I gotta jump on the band wagon on the lake thing, too. I utterly disagree that a cat isn't the right boat for a lake. So far all my cat sailing experience has been on lakes in Central Texas. Lake Buchannan is 5mi x 25mi, and made for a helluvalot of fun sailing. But most of my time was spent on Lake Travis. Depending on how dry a year it was, that thing could be less than a mile across in places with cliffs on either side. Far from making it a lake that's no fun to sail, the cliffs and tight passages made for some outstanding aerodynamic features that would channel wind, make for patches where it blew twice ambient speed, all KINDS of fun stuff. Sailing on Travis was a riot. Racing on Lake Travis was even more fun because your performance on the water depended as much on your knowledge of the lake and the peculiar wind patterns as it did your knowledge of the craft.
The last of the bits for my boat finally showed up yesterday, and I'm about to get it out on the ocean. I'm looking forward to it. Don't get me wrong. But I'm still gonna miss lake sailing. It's a blast.
Tom
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Tom Benedict
Island of Hawaii
P-Cat 18 / Sail# 361 / HA 7633 H / "Smilodon"
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new or used
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- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Mar 20, 2012
- Last visit: Jun 16, 2014
- Posts: 248
Posted: Jun 06, 2012 - 01:37 PM
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- Rank: Mate
- Registered: May 31, 2011
- Last visit: Dec 17, 2023
- Posts: 126
Posted: Jun 06, 2012 - 03:24 PM
At this time in my life, I like lake sailing because that is the body of water next to me. We have had fun lake sailing. Some dead days, also known as swim days, and some really nice wind days. And I have seen some good regattas. So I won't complain. Hartwell and Keowee are in my area and I have sailed on both - 420s, JY15, Byte. I will have to try it with a cat.
Bacho, thanks for the links. Check your inbox and give me a call.
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Ted
Hobie 16
South Carolina Lake sailing
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- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: May 05, 2010
- Last visit: Jun 06, 2012
- Posts: 33
Posted: Jun 06, 2012 - 08:05 PM
I agree lake sailing is the best compared to the above lakes mine seems small with only 3mi by 1 mi. I live near lake michigan which I plan to sail this summer in killer wind. -
- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Jan 24, 2012
- Last visit: Feb 26, 2016
- Posts: 173
Posted: Jun 07, 2012 - 09:00 AM
Lake VS salt water, sail what you got ON A CAT. I have sailed east coast, west coast, gulf coast, north coast (lake Michigan) and lakes all over the midwest, it does not matter just go sailing. One thing about lake sailing is the boats hold up much better, salt water is a killer on most boat parts. We have boats from the 70s still going strong as they never corrode. New boats are like new cars they fall in value very fast and then they are all worth the condition they are in, I bought a 95 Nationals Hobie 18 in 03 for 4500 bucks, which was a lot for a used boat but it was pretty much perfect. My Nacra was about 3500 last year but came with a hooter rig. Buy something and remember to have fun.
Back to lakes: I sail almost exclusively on an inland corps of engineers lake in Kansas (yes there are sailors in KS). It is about 13,000 acres and about 7 miles end to end, we have a blast. It is deep enough to put rudders and boards down 20 ft from shore and has lots of room to sail. Since there is no private land we pull up on anything that looks like it might hold a beach cat open the cooler (soft sided clipped to the tramp) have a brew, butt float (sit on life jacket in the water) to cool off and go sailing again after a couple of cold ones. We have a race series at the club plus some other race events, some serious some not. Like it says in my sig, I have a Hobie 18 I sail for fun and racing and a Nacra 5.5 for racing mostly as my wife can no longer sail like we did years ago on the 18, so I have both and both were purchased used. Just remember to have fun.
Selection of boat is mostly what you want out of it. If all you want is fun, get a Hobie Getaway, fun, simple bullet proof, good for 1 to 4 people. If you want more get more boat. If you plan to sail in areas where it can be shallow (coastal areas with large sand bars etc) get a boat without dagger boards or one with self tending H-17 and 21 are the only I know or. Or get a keel bottomed boat that is not affected by shallow water, Hobie Getaway again would do the job. Just remember to have fun.
If you want competition get with the local cat club and see what everyone is sailing and get one. Be prepared to have your butt handed to you on the race course for a while. Most of the competitive cat sailors have been around a while and are pretty darn good. Most will share 'secrets' with you but it is all about tiller time. Just remember to have fun.
At our local group almost everyone has a H-18 we can screw around and no one is left way behind, which makes it more fun. Pick a budget and start looking at boats. Do not buy a project, that is for the second boat. In my opinion get a Hobie, there are more of them, they have a better parts network and are easier and cheaper to find. I have seen less than 20 prindles in my entire life, I have seen 125 Hobies in one place. Nothing against them they are just not as common as the Hobie boats. I had a hard time getting parts for my Nacra so I know what I am talking about. Get a decent boat, rig it before you buy it, there is a reason the person is selling. Just remember to have fun. HTH, Ricardo.
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Lake Perry KS
H-18
N-5.5 UNI +spin
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- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Oct 26, 2002
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- Posts: 390
Posted: Jun 09, 2012 - 09:44 AM
I have bought used boats, sight unseen, numerous times. Sometimes from the opposite side of the country. When you've found a boat of interest, ask a lot of detailed questions about the condition of the sails, rigging, rudder system, hulls and crossbeams. Through this discussion you can get a pretty clear picture of what's being offered, and the integrity of the seller. On the whole, catsailors have impressed me as honest bunch. Just be skeptical of those who don't know much about the boat. New is great if you can afford the intiial cost, and can stomach the depreciation,
Dave -
- Rank: Chief
- Registered: Nov 26, 2009
- Last visit: Aug 10, 2024
- Posts: 2531
Posted: Jun 09, 2012 - 08:55 PM
Lakes can be as dangerous as the ocean, just ask the Great Lakes sailors. I'm to lazy to trailer to the G.L., & the lake off my dock is 20 miles x 16 miles...almost 300 sq miles, so that is where we stay.
http://maps.google.ca/map…resnum=2&ved=0CB4Q8gEwAQ
We occasionally cross it, or make a run to the south end & back, but mostly stay within 10 miles of the dock, utilizing the beaches & Provincial Parks around the area.
Water is 82F in the summer, it has some very good wind, & most days we are the only boats in the bay. The power boaters mostly give us room, & quickly come to offer a hand when we dump.
I have also sailed quite a bit off the West Coast, near Vancouver & gulf Islands. The water is cold, so we sailed 38' lead sleds. I have also spent quite a few days around Cuba on Cl 16's & Bytes.
I agree with RichardOben, there may be Utopian places for Cats, but few of us live there, so if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with. Some of the most fun I ever had was learning to sail on a little 12' Byte, & crashing it a dozen times a day.
Even if your lake is small, it's better ripping end to end than sitting on shore dreaming about sailing in Florida.
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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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