All, I’m looking at getting into cat sailing. I’m 5’6” and about 195lbs. I grew up sailing monos in high school and raced in my college days. I currently live in Northern Virginia and will be looking at sailing on the Potomac River. I’m looking for a boat that can be single handed relatively easily, and would be expecting on taking a crew every once in a while. While I would like to get into racing, I think finding a local fleet is complicated by the fact that I move about every four years, so it is looking like I will be handicap racing for some time. I’ve narrowed down my selection to a H16, or NACRA 500. I was possibly thinking on single handing a F16, however, I figured that would be a bad idea without initially getting familiar with multi-hull sailing. I just wanted some input from folks. Any thoughts?
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Laser
SR21
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Looking for advice on boat selection
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- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: May 07, 2014
- Last visit: Feb 07, 2016
- Posts: 8
Posted: May 07, 2014 - 07:27 PM
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- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Apr 06, 2008
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Posted: May 07, 2014 - 09:39 PM
Prindle16 better than hobie 16 both less expensive than nacra 500 -
- Rank: Mate
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Posted: May 08, 2014 - 12:18 AM
Hobie 16. Fun and easy solo if you're around 175-220 lbs, tons of spare parts everywhere ( not to mention it's still in production ) It's light weight, fast and there's more Hobie 16 sailors out there than all other brands of 16' catamarans combined. Class legal and open class friendly if you get into racing.
Edited by fxloop on May 08, 2014 - 07:37 AM.
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Tim Grover
1996 Hobie Miracle 20
Two Hobie 14's
1983 G-Cat Restored
Memphis TN / North Mississippi
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Posted: May 08, 2014 - 03:49 AM
For racing purposes, the Hobie 16 is your best choice.
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Greenville SC
Offering sails and other go fast parts for A-class catamarans
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- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Jan 25, 2004
- Last visit: Apr 06, 2021
- Posts: 267
Posted: May 08, 2014 - 05:05 PM
macbeans,
i've never sailed on a river. just curious.....if you capsize or pitchpole on a river, and it takes 10-15 min. to right the cat, where would you end up down river?
j
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Aquacat 12 (sold)...'87 Nacra 5.8 (sold)...'03 Nacra Inter18 (sold)
Venture 15 (sold)....'89 Nacra 5.8 (sold)...'91 Nacra 5.8NA (sold)
'99 Nacra Inter20 (sold)
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- Rank: Mate
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Posted: May 08, 2014 - 10:24 PM
I have a Prindle 18 that I solo but I weight in at about 240. I sail out of a Marina near Annapolis if you would want to go out on the Prindle and try it out. If so just drop me a line and we can make arrangements. If you want to go anytime in May you would need a wetsuit. You will love sailing a cat over a monohull.
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Scott
ARC 21
Prindle 18
Annapolis, Maryland
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- Rank: Chief
- Registered: Apr 19, 2011
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- Posts: 1461
Posted: May 09, 2014 - 04:14 PM
Prindle 16
Nacra 5.2, 5.0 (and others in the 16 foot-ish range)
Hobie 16
It really boils down to what is available close to you.
One caveat- if you think you will sail down the river into the ocean, avoid the H16. Not enough flotation in the hulls so lots of pitichpoling (capsize) in the waves. They are still making them, but it is a 50 year old design. Some of the west coast races do not allow cats under 18 feet due to events involving the H16. I know this sounds confusing because the H16 was designed in California, but better design is why Prindles and NACRAs exist.
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Sheet In!
Bob
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Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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