I am new to this forum and would appreciate any advice. Thanks
in advance.

A little background:

I grew up sailing and racing boats since I was a kid. My family cruised often and I have raced monohulls from Lasers to J24's to big boats. I have spent very little time on Cats.

About 12 years ago I moved from Annapolis to Nashville and my sailing habit became dormant (I did it for love). I am now looking to get back into the sport and teach my three children to sail. Their ages are 11,8,5. My wife knows the basics and can help as well.

I am 6' 4" and weigh 210lbs.

I am looking for a Cat with the following traits:

Can be sailed solo, raced with a friend, or with my family
Is not terribly difficult to setup
Can be trailered by a non-SUV
Can be righted by myself.
Can be raced in the Southeast. (I will sail the boat locally on our lakes and will take it to South Walton beaches at least twice a year.)
Is fast and fun!
Cost is always a factor but not a limiting one.

Again I appreciate any help and any resource you can point me too.

Thanks!

CJS

hobie 16 or a 18

nashcat

I am 6' 4" and weigh 210lbs.
I am looking for a Cat with the following traits:
Can be sailed solo, raced with a friend, or with my family
Is not terribly difficult to setup
Can be trailered by a non-SUV
Can be righted by myself.

Yer lookin' at an eighteen, my friend.
Just about any family of four will submerge the lee hull of a H16.
So look for a:
Hobie 18
Prindle 18
Nacra 5.7 or 5.8
With good techinque you can right any of the above by yourself.

--
Sheet In!
Bob
_/)_____/)_/)____/)____/)_____/)/)__________/)__
Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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Nacra 5.7 or 5.8. Personally I think that the N20 is easier to sail (until you pull the spin), but most would not agree.

For a family of 5 with 3 fast growing kids, you have only one option -- Hobie Getaway! It has capacity up to 1000 lb, forward trampoline and optional wings.

This is how a Gateway would rate against your requirements:

Quote

Can be sailed solo, raced with a friend, or with my family

90% Not best racing boat

Quote

Is not terribly difficult to setup

100%

Quote

Can be trailered by a non-SUV

100%

Quote

Can be righted by myself.

80% -- you may need a sizable righting bag to help

Quote

Can be raced in the Southeast. (I will sail the boat locally on our lakes and will take it to South Walton beaches at least twice a year.)

50% Not the best racing boat

Quote

Is fast and fun!

50% Not the fastest cat out there, but still fun

Quote

Cost is always a factor but not a limiting one.

80% New at about $8000, used $6000 (including trailer and etc.). Expensive comparing with a used H16, but way less than a new F18.

Most of the 18-footers are optimized for 2 and can accommodate 3. I suppose you could squeeze 5, if you don't mind to feel like a sardine.

There is no single cat to meet all your requirements a 100%. What you need is more than one cat. One to go with you family, Hobie 21 or Nacra F20, or Getaway, and the second to go solo: Hobie Wave, A Class, or Hobie 17. Then you will need Hobie 16 to go racing, because there is more H16 to race that any other cat. Should I go on?

Seriously, get a Gateway -- you and your family will love it!

--
Jack B
Hobie 17
BC, Canada
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with a 5 and 8 year old, unless they are very well behaved and listen to orders very well, i would look for a boomless boat for the saftey of when it picks up over 20mph and things start getting crazy

I would also suggest a Getaway if you are wanting to put 4 or 5 and cruise around on a cat. They handle the weight well and are designed for families with the front tramp, boomless sail and wing benches. Not the fastest cat, but faster then most any monohull the same size.

I personally like the H18M and H18SX with the wings. The number of people you are talking will not fit on a H16, and really most 18' boats the tramp area is tight for that many people. The wings allow room for people to sit and relax. Also great for when the wind picks up. I sail my H18M solo up to about 10-15mph of wind, I would have trouble righting it solo, but make sure I am with others on the water when by myself. I am also 200+lbs, there are several of us taller guys on here that like the wings of a H18 for comfort.

I would avoid a H16 due to the lack of hull volume. A P16 would be small but would work better then a H16. The 16's are lighter and easier to move on the beach and to right, but I think you will have space issues with them. There is also a H21SC which if I recall is an 8'6" wide 21' boat with wings and basically a H18 sailplan, but with the higher volume H21 hulls. So that would also be a bigger option for you while still fairly easy to trailer.

Good luck, and welcome back to sailing.

--
Scott,
‘92 H18 w/SX wings
‘95 Hobie Funseeker 12 (Holder 12)
‘96/‘01/‘14 Hobie Waves
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I have been somewhat in you situation, I have two young kids that were just a hair older than yours when I got my cat. I would recommend boomless and boardless, fewer things to worry about, especially lake sailing and at times with the distraction of having kids with you. More so if it will be just you and a kid or two at times out givin'er, especially when they get older, 12-14 and can be more useful with tac's and trapping. I ended up with a supercat 17 which has served us very well and is still in production which makes parts a breeze. A nacra 5.7 or 570 was also on my shopping list at the time.

Just my two bits, C

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Cranbrook, BC, Canada
SuperCat 17
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Thanks for the advice.