Of course you can sail a 16 solo, as many of these posting show. I had a 14 as a kid and while I love that boat for its elegance and simplicity, a 16 is a better bet if you will carry passengers at some point. Here are a few cautions I observe that might help you.

I'm 185 lbs and so I'm extremely careful about not tipping over. I fly a hull, but not as high or as long as when I was in my teens.

I suggest you start out with light to medium winds - under 10 knots - and then work up to higher winds as your skill increases. To keep things under control in high winds, I stay close hauled (about 45 degrees to the wind) and just let the traveler out a bit to spill some air. It's painful to watch that mainsail luff near the mast, but at least I'm not going swimming.

There are two hairy situations to watch out for: first, pitchpoling. If you're going downwind or on a reach, the wind will tend to drive the leeward hull bow under the water. You don't want that. Stay far back on the windward corner of the tramp, even trap out, to keep that hull up. Or just don't sail that tack. I tend to just stay close-hauled.

The other danger is getting flipped by gusts. If you're flying a hull in a steady wind, fine. But if it's gusty, you run the risk of having a gust come along and upset the delicate balance that keeps you suspended in the air. Often, the wind will catch the underside of the tramp, so even if you sheet out and head upwind to kill the gust, it's too late. You're going over! Again, my solution is to travel out, spill some wind and - this is the crucial part - keep that windward hull pretty low. I don't fly as high as I used to, unless the weather is really hot and I FEEL like going swimming. As a consolation for flying low, remember: the boat tends to be fastest with the windward hull just touching the water anyway.

Hope this helps!

Al
H16 Seattle