I'm a big fan of a Hobie 16 - easy to rig easy to sail and fast down wind. Not too much to right solo if you just want to take it out by yourself. Hobie 18 can be sailed in heavy winds with no trouble - well a little trouble upto 35knts (see if Damon posted the Juanas pix on here) In all reality- If I was looking for a real beach boat I would be looking at a H18 or P18-2/19MX
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Lee - On the BIG Lake in MS
Harstil Kaulua 31 - Current Project Boat
Cal 25 - What ? Time to freshen it up again??
MC Scow 16 (1 in the water and 1 parts/project) SOLD
Capri 22 - What do you mean you wont deliver it??
Chrysler Pirateer 13 - new addition to the fleet
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Hobie 18 vs nacra 5.2 vs hobie 16
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- Rank: Mate
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- Rank: Administrator
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Here's the story from 2002 when Lee and I sailed the Juana Good Time Regatta in some wind.
Warning Longwinded Account:
http://www.thebeachcats.c…egatta-navarre-beach-fl/
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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN
How To Create Your Signature
How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar
How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
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- Rank: Mate
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That was a fun trip - Maybe next time we can do it on a bigger boat!!
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Lee - On the BIG Lake in MS
Harstil Kaulua 31 - Current Project Boat
Cal 25 - What ? Time to freshen it up again??
MC Scow 16 (1 in the water and 1 parts/project) SOLD
Capri 22 - What do you mean you wont deliver it??
Chrysler Pirateer 13 - new addition to the fleet
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- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Aug 13, 2010
- Last visit: Mar 10, 2014
- Posts: 294
For a single.. N 5.2 rocks Busy tramp for 2 folks.. ( Get tiny agile crew for 2 up) Quite Managable for 1.. Get padding or re-route the jib tacks.. BUT Balance.. Response to helm.. Stay in the same lake as bigger boats.. Can not be beet.. Not so easy to find parts.. Especially on the west coast. Solid boat.. Boat from the past . Too bad it is not made today.. Cheers H
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Hal Liske
Livermore CA
H 16 (6+ 1.. Friends) H 3.2 N 5.2 (2) H 17 (2) H-18
Nacra 5.8 (son's) H 20 (Friends)
It's a Sickness
I Need a A Cat Please
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- Rank: Chief
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I'm a little biased but I love my 5.2. Its a little daunting to rig the first time but I solo and right mine alone all the time. If you move the jib lines under the tramp, get rid of the barberhaulers and upgrade the daggerboard system to sideloaders the tramp gets less busy. They are cheap and really most of the parts are simple to find except the daggerboards and rudders, even then if you ask around a bit you can find some spares. The 16 is simple but hard to right and the tendancy to dive forward is a little disconcerting. The 18 is a handful for 1 person. If you want to see what you can do with an N5.2 take a look at my gallery: http://www.thebeachcats.c…ictures/?g2_itemId=74145. If you get one feel free to PM me with any questions you may think are too silly to ask in the open forum. I've asked them all.
Regards,
Dave
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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Never pitchpoled mine and I have buried it to the front crossbar several times. Wonder if the wings help
to resist pitch poling? Cannot really go wrong with an H18 especially with wings. Pretty fast,comfortable,
and can carry quite a bit of weight. Oh and parts are easy to find. That said I love my P16 and am
always on the lookout for a P18.
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Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
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H18 is a cool boat ... especially in the rough stuff. Here is a vid from a couple years ago. Buried well past the cross bar... she put herself into reverse and comes back out.http://youtu.be/uX0-OhNRbfI
Still not selling my nacra tho. H18s are just so ... clunky. They have their place, above 35 kts... its THE boat. I have had the nacra there without incident ... but its a bit like driving a dragster with a JATO unit on the roof one handed. On H18 in the same wind you are sipping champagne and eating caviar. Well .. so long as your drink is in a spill proof mug and the caviar is in a go-burt tube.
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nacra inter-18
CNBP
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The H18 is a heavy boat, which is why I would think about it a few times before buying one and planning to singlehand.. That being said on the used market there are three rules: condition, condition and condition. If the boat is well kept and doesn't need a lot of work, that is the one to get. I also wouldn't forget about the Prindles. They are awesome boats in thier own right! A P16 is a really really nice boat to sail.
D.
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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Jul 16, 2002
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- Posts: 126
I like a LOT of boats - H18Mag P18-2 are both on my list So is a Stiletto 23 and a Mystere 4.3. I think I could single hand any of these on my local waters with out too much drama. That being said it looks like I will be single handing a 31ft beast when I get my current project in the water. Guess it all comes down to what you have a warm fuzzy feeling getting on the water with............
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Lee - On the BIG Lake in MS
Harstil Kaulua 31 - Current Project Boat
Cal 25 - What ? Time to freshen it up again??
MC Scow 16 (1 in the water and 1 parts/project) SOLD
Capri 22 - What do you mean you wont deliver it??
Chrysler Pirateer 13 - new addition to the fleet
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