Hi Everyone,

I've been lurking here for a few weeks now. I'm a 44 yr old coming back to sailing after 25 years away from it. When I was a teenager I often sailed with my cottage neighbor in his H16 - I adored that boat! Now I find myself in a position to put some time and money into sailing cats and I'm looking for a beach cat, something reasonably near my neck of the woods. I realize I could get another 16 but with a family (my oldest will be 11 this year) I'd like something a bit bigger and faster so that I could bring a kid or two eventually. Also something that could be reasonably single handed. I was thinking maybe an H18 or a Nacra 5.5SL.

I'm taking some organized sailing lessons (monohull dinghies) in July as I haven't sailed for so long and never had any formal training. I've looked into joining a few of the local sailing clubs and will likely do so next season when I have a boat. However, it would be great to get out on some cats this year, to get my feet wet and to inform my purchasing deicision. I know people are sometimes looking for crew. I'm just not sure I would be of much use given my relative inexperience. I'm hoping I can make up for this with my enthusiasm and quick wits. 8)

All input appreciated, Duncan

Toronto Ontario, Canada.

your doing it right!...get some time on some boats to get a feel for the differences, boats are generally cheaper in winter too. i would advise easing back into it to build your experience, no spins just yet...something boardless is nice to get going like a p-16 or p-18. you would still enjoy the h-16 but they don't do so good with 3 people. it's all going to boil down to best boat for best price available. you will be able to sell the starter boat for what you paid in most cases. remember that the cats don't like to tack as easy as monos, takes a little practice. good luck!

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Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook!
bill harris
hattiesburg, mississippi
prindle 16- "BLUE RIBBON"
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Great stuff! The 5.5 is a reasonable boat to singlehand but it has boards. As always I would suggest looking into a Nacra 5.0 or 5.7, no boards, no booms and very fast. The good news is that there is a local Nacra dealer near you (near being relative when talking about Toronto I know).

You are unlikely to find many (or any) Prindles up here. What you will find are lots of Hobies, Nacras and Darts and a couple of odd cats you don't hear much about (seems like a pile of Seaspray 15s available right now for some reason). You should be able to to find a nice boat at a reasonable price in your locale.

If you can try to hook up with EC Hilliard, he's at least in the correct time zone if not overly close. He has a nice Nacra 5.7 he ressurected and could probably be persuaded to take you out on it and show you some of the ropes. If you are ever in my neighborhood (unlikely I know) let me know and I can arrange something with my boat.

D.

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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Sorry i missed this thread. I keep a 5.7 Cat up in Orillia. Come on up & try it out. I'll be up on Thurs-Sun, have to go back south for Monday & pssibly tue. Will be up for the rest of next week.
PM with what works, I think my wife has a houseful of girls on the weekend of the 23...no it won't be that kind of fun, more like the honey do list x 4!

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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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Thanks everyone for the kind words of encouragement. And thank you for your generous offer Edchris - I would *love* to take you up on it. Unfortunately I'm tied up with work and sailing lessons for the next two weeks. But after that maybe we can work something out?

Cheers, Duncan

If you are down in the Big Smoke, I'm assuming you are sailing on lake Ontario. There are a few clubs there with Cats. A fellow had a very good condition Prindle 16 for sale on the classifieds here last fall. I can't remember the club, Pimlico? I have seen some You tube footage of Nacra 5.0 with the CN Tower in the background, it was a club doing righting exercises, so they must be somewhere around the Islands. One of the colleges has a campus right on the water, we took basic keelboating there 10 years ago, I needed the official CYC logbook in order to rent bareboats in the Virgins.
A few weekends there should get you some exposure to different Cats, though they are not as numerous as the leaners & racing skiffs.
I try to work as little as possible in the summer, so keep in touch, I'm sure we can set something up.

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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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