The best advice posted so far is to get down to that local club & hang around. I hardly know a Cat sailor who won't be happy to show you boats and/or take you out. A couple of afternoons of that is time well wasted, you will learn more than a 1000 posts. As you learn, you can wait for a deal.
Several have stated that your weight is "perfect" for boat "X". That comes with one large caveat...I don't mean to sound insulting, but is that 240lb an "athletic 240", or what we in Canada call Molson Muscle? (Molson being one of the biggest breweries here)
If it is the former, you will have no trouble handling an 18' or 19' Cat, on the water or land. If it is the latter, you might really dislike a larger Cat.
As said Prindle parts are readily obtained, but after being on a 16, I'll take the Nacra 5.0,(or newer 500).
Not to many around, but a Dart 18 would be a great boat for your needs, they shine in big wind. If your wind is usually around 25 tops, it is VERY hard to beat a Nacra 5.7.
I'll say it again, fast, can load the hell out of them & cruise, simple rig,(no boom no boards) & very forgiving. At 240lbs, you should be able to pop it right back up, assuming you can hike to a proper "plank" position. I'm only 170, & I solo right if the wind is up. Otherwise I use a bag. The 5.0 is almost the same to right.
For depowering, look for a furling jib, that is the single best thing I did to all my Cats.
Think carefully about boards, they are not a big deal, as long as you don't forget about them. I'm bloody glad I didn't have them when I first started. I think some of your Coastline is quite susceptible to shifting shallows. It is easy to remember a couple of reefs, not so easy when they become numerous, or move.It only takes one hit at speed to do serious damage. There are only 2 rocks in the Bay I'm on, & my wife managed to hit one with the SS Minnow, at speed. I parted the boat out & chopped the hull up with a chainsaw & took it to the dump.
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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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Wanting Advice
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Posted: Jan 02, 2015 - 01:19 PM
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- Rank: Lubber
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Posted: Jan 02, 2015 - 08:34 PM
Edchris- Great advice thank you. I agree I need to get in touch with other cat sailors and start there by getting out on the boats. As for my physique I would say somewhere between the two...
I enjoy eating and barley sodas every now and then however I am still able to lift a railroad tie solo and walk it the length of a football field so I am not in horrible shape (tested this last weekend on some home improvement). However PLEASE don't ask me to run a mile... EVER.
Yes the boards would be tough as when in NC the sound has shifting bars constantly to that is an issue until you are in what is known to be deeper water for example the channel or ocean side off shore. -
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Posted: Jan 02, 2015 - 10:12 PM
If all else fails and you want wallet friendly?......I know there are faster, better looking, modern boats but.... Hobie 16, solo the crap out of it and occasionally take one or two people out.... It will be a slug with 400#+ on it but there's no danger of not being able to right it, not finding parts or even selling it after a couple years when you go for the bigger boat and getting your money back out of it. Myself @ 200# the H16 is a blast and a rocket ship in 12-15kts with less than 250lbs on it, simple, super easy, tough and cheap (relatively) to repair if you crash.
Don't know about your area but i've bought a couple really nice solid H16's for under a grand including a trailer. Great beginner cat that are fast and in current production, theres a HUGE used market as well. Takes several months to find a jem though and usually involves a 3-5 hour drive each way. On the plus side you can keep the 16 for solo days and buy a bigger 18-20 footer when you've got crew so you have two boats ;)
Try out several boats in your area and see whats good, priced right and others near you sail.
Keep in mind the size of the mast, trailering and if you'll have help setting the boat up every time. 18+ foot boats have big heavy tall masts that i'd hate to even think of raising and lowering alone ( or spending an extra hour before and after sailing solo on rigging, gin poles, mast stands ect ect ) If you can store a boat near the water mast up most of the time its a non issue. Go to regattas when they pop up, great place to see all kinds of neat boats!
Here's my H16, buddies H20 and a new Hobie getaway all side by side for a basic size comparison.
Watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW5TFeiBSgc
Can you go that fast in flip flops without a motor??!!
Edited by fxloop on Jan 03, 2015 - 01:00 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: Jan 06, 2015 - 01:27 AM
I've owned a P16, P18 and now a P19. The P16 is going to be a dog at over 400 lbs and with family on board an 18 will give you much more room. If solo is important to you go with a P16. An H16 will be faster, but I believe the P16 with its more buoyant hulls will be more forgiving overall. Parts have never been a problem as long as you buy a decent boat. Take a beach cat person with you to if at all possible. The P16 has a reefpoint as opposed to the P18 and P19 although adding one is fairly simple. I learned on a P16 and only once did I wish I had less sail area in a 30 knot blow and 9 foot seas. When I decide to buy a boat, I search craigslist, etc daily and spent up to a few months looking (Southern Cal area). I drove from Los Angeles to Lake Tahoe for the P19.
A nice thing about the old cats is you can always find ones in good shape if you're willing to look and perhaps travel. Duane bought his P18 for $400 and the sails are bright and crisp with colored gelcoat still on the bottom! Old boats depreciate slowly if at all as long as they are maintained, meaning you can sell them for what you paid.
Buy the smaller, lighter, simpler, easier righting 16 and after a couple of seasons, step up. I found the P18 to be a larger version of the P16, but it seemed more sensitive to tacking as I remember. I only kept the 18 for two years before buying the 19. The 19 is a handful solo at times, but I love its performance in ocean conditions. With rotating centerboards you stand a good chance of taking minimal damage from a strike and its aspect ratio is short and fat compared to daggerboards. With a large capacity righting bag, I can bring the boat back no problem.
