail against other 17's, that's a once-a-year event, and it is well worth scheduling vacation time and money for. Going to one national event will put your learning curve through the roof because of how much you will learn at an event like that. Finish position is irrelevant.
It sounds like you are saying you WOULD take the time and spend the money if you were guaranteed of winning a trophy but otherwise it just isn't worth it. To me that is sort of like saying you will spend the time and money to go to college if you can be guaranteed that you will graduate phi beta kappa but otherwise it just isn't worth it.
Jake:
I understand why you like to travel to far off places to compete. I would to if it were feasible for me to do so economically. I can learn something from local races around here in the same way you can from travelling. Granted the "level of instruction" might not be the best, but I'm not spending $150 in gas to get there. (my recent trip to Tybee I spent well over $200 in fuel, partly because I had to come through columbia/charlotte on the way back)
Mary:
Sam Evans lives nearby. John Sherm lives in Wilmington. Both are competitive sailors. I can't speak for Sam, but I know for a fact that Mr. Sherm does not race around here. He only has time for the national, continenals and so forth. What I race against are the Isotope sailors around Durham, who aren't a shabby bunch in and amongst themselves.
As for your analogy, I'd rather compare it to this:
I don't want to spend the money going to Harvard when I know I'll flunk out. I realize it would be a futile endeavor and while I may learn a great deal, I'll still walk away technically with nothing... whereas if I go to a local public university, I'll have a much greater chance of succeeding, wont spend nearly as much money, and it will prepare me better for further education.
I have to disagree with you there. Thats not the way I was brought up. Its all well and good if you aren't taking it seriously, or you're simply racing to be around similar boats. But if I've committed myself to win, then I'm going to go balls out to do it. Competition is a guage of how well you've learned the ropes, and if I'm pulling DFL's one after another, then I need to find another sport / recreational activity.
Maugan, you have convinced me. You really don't have to keep giving all these excuses for not racing. The majority of catamaran sailors do not race and have no interest in racing. There's nothing wrong with being in the majority. I, for one, am never going to mention racing to you again. The fact that you love sailing and sailboats is the important thing. And it does not matter to the people on this forum whether you are a racer or a cruiser. We're just glad to have enthusiastic young people like you around, and we are glad to have your input and perspectives.
Mary:
I'm going to race... don't worry, I'm just not ready to take on the Smyth's of the catsailor world just yet. (Plus, when I'm through with this whole student thing, I'll have more opportunity to travel around I hope)
Hey dude,
lighten up, we will make it worth your while to come race with us. Oh and our sailors will spend hours talking to you about how to race rig and sail your boat. Its almost better than time on the water(almost). Not to mention the money you spend will buy you happiness, or at least some good food and alot of beer.
See my point?
Regattas are fun.
We have all been DFL, its no so bad.
We all have all learned from being DFL.
We all grow every time we race, more than just out pleasure sailing. Besides, When you are last you can actually see what the fast guys are doing!
Outback Cup, September 27-28 Columbia S Carolina(your home boys!)
David Mosley
www.seacats.org
Tad,
There are many great H17 sailors in Div9 that would be more than willing to help you. Sam is just one of many that would bend over backwards to help. Heck most of the Div9 regattas are setup at camping areas just to keep the costs down sure there is a little road time! Along with that comes the ability to pick the brains of those 17 sailors as well as the Tiger, H20 and H16 sailors. Some of that is more valuable than getting your A** handed to you one the water. They all want people in the Div to succeed
It's great that you want to sail anyway you can whether it is the 17 or Mono. But the true test and the greatest rewards come from being beat in a race and learning from it to come back the next time and be successful.
As Mary said, even Rick started at the Back as well as any great racers.
Come out to a Div reggatta and sail for fun, if you come out to win every time well...........
Anyway, have a good one,
Tad...As a member of the east coat H-17 group I can assure you that we are all looking forward to seeing you on the race course. After the race we will have a beer and bust each other for the mistakes we made. It's just sailboat racing...Dan
I was going to race in the hatteras regatta later this month, but my sail is almost in pieces. Theres a panel of mylar thats come unstitched and two of my batten pockets are blown.
I'm getting quotes from sailmakers about getting it repaired, although, it almost seems more economical to just get a pentex squarehead for it.
Givee Bill Hendrix a call at Mainsail Marine in Mauldin S Carolina. He is a fellow catsailor in our fleet and the best fiberglass, tramp repair, and sail restorer I have ever worked with. He is also very inexpensive.
Mainsail Marine Greenville SC
(864)299-1092
David Mosley
www.seacats.org
Maugan,
Tell you what- this coming Spring Break I plan on doing one of two things:
1) Sailing from Anna Maria Island to Dry Tortugas on my G-Cat 5.7M
or
2) Heading up to the Carolinas to get my fill of sailing in the Atlantic.
If I go to the Carolinas, we can both enter the same race and you won't have to worry about placing DFL 
Heck, last time I raced I didn't even remove the two anchors and line I keep tied on the forward trampoline... so much for weight watching
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Thats some of his carbon work. If you look hard enough, you can see a transplanted H17 sailor there somewhere 😛
Not that anyone will every likely call you on it unless some obvious improvements are made but the sail repair must be made by the factory shop in order for it to remain a "class legal" sail.
well, in that case, I'll just be getting a non-class legal square head and then keep checking ebay for a used 17 sail around.