I have a P16 and it seems to do fine for newbie casual sailing with me and my friend hitting close to the 400lb mark. I'm worried about sailing with my son this summer, as we will be just over 500lbs. I have a chance to pickup a classic P18 but I don't know if the extra hull will help at all. Also, is the tramp any bigger?

Thanks,
Bert

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Bert

Prindle 16
San Juan 21 (former)
Wayfarer (former)
Edmonton, AB
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Yes, the tramp is longer, and two extra feet of hull will be more buoyant.
This translates to sitting higher in the water on the 18.
Both cats are 8 feet wide.
The 18 will sail better with 500 lbs, but neither cat was designed for this.
I sailed both a Prindle 16 and an 18-2 with 400 lbs many times and had fun.
In lighter air you two will want to be on either side of the cat to keep it level.
Will you be in the ocean, a lake, or a river?

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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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While i don't have direct experience with the Prindles, the bigger boat would suit you and your friend better, adding you son will still be tight, primarily when you're tacking/gybing, when you're cruising and have someone out on the trapeze, it'll be comfortable. As klozhald mentioned, depending on the wind/conditions, you'll need to spread your crew weight out.



Edited by johnoau on Mar 25, 2022 - 12:31 PM.

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1335 XTSea Nacra 5.8 NA
605 Nacra 4.5
Cleveland Yacht Club
Brisbane, AU
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Thanks, Bob. I'm on a lake so the most unpredictable thing is the shifting/gusting wind. Constantly have to watch the surface of the water. The biggest worry is moving the weight back to windward quick enough.
John, I'm 220 and my 6'5" son is at least 300. I might want to look for a Getaway. Lo!.

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Bert

Prindle 16
San Juan 21 (former)
Wayfarer (former)
Edmonton, AB
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The biggest disadvantage to the Prindles are the wide deck-tops. You bury that hull and you are going on a pitchpole trip or Peter Pan under the dolphin striker. The Nacra 5.7, 5.8 and 6.0 are older boats that can bury a hull and keep going and will handle a heavier crew with some performance. I'm impressed by the Prindle's lightweight and relatively good speed in light wind, but larger hulls, including the P18 are much better at handling heavy crew. I actually think the Getaway could be a hand-full if your crew got too far forward.

FWIW, here is a quick video of a NACRA 5.7 in relatively light wind making way with 400 lbs of crew.
http://i.imgur.com/p4TkEnk.mp4

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Tom
NACRA 5.7 (1984 Sail 181)
Pennsylvania
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A boarded cat may perform somewhat better upwind, but the P18 makes an impact.

P18 I had one for a while and even added a spinnaker on it (the last years I owned it)

I also own a Prindle 16 and have sailed the standard series of cats such as the H16.

I adore my Prindle 16, but for a larger crew (2 men), the P18 is superior. It's a lot of fun to get there. Broadcasting works great as well; just make sure you have barberhaulers for your jib.

The P18 is a little heavier than the P18, but it has more oompf. In terms of it being a lake boat or anything, are there any concerns for inexperienced crews? That doesn't sit well with me. I enjoyed my P16 a lot as a starter board, but for certain young fellas with the invisible additude that comes at that age, I think the P18 is just perfect. Simple, tough, and a blast on reach. Under spi, I could keep up with the F18s. As I approached, I passed them slowly. Upwind, I lost height in proportion and had to work to keep close. In overall, this is a nice ship.


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