Having sailed a score of dinghies and skiffs and beach catamarans I can say that a very large portion of the skiffs and dinghies is not less expensive then beach cats and are often more difficult to sails.

To name but a few examples : F16 vs 49-er/RS800. F16 wins both in costs and ease in addition to being faster.

Tornado vs 18 foot skiff, just no comparison with the exception of the pucker factor as in that area the 18 wins.

Hobie 14 vs laser vortex; Hobie 14 (despite being a 40 year old design) wins in all categories.

The only dinghy that the cats have no comparable equivalent for is the laser 1. But the F12 could completely change that.

Wouter