[quote=Edchris177]You will not go wrong with the N5.0. I have a 5.0 & a 5.7 & solo them both more often than with crew. Up to 15 kts the 5.7 is a blast, after that it really helps to have crew. I have soloed the 5.0 in 30mph, but it was pinching, survival mode. I have only pitchpoled the 5.0 once, it can be driven pretty hard into waves. Don't know about righting the Hobie, but unless the wind is up I need a bag to right either the 5.7 or 5.0. My buddy, @ 190 lb cannot quite get the 5.0 to come up if the wind is light.
If you plan on driving it under power up onto the beach the Hobie hulls are probably more durable.
They will both do just over 20 mph. Simple to rig & sail. The newer boats are faster, hence the dearth of any boomless designs in the high performance classes. For recreational sailing, you won't notice the difference, & the boomless Nacra makes life really easy.
Don't discount the H17 if a good one is available. Be aware of the difference between dagger boards,(you pull them up & down, they have no pivoting action) & the pivoting boards on the H17. The pivoting ones don't destroy your boat if you hit something. A fellow on the Island across from my bay has an H17, & it looks like great fun. We regularily sail them against each other.
In wind it is nearly as fast as the 5.7, & though I can point as high, I have to work at it, weight forward, careful sail trim. He suffers when the water gets rough, his H17 tends to hobby horse, & kills speed everytime the bows dip. The Nacra has much more flotation & cuts through the rough water better. The H17 has wings if you want the comfort they provide.
The one caveat is that you are 210 lbs, & you will sometimes bring a buddy. The H17 uses pretty fine hulls, & bogs down with a couple of 200 lbers on it. The Nacra is a better boat for two.
Look over any boat you buy very carefully. Make an extensive list of things to inspect & print it out. Saves trying to remember everything when at the site. Don't buy on "happy feelings & emotion". As Phil says on Duck Dynasty, "makeup can cover a lot of evil Cole Man."[/quote]
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