My old 18 was easily the heaviest beach cat I have had. The N 6.0 and 20 are easier to move around. And as tough as my 18 was, it was killed in the end by a 5.8 - not even a foam cored 5.8. That 5.8 is still around...

The bow digging into the beach thing was a feature of the N-20s. The 5.8 and 6.0 actually have a fair bit of rocker in the hull, and the bow is a little rounded at the bottom, whereas the N-20 brings the stem down to a sharp angle with less rocker forward.

I always thought the Tiger hull was similar to the H 18 - except the Tiger hull fixes the evils - no hull deck seam and more freeboard without the curved beams. Stiffer and slicker.

Also, in the end, my H 18 and H 20 were more difficult to right than the 5.8, 6.0, and I-20s I have sailed.

There were wings made for the Nacras, but you'd have to search to find them.

In the end I would own another H-18. But if I was faced with a head's up choice between an 18 and a 5.8 it would be 5.8 all the way...