Hi I live in Minnesota and am looking at buying either one of these catamarans. This would be my first catamaran and Ill probably be sailing with one other person. Im wondering what are the pros and cons of each of these boats. Thanks

since i have never sailed a nacra 5.2 but owned a H18 i will discuss what i know... Hobie 18's

Pros:
Lots of buoyancy in the bows... doesn't capsize or pitchpole easy
Good all around boat
Furling jib (able to furl and depower when needed)
Dagger boards allow it to point and tack well.
Lots of H18's out there to race class (same boat)
Built like a tank, can take allot of beating

Cons:
Built like a tank - heavy beast (to push up a beach, or right yourself)
Dagger boards, need to make sure they don?t "Stick" in shallows". Can cause fatal hull failure if you really fly into a shallow...if you sail in shallow waters... may consider a sceg boat (boards)
Older hull design (compaired to more recent boats)
Hull shape does not "love" the surf/waves.. not the worst, but not the best

Both are great choices and I love both designs. If you are going to be dragging the boat over anything but sand when launching, the Hobie hulls are more robust. The Nacra hulls are lighter and less tolerant of rocks. That said, we have several veteran boats here on the beach including mine that have survived years of not so gentle treatment. A bottom wear strip of Marine Tex is a good idea. The Nacra has a better more durable, disaster proof rudder design, higher free-board (better trapeze set up plus you wont have you feet knocked out from under by waves) and less tendency to bury a hull.

Launching into surf is a tougher proposition with the N5.2 or any big Nacra due to the hull volume and light weight. In my experience the H18 is better in surf.

Both boats have dagger boards. Dagger boards allow you to point up higher into the wind but are a pain in general. Rocks get into the boxes and it is one more thing you have to manage/maintain. A real liability with tides and sandbars.

Working on a Nacra requires a good deal more care, embrace of complexity & study than an H18.

I'd look for an H18 with wings.

One word of caution, neither of these boats is an ideal beginner boat. They are both a lot of cat, a lot of sail area and a handful in high winds. Neither is particularly easy to right after a capsize. You might want to start with an H16 but if you do go with a bigger cat, don't put yourself in a position where you are overmatched in year one.

Cheers

I don't know much about Nacra's~~ only what I read in the cat forms~~ Andy & Larry are right what they said. But you being NEW at cat sailing should start out with something smaller. A 16 footer would be ideal and ya can take another person with ya. Get to know how they handle & sail, much different than a mono-hull, if ya ever sailed one ?
I started on a 14, then 16 Hobie, then upgraded to a 17 & 18 Mag~~~ I love the 17 (one man cat/could take 2) but it really doesn't like it, unless strong winds. The 18 is a handfull when it's blowing hard. I've had 4 of us on the 18 in 20+ winds and it's almost scarry~~ hull outta the water, white-knuckle ride. It is a heavy cat~ I don't beach mine, but made these ''cat-racks'' and I can push them up on to it.... I have a 17 Hobie w/ big jib (the pict ya see here) and my 18 Hobie mag.

--
~ Vietnam Vet 69-71~ 17 Hobie w/big jib, ~18 Hobie mag,~DN Ice sailor,
and other toys.......
~~ I live in NY state on the north shore of Oneida lake in
Bernhards Bay. ~~~~~~
--

Thanks for the help. Im just curious as to why the might be to much of a boat.I m not trying to defend my self as it may sound im just wondering. would the nacra 5.0 be a better alternative to the 5.2 or is it still a big boat.

Thanks, Ryan

the bigger boats have more sail area.. .this means more power. this means when a 35mph gust hits you... you better know [instinctavly] how to react or you can expect to flip. If you flip in a bad location you can injur yourself, crew, otherboats... or even completly innocent bystanders.

the nacra 5.0 is a better choice (imho).. its a smaller boat, slightly less sail area, slightly less wieght (which makes it easier on the beach to move around and to right when you capsize) but most of all it doesnt have center/dager boards. these are really a big concern of mine for beginners.. they require a lot of attention when sailing near shallows. you MUST be able to dive over to the leaward (low) side and pull them up immideatly when starting to touch shallows. It is managable but you must be able to manage all the systems (main, rudder, boards) at the same time.

The Hobie16 is a pretty simple cat (relativly / less complicated) to sail. I dont know about the 5.0 but many people learn the basics on a smaller boat and upgrade when ready.. this is a good way to go... i started on an H16, went to a h18 and now sail a monster with an oversized Tornado mainsail, jib and Tornado spinnaker!




edited by: andrewscott, Aug 22, 2008 - 10:14 AM

The 5.2 and H18 are very similar in performance, and both now "extinct" classes, so which to get depends more on what's available and who sails what in your area. If you happen to have several of one or the other, you will have more fun getting the same boat the others have.

A big factor that hasn't been mentioned is the delicate subject of weight, both you and your potential crew. How big a guy are you? As Andrew stated, the H16 is a classic, and more people start there than anywhere else.

But the only type beachcat I've ever owned is the Hobie 18 Magnum (wings). I can't claim that I bought it after extensive research, I bought what the local dealer happen to have on his lot. I've since replaced the original 1981 model with a 1992 because the H18 fits me perfectly. At 6' 7" tall and 230-240 I don't have much trouble with the weight of the H18.

I've met some pretty big guys sailing H16's and some small ones sailing H18's and even bigger catamarans because most buy there first boat similarly to how I bought mine, what's available. Before the Web, we didn't get to discuss this with a lot of other sailors.

I'm not sure I've helped you, my main advice is

• Get a boat
  
• Get sailing
  
• If that one doesn't work out sell it here and get another boat!
  

--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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Ryan..Not to say you won't have a most excellent time with a 18' cat. Just that your inevitable mistakes will be less stressful with an H16 or N5.0. I went from H14Turbo to my N5.8na. (Damon, I did not do a lot of research either..just had a lust for Nacra). I had crewed and sailed H18's before hand and still our first year with Lake Michigan "Bangers" (Westerly gusts) and NE + surf was a bitch. I'm still working on those breakers. There is a 2nd season Nacra F18 owner on my beach that sums up his first year as "terrifying".

So word to the wise from experience. Focus on fun first and challenge later. I wish I still had my HT14 for those windy and big surf days and my N5.8 for all else.

If you get a big cat, don't cleat in and do travel out for the first season until you learn to read the wind in your area.

I started out on a 14 Hobie~~ no jib sail. I needed good wind to go out and have fun. If I dumped it, I had no trouble righting it, and I learned from it and had a blast. Up graded 2 yrs after to a 16H--- after a few yrs, upted it again to a 17-kept that, came across a 18 mag. for a good price, but if ya think ya can handle an 18~~ go for it, if ya have the weight & height... I don't have that~ 5'6'' 175 lbs. 59 yrs young...and alotta nerve. If it's to windy, I don't go out alone~~~ help is good !!!!
Everyone here is right what we said, but concerned for yer safety & wear the life jacket, my best friend didn't. He's not here today, and left behind 2 kids. one of them is into sailing, but on big boats. He does visit this web site from time to time... Good Luck & Sail Safe

--
~ Vietnam Vet 69-71~ 17 Hobie w/big jib, ~18 Hobie mag,~DN Ice sailor,
and other toys.......
~~ I live in NY state on the north shore of Oneida lake in
Bernhards Bay. ~~~~~~
--

Thanks for all the help. I think Im gonna go with a Nacra 5.0 There is one in my area for sail for a good price and i like that it doesnt have the dagger boards. All your input has been very helpful.