Hi,

I'm looking at getting back on a catamaran (I've been sailing on a 16 ft beachcat as a kid), and was wondering if there are any F16s in the San Francisco Bay Area?
How do they handle in the local conditions (windy and choppy)?
Where is the best place to look for a used Taipan or Blade? At this point I'm not necessarily looking at racing or spending the money on a new boat, just having fun sailing solo or with the girlfriend (max 310 lbs crew weight).

Thanks,
Michael

Michael,

I can't answer your original question, as I'm on the East Coast, but I will note that there is an active F18 fleet in the Bay Area and my opinion is these boats are much more suited to the decidedly windy and choppy conditions you have on the bay, as they have a ton more hull volume than the F16, even the newest F16's.

The Taipan and Blade are great, fast, fun boats but lack the bow volume of the newer designs (Viper and Falcon), and as such can be pitch poled going upwind in big chop if you aren't careful. The other item to note is very few Taipans exist in the U.S, more Blades but the ones I've seen for sale are all on the East Coast. Your best bet would be this Blade in Houston if that is what you decide on: http://www.thebeachcats.com/classifieds/catamarans-for-sale/p13121-2006-blade-f16.html. There is an ad for a Taipan on this site as well if you dig, it's in MA I believe, delivery can probably be arranged.

The other thing to remember is the F16 and F18 are handfuls in breeze, with higher loads on everything compared with a Hobie 16. It is really good to sail both as two up boats in higher winds; a number of top teams at F18 Nationals were in the 310 lb range and I am campaigning our F18 Infusion with the girlfriend on the helm at 310 lbs.

Finally, if I recall correctly, there is a Hobie 16 fleet in the bay area. These are still popular boats, hold up very well, are fast and fun in breeze and waves, and cost a lot less than than a newer F16 or F18.

Good luck,
Sam

The classifieds here at thebeachcats has by far the most ad for cats in the US, and you won't find many used F16s for sale currently. There's also a classifieds on catsailor.com you could check. All that Sam sez is true about F18s and H16s. I have a Stealth for sale on the classifieds here, and it's uncommonly good in lumpy water due to its tall, bouyant bows and foiled rudders, a great recreational boat, but probably not as fast as current generation F16s.

Dave

Dave,

I like your cat. Sent you a PM.

Michael