learned to sail cats with a used 18 ft Dart back in early 80s I think that I paid about 2500 for boat , trailer and beachwheels. What a blast I kept boat on beach and used it alot. anyways kids are older, daughters in college, and I want to go sailing again. looking at boats now I am used to sailing by myself when I couldnt find crew but love to have some weight out in the trap so that we can really fly.
Allso like to be able to take leisurely cruise with 3-4 people.
will be sailing on upstate lakes and resavoirs, take it to the Cape for vacation in summer, and possibly LI when we visit inlaws. I am thinking 18 footer again
I cant beleive have been watching this sites used boats for month and just found another Dart 18 right in my backyard about ten minutes away on Craigs list and about the same as what I paid back in 1983.
Am going to look at it Saturday.
Any recomendations on other choices.
Am I thinking straight
Thanks for any advice info
Ted


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Ted
Hobie 21SE Feral Cat
Upstate NY lake sailing
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That's interesting that you sailed kind of a rare (in the USA) boat like the Dart 18 and twenty years later find another one? Could it be your old boat?

If you are saying the Dart you found is $2,500 you should expect it to be in really terrific shape, needing no significant replacement parts including sails, tramp, lines, and trailer.

Thanks for filling out your profile!



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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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That sounds really cool! I like the looks fo the Dart and actually have a couple of how to books that specifically use the Dart in them. If the boat is in good shape then why the heck not! Recapture some of the glory! Up my way there is the Canadian Dart Catamaran Association, but since I think they are only manufactured in South Africa some parts may be hard to come by.

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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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i hate to disagree (not really :) ) but darts are from england. their is a very active dart/hawk association still over there - http://www.dart18.com/. they also make a 20 (renegade) that i have sailed several times and recently in 40-45 knots (yes 45)... it broke 4 batten pokets (oversized tornado sail and jib) in 20 minutes but the boat handled the gusts very well with 2 males and 1 screaming female. we didnt capsize but we were close (a dozen times)... it was a hoot... (not a fun day for they 10 boats that decided to go out in the gulf and race that day for the Hangover Regatta...

we have many darts here in dunedin (tampa). i have crewed on several. they typically suffer in light air, since they have small sails, dont point to weather as good as boats with dagger boards, and draw pretty deep with their skegs... but are rockets in heavy air (as it usually blows like stink in the north atlantic of england and thats what they are made to handle).

i have had some of my most insane/fun times on a dart18 and defiantly never gone faster (nor want to) on a beach cat

they are light, easy to handle on the beach.. fast to rig and easy to right. They are built very tough.. that being said .. they can be expensive to fixc (new rudders are around $1200 (EACH) i am told if you can find em in country).

another upside to these cats is the sail area is so small (the jib is just
slightly bigger than a napkin) that a new sail can be relatively cheap

as you probably know.. 2 people is comfortable but you can not get more than 3 adults on a 7.5' wide cat (unless you are VERY VERY friendly) :)

I agree that if in good shape, and you know the boat .. go for it...

Hmm a quick search showed that currently the Dart 18 is only made in South Africa now by Collins Fibreglas. I think that they were originally made in UK by Laser and laser still makes and sells the dart 16. The 18 is a big class with something like 8000 boats manufactured worldwide.

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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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HEY ALL THANKS FOR THE INPUT, iT IS DEFINATELY DIFFERENT BOAT MINE WAS YELLOW THIS ONE RED, HE SAID HE HAS TWO SETS OF SAILS AND TWO SETS RUDDERS , LISTED COST WAS 2200. WITH TRAILER AND BEACHWHEELS. aNDREW YOU ARE RIGHT THESE THINGS REALLY FLY IN HIGH WINDS. wE USED TO KEEP IT WHERE THEY RENTED WINDSURFURS AND WHEN THE WIND BLEW ABOUT THIRTY KNOTS IN THE FALL WE WOULD GO RACE THEM AND LEAVE THEM BEHIND MOST OF THE TIME. WHAT A BLAST.
tED

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Ted
Hobie 21SE Feral Cat
Upstate NY lake sailing
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You are correct Dave they purchased and moved the molds to S.Africa in 2005 but they are a UK design and production was there for almost 20 years.

they were desinged by the same guy who created the olympic class Tornado

damonAdmin

That's interesting that you sailed kind of a rare (in the USA) boat like the Dart 18 and twenty years later find another one? Could it be your old boat?

If you are saying the Dart you found is $2,500 you should expect it to be in really terrific shape, needing no significant replacement parts including sails, tramp, lines, and trailer.

Thanks for filling out your profile!

Went to look at boat yesterday , it was definately used, needed some fiberglass repairs, little delamination around transom hull top seam, and by rear crossbeam joint,didnt figure it was worth the 2200 he was asking, so offered 1800 will see what happens, there was another guy there looking at it at same time. So am still looking for used boat.

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Ted
Hobie 21SE Feral Cat
Upstate NY lake sailing
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