Hi everyone. I'm buying a place in OCNJ next month, and hope to adorn it with a beachcat before next summer. I'll be a newbie to sailing. So I have a lot of questions.

1- What kind of cat should I buy? I've seen several posts on this site suggesting that newbies be flexible. I.e., buy the cat on which you get the best deal. Advice well taken! Nonetheless, what would be the ideal cat for me? I plan to sail it on the ocean usually with a crew of two, total weight around 375 lbs. But I also envision wanting to occasionally go out with three or four people (~600 lbs). I don't plan to race. Rather, I want to casually cruise around on the waves most of the time. But getting some good speed out of it once in a while would be nice too. I'm thinking H16, H18, Getaway or similar, but kinda lean toward a Prindle 16 based on the great things I've read about them. What's best for a beginner?

2- Where's the best place to look for cats for sale? I've checked the classifieds on this site and others, craigslist, ebay and other places. I'm surprised at how few cats I've found in PA or NJ. Are there local places I'm missing where they are customarily advertised? This leads to my next question ...

3- Anyone on this site from South Jersey, or Ocean City in particular? I'd really like to chat with someone connected to the local sailing scene or with experience launching off the South Jersey beaches.

Any help and advice will be appreciated.

--
Steve, OCNJ
--

Baycats is a dealer near you in Cape May. Not sure exactly what they sell anymore but I know they have listings for used boats. And craigslist is a great way to find a boat!... just keep searching and you'll find one (mostly hobies though). Be careful to carefully inspect anything before you buy.

--
AJ Sawyer
Nacra 20
San Diego, CA
--

Thanks. I found Baycats. And it looks like they recently got in a used H16. I'll stop by to have a look.

--
Steve, OCNJ
--