Hello everybody! Joe here from Vegas, I'm a former jetskier (sorry sorry) and now that gear is sold and I'm looking for my first cat. I've been sailing a couple of times on a Prindle 16 and have had a blast both times.
I thought I had it narrowed down to a Prindle 16 to buy but now I see this ad for an Ocean Cat 18 on craigs but I can't really find anything about it. Anyone know about this boat?
Like they said, Hobie 18, excellent choice. For that money better buy it quick before someone else on here does. The Sails alone could be worth $800 if they are in good shape.
That is not a 1981 sail number, so the sails might be a lot newer (or older) than the boat. But for that price just make sure that all the major parts (daggerboards, rudder system, sails and rigging) are there and there are no major spongy soft areas of the hulls. Heck even if the hulls are trashed you can sell the rest here for more than $800.
Some of the best bargains come from someone selling something and not describing it properly. Reminds me of a buddy that bought a nearly new Hobie Tiger for $6,000 (when they were going for $12,000 because the owner described it on eBay as simply a "20 foot sailboat".
Its a Hobie 18 for sure, and its a good deal at that. However, unless you will be sailing with a crew, this isn't the best boat to start off with (its big, can be overpowering for a new sailor). But, that being said, for $800...you could grow into it. Hell, I would jump all over it if I were closer
Just looked a little closer at the pics of it, and I spy a comptip mast, which means the mast has either been upgraded, or is much newer than 1981. (Comptip upgrades are now running at $695.25)--ouch