I currently have a Hobie 16 which I've sailed on and enjoyed, but needs some work. It has a soft spot in the hull that I can't get rid of without surgery, and a leak somewhere, plus some other issues.

I've really enjoyed the boat, but since it needs work I haven't sailed it in 4 years. I don't have much time to work on projects.

I've found 2 other boats that are for sale for around $2,000 USD, and I'm wondering how they would fit my needs. One is an 80's Prindle 16, and one is an 80s Nacra 5.8 that looks great.

My needs:

I'm 200 pounds, 45 years old, would like to be able to solo sail, but mostly will be with my 150 pound wife.

I'll be doing lake sailing and river sailing. I'd LIKE to be able to leave the cat in the water for the season.

I enjoyed the Hobie 16, although I did pitchpole it a few times, but being on the trap was awesome. I sometimes like to sail chill though, and we'll never be racing it. I'm looking for a nice balance between being on the trap flying a hull, and not feeling like the boat is too much for me.

Will the Nacra 5.8 be too much boat for me? It sounds like an awesome boat and has been on my wishlist for a while, but is it just a race boat?

Should I go for the Prindle 16, or find another turnkey H16?

For the record, I really WANT the Nacra, but I also want to be able to relax from time to time. Would I be buying the wrong boat?



Edited by ripsnorter on Jul 26, 2024 - 07:04 PM.

The Prindle is by far easier to solo, and is a lightweight beach cat that can do what your want, and is very easy to move around on the beach. Prindle is a bit tender and will lift a hull in very light wind. The Nacra 5.8 adds centerboards, a larger size and is a faster boat, but can be a handful. For the type of sailing you describe, I like the Prindle, but would beach it. Leaving any lightweight cat on the water is very hard on rigging and has a lot of risks. None of these boats are intended for on-water mooring.

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Tom
NACRA 5.7 (1984 Sail 181)
Pennsylvania
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You need at least an 18. Period. And one more thing about storing one of these boats in the water: The insides of the hulls are not gelcoated. With the deck hatches left on and any water at all inside the hulls can lead to soft spots over time. Something to really consider when looking at a used boat that's been sitting around for years with no ventilation.

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Bill Townsend
G-Cat 5.0
Sarasota
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My opinions...

The N5.8 will be a handful on the big wind days...probably don't want to go solo. Is your wife up for those? If so, I'd say go big and avoid going solo in a blow. If not, I'd stick with the 16s (the chill days be chiller).

There are a lot of other options, but it's getting harder to find decent ones when so many have been out of production for a long time. Some happy mediums in order of higher recommendation: Nacra 5.7 (symmetric hulls, skegs, roller furling jib?, boomless); Prindle 18 (asymmetric hulls, no boards); Hobie 18 (symmetric hulls, boards, roller furling jib).

Whatever you get, you're going to need a solo righting aid, and beach wheels are pretty much a must.

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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
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You wouldn't go wrong with the Prindle 16.

Good boat for you and your wife, easy to sail and a blast on a big wind day. Parts are easy to get and there are a ton of them for sale. I bought one specifically for single handing because we always had wind and I was crewing on a 5.8 on some of those days.

When they had the Prindle nationals in Long Beach one year, I got some expert tips on setting up the boat... wowzerss night and day difference.

If you can get a Prindle 18 Classic, even better...

Something else about the 5.8... I know of one owner a few years back that had to get a main-beam shipped over from Australia because he couldn't find one in the US... some of the core 5.8 parts are getting hard to get since NACRA moved from the US..

Here is a pic of my 16

https://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures?g2_itemId=138321

Where are you sailing?

Good luck



Edited by JohnES on Jul 30, 2024 - 05:18 PM.

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John Schwartz
Ventura, CA
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Here is a prindle 16 not too far from you

https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/boa/d/portland-prindle-16-sail-catamaran-with/7773405956.html

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John Schwartz
Ventura, CA
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