After raising kids i am ready to get back to my former life as a cat sailor in a big way, but i am conflicted about all the new boats, technology, etc. that has come out in the last 10 years-15 years. I grew up sailing small boats and hobie 16, 18 and mainly long distance racing in the GOM, slip to ship a dozen times, etc. I have a teenage son to crew and a few of his friends and mine who like the adventure, but also want to be able to go solo at a moments notice (live across the street from the beach in Mandeville, LA). Fine with buying a boat to get back on the water for a few years then moving on to another. Thinking about a used Hobie Tiger or similar. Probably not the acrobat I used to be either but ready to get out and get back in sailing shape. Any suggestions or ideas would be very much appreciated.

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paulrees
still no cat but looking
h18 and h16 racer in a prior life
Mandeville, LA - PYC
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I guess I'm on my own here!

I think the prindle is my favorite cat for cheap money. Be careful to find good hulls that aren't soft.

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I think the prindle is my favorite cat for cheap money

I 2nd that, cant go wrong with a Prindle, built like a tank, easy to rig, easy to sail, high volume hulls will handle the weight of a few adults. The rudder setup is the big challenge but there is a section in the Tech Album which deals with the Prindle rudders and how to dial them in.

With the shallow shore ? I would get something with self tending boards or no boards.

The boats you listed are still around H-16 and H-18 and good boats. The newer style boats are more fragile than what you have sailed before. Go to the OSYC in MS and meet the folks over there they will help you a lot. Never sailed a Prindle so I have no opinion. I will say I have only seen one prindle so it would not be my first choice, parts may be hard to come by.

Last but not least, any boat that is good for 1 will be slow for two, and any boat that is made for two will be over powered with just one up. HTH, Richard.

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Lake Perry KS
H-18
N-5.5 UNI +spin
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I can second the Prindle. 16 or original 18 with no boards gives you good shallow water draft with kick up rudders. Down here on the Gulf coast there are quite a few around and I have never has trouble finding parts.

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Mike Brady
Sugar Land, TX
Sailing off Magnolia Beach in Lavaca Bay TX
http://358degrees.blogspot.com/
P16 "Pooh Cat"
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How much are you looking spend?
Do you like fiddling and replacing or would you rather buy newer?
If money wasn't an object I would look at a Nacra 570 or 500. The older versions are 5.7 and 5.2. Boardless, boomless.. simple.
You might want to look at these threads.
Enjoy the shopping experience.

http://www.thebeachcats.com/forums/viewtopic/topic/13656
http://www.thebeachcats.com/forums/viewtopic/topic/14112
http://www.thebeachcats.com/forums/viewtopic/topic/11574

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Mooched Beachcats in the past
Time to try ownership with Nacra 5.7
Port Clinton, Lake Erie Islands, Ohio
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Boardless Supercat 17?

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The older versions are 5.7 and 5.2. Boardless, boomless.. simple.

Slight typo, Scott. The 5.2 has a boom, & is a dagger board boat. The 5.0 is the little sister to the 5.7, boomless, & boardless.

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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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For just you: N5.0 (or 500 or SL16)
Cheap and Durable: P18
Cheap and Durable for just you: p16
For you and crew: N5.7 (or 570)

Nice & fast, for you and crew: P19

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Rob
OKC
Pile of Nacra parts..
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paulrees

Thinking about a used Hobie Tiger or similar. Probably not the acrobat I used to be either but ready to get out and get back in sailing shape. Any suggestions or ideas would be very much appreciated.

paulrees, Welcome to TheBeachcats.com! And welcome back to cat sailing after 10 years.

You've probably noticed that the spin boats have pretty much taken over the racing scene for beachcats.

For many years it wasn't really practical to fly a spinnaker on a beachcat but after the snuffer system was perfected it has become standard on new boats. The way the spin goes up and down will amaze you.

The Hobie Tiger is one of the more available of the "first generation" of the modern F18 class of boat. The F18's aren't tanks like the Hobie 16's and 18's you sailed but since they are class limited to weigh 400 pounds they are pretty sturdy. Used ones can be great deals because racers move on to the hottest latest thing.

Come on over to Ocean Springs, Mississippi on Saturday morning and you can get a good idea of what's available. The Slip to Ship regatta attracts a great cross section of boats, and I know of one Tiger that is probably for sale.

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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

How To Create Your Signature

How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar

How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
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If you are interested in racing class at OSYC, then you have two choices, hobie 16 or F18. There are other boats, just not enough for a separate class. Come over and check us out this weekend at Slip to Ship.

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Ron
Nacra F18
Reservoir Sailing Assn.
Brandon, Mississippi
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Super Cat 17, boardless, boomless, kickup rudders, works single handed or with 2-3 on board. Still in production. If the Nacra 5.7, 570 looks appealing to you then the SC17 would also be a contender.

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Cranbrook, BC, Canada
SuperCat 17
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Thanks for all the comments. I actually have sailed slip to ship many times from LBYC. Placed a few times on H18. I really want to jump to the new technology and that is why F18 is my first choice, but for under 10k. I am also salivating at the thought of the spin heading downwind. That is why I am leaning to a Tiger. Shallow water not an issue so daggerbds are fine and i prefer to assymetrical hulls. I am a member at PYC in Mandeville and we have 1 A cat sailor and thats about it. I have stopped by OSYC a few times as i own a business in Gulfport.
If you can point me to that Tiger for sale I would appreciate it. I have seen 1 in CA on cat sailor but thats about it.
Thanks

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paulrees
still no cat but looking
h18 and h16 racer in a prior life
Mandeville, LA - PYC
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LBYC built several piers and left little access for the cats so Coast Catamaran Club moved the race to OSYC.
OSYC shared many members with CCC and the same people were doing the work. CCC has been disband close to 10 years now. This will be my 18th Slip to Ship.

I think Damon my be referring to a Tiger at OSYC but not sure. The owner may be looking to upgrade to a newer F18. There are 2 Tigers at OSYC.

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Ron
Nacra F18
Reservoir Sailing Assn.
Brandon, Mississippi
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+1 on the Tiger. Your son will love it . Don't forget to let him take the tiller!

Single-handing one would be limited to the light stuff (probably less than 10), but you apparently have experience with the H18 which isn't that big of a jump.

If you can keep it stored stick-up, that would be ideal. Setup time of an F18 is considerably longer than an H18.

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Jeff R
'88 H18 "Jolly Mon"
'10 C2 USA1193
NE IN / SE MI
cramsailing.com
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At PYC we have a yard by the beach ramp and just need cat trax to launch so stick up is right. Always had crew on the H18 but the F18s are lighter so I am comfortable with handling solo with just the main if I cant find crew, but hopefully that would be the exception as I know the F18 comes with an accelerator and turbo boost built in, so the power factor will be new. I am planning to come down saturday morning to OSYC for the slip to ship pre-race to check things out and boat hunt so keep an eye out for a middle aged (51) boat-less cat sailor with a Gulf Islands Waterpark Hat!

paulrees
boatless catsailor for now

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paulrees
still no cat but looking
h18 and h16 racer in a prior life
Mandeville, LA - PYC
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