If you are “new to sailing”, cats in particular, the PT is not really the most suitable to learn on. Although you can pick up some very cheap ones, they tend to be a bit “delicate” as they are primarily designed for racing one up. The majority of PT’s around are made of ply, which takes quite a bit of maintenance and won’t handle the “hammering” that all first cats get (whether intentionally or by accident) and there are the centreboards, which are a real pain for “first time sailers”. Even the fibreglass hulled PT’s are still built down to a relatively low weight for racing and therefore have the similar “delicacy” as the ply hulls. The PT’s big plus is that there are many available at a very low purchase price so that if you bought one you could destroy it whilst learning then discard it at very little cost for the experience that you gain. The mast and sail configuration is like no other similar sized cat on the water and it takes some time to sort out how to make them perform, as well as that their mast is a very small profile compared to other similar sized cats and can be broken very easily. All that said they are a superb little cat that give many sailers enormous satisfaction sailing, many of whom have leaned to sail on a PT and continue to sail them for their whole life.
For first up sailing the Hobie 14 is an excellent choice as it is hardy and robust being built originally to take all the abuse that anyone could throw at them and still come back for more. The limited buoyancy in their hulls means that they suffer with more than one person on board but every weekend I see Hobie 14’s out sailing with two people on board and they are having “a ball”. Any of the “plastic fantastics” designed between the ’70’s and ’80’s have all been built for just what you are describing, and by the sheer numbers of them still sailing and in good condition shows that they have passed the test of time The Hobie 14, the Windrush 14, the Mari cat 14, the Calypso 14, the Sundance 14, as well as several other lesser known 14’ cat that have mostly been forgotten now all fit the criteria that you describe. They are relatively light, easy to rig and derig, easy to sail (as well as easy to learn on), require the minimum maintenance, almost “bullet proof”, and all can be sailed with more than one person on board. To start off on a 16’ cat, whether it be a Hobie or any other brand I think you will be a little disappointed and not to say a little “overawed” by their bulk and gross power. In other countries, and particularly on inland waterways in those countries the tendency is to sail a lot in much lighter conditions than what is sailed in New Zealand and Australia and that makes any cat larger than 14’ a real handful. Many times I have seen people “down under” have their first sail on a 16’ Hobie only to be so “scared off” that they have never ventured out again. My advice is to start with what is within your “safety” range, learn, and then if you want to go bigger do it with some experience under your belt.
