Key Sailing is a Hobie dealer in Pensacola Beach.
http://www.keysailing.com/
I have had good dealings with Schurr Sails in Pensacola.
http://schurrsails.com/
If you are going to race at Hobie Cat sanctioned races, check with them to see what mods can be made.
While there is nothing wrong with a Hobie 16, it was designed in 1969.
There have been tens of thousands of them made. You should be able to buy an excellent used 16 for half the price of new.
If you would like a more modern design in the 16 foot range I would look at something in the F16 class.
http://en.wikipedia.org/w…Formula_16_%28sailing%29
http://www.formula16.net/…tent/view/28/45/lang,en/
http://www.falconmarinellc.com/blade.htm
If the Hobie 16 is the regular car of the cat world the F16 Blade is in the high performance area. Hobie 16's were the staple of a lot of rental fleets because of their toughness and you could teach almost any one to sail it in about 1 hour.
While most cats will pitch-pole the Hobie 16 seems to be more likely to do it with less warning.
http://www.youtube.com/re…chpole&aq=1&oq=hobie+16+Edited by skarr1 on Jun 03, 2011 - 09:02 PM.