Africat,

I would decide if you want to pay for a club to keep the mast up or trailer from the back yard.

The thing to keep in mind is that you need to have a good time when there is no wind... So, a pleasant club to hang out on the beach on those days is as important as the boat to sail when you have wind. The WAF is usually dependent on the bathroom facilities.... port a potties don't cut it.

If the WRSA fleet boats don't grab you right now... There are other marinas which don't race but allow you to put any boat you want on the beach. (I keep my boat at Podickory Point YC near the bay bridge)

If you trailer sail, You can trek to Sandy Point to rig and launch, but few catamarans go there anymore and it's a public beach or you can go racing with the Hobie fleets at clubs and beachs in the mid atlantic. .... All are very different experiences and they come at different price points and with tradeoffs. Make this call first and then the boat flavor second.

Since you plan to go overseas...and I assume that they will ship your boat for you... buy anything and sell it over there when you are done with your tour... The EU diplomats that I know had a Hobie 16 that changed owners every two years for 16 years at my club at Podickory.