Hello Catsailors,
I'm trying to figure out which boat is right for me.
I'm sure this is a frequently asked question, but it's hard to search for
which boat
and come up with anything meaningful.
I sail a Farrier trimaran and would like a small multi to sail with a friend at the local lake when I can't make the 2.5 hour trip to Lake Erie. It seems like the Hobie 18 might be the best bet for sailing 2-up with total crew weight of 360 lbs. or so, but I would also like to sail singlehanded occasionally and sometimes with a 3rd crew.
I'm not afraid of doing a bit of work on the boat since I built my Farrier and it seems that old Hobies that need a bit of TLC are pretty reasonable.
Any suggestions?
Thanks.
Bill
www.quigsboats.com/Farrier
We have at least 4 H18s in our fleet 3 of which are more often sailed singlehanded than not. Stepping the mast does take a bit more work solo, but can be done with the right procedures.
I am even thinking about upgrading my h16 (hand it off to one of the children) to a TheMightyHobie18 next season.
Sam
Good luck
Do you race in any of the LEM (Lake Erie Multihull) events?
Key questions for your singlehanded sailing are.
Mast up... or down storage...
What is the launch like... trailer ramp and a dock?
beach wheels to a beach or launch area?
beach wheels to a ramp?
How steep is the incline to the water?
(either ramp or beach)
A hobie 18 would be hard to move by yourself up a bit of an incline.
Also,
Satisfy yourself that you can right the 18 by yourself with a righting aid in 8 knotts. If you flip it... in less then 8 knots by yourself... you are probably in trouble with righting.
Oh... the wings are great for the kind of sailing you are looking for. Definetly look for the magnum version of the 18.
Just so you know, there are very few catamarans that satisfactorily sail both solo and with crew. Much less a boat which could sail with 1, 2 or 3. There are trade offs. On a boat that would sail with 3 people well, you will be overpowered when solo in heavy winds and you will need to have a righting pole or righting bag to right the boat from capsize. A solo cat on the other had will drag through the water, will be underpowered and want to pitchpole with 3 people
Some boats you might want to consider are:
Hobie 18
Hobie 20
Suppercat 19
Nacra 5.5 (will not handle the weight of 3 people though)
Nacra 6.0 NA
Prindle 18 (will not handle the weight of 3 people though)
Prindle 19
Read through this article and let us know the conditions you will be sailing in and how extreme you want to be
http:/
There are some rotomoded boats that are quick setup and can carry a lot of weight, but are not as fast as the fiberglass boats due to less sail area and increased weight.
Matt
Bill,
what sort of budget do you have ?
Bill, I assume from your web site that you are still in Columbus. If so...
Alum Creek is the primary catamaran venue in central Ohio. There is a beach launch area as part of Alum Creek Sailing Association facilities. The
beach
is a pretty steep hill and it is difficult for anyone to move even light boats out of the water. We are working on designs for a winch and cart system to alleviate this problem. There are at least three Farrier tris sailing out of the ACSA facility as well.
Racing in Ohio is now almost all Portsmouth handicapped events with fleet scoring. See http://sailocra.com/ Note that Ohio is now primarily two fleets... Mystere 4.3 and Nacra F17.
http:/
http://nacraclass.com/F17.htm
For adults, both boats are exclusively single-handed. The 4.3 fleet is stable and competitive and has several youth sailors coming on strong. The F17 is where the current growth is. Beyond the two stronger fleets there is just about one of everything else. There remains a few F18's and in combined CRAM/OCRA events an F18 fleet is common.
If your preference is mostly recreational sailing, there are quite a few Hobies around for cheap in storage lots and back yards.
You might also consider a Nacra 5.7
Thanks everyone for all the tips, and the link to the catamaran guide.
I will most likely sail at Alum Creek, and try to keep the boat in the mast-up storage area near the main ramps, so I won't be dealing with beaching. I tow, launch, and raise the 45-foot mast on my trimaran singlehanded so a small cat shouldn't be much of a problem.
I would like to spend under $2500, and if I could find a boat with usable sails for that price so much the better.
I probably won't be racing since I'm not in town on enough of a regular schedule.
Re: LEM, I have not competed in any of the races this year but maybe next year. I'm still getting the Farrier set up the way I want it.
Bill
All the boats I mentioned can be had for 2500$ besides the nacra 6.0. Just be sure to read the buying recommendations on that link, so you don’t get a lemon.
You mentioned that you don’t mind some work. A couple of members at my club found boats with holed hulls at serious discounts and did the repairs themselves.
Ramp launching a beach cat is a pain... Ramp launching at Alum Creek is a huge pain as the line for the ramps often extends beyond the parking lots. On a nice weather weekend, it is not uncommon to wait a hour.
If you want to trailer off of the Hollen Back Rd. lots, you can also launch at the carry on beach area just north of the marina office.
If you really want to sail 3-up, and plan to leave the mast up, with the predominantly light air in central Ohio, I would go for a Nacra 6.0.