Just wanted to second everything Sycho15 said. I started out in the 60s on very small monos, but switched to the H16 in '82. (Had a 14 as a second boat for a while, and it was a spankin great boat in real heavy air, but a dog in light air.) The 16 is the most versatile cat I've found--Every time I start thinking about buying a different boat I weigh the pros and cons: bulletproof construction, deepest one-design competition, THE BEST beach/surf/big wave boat, and very solo-friendly but still fast with 2-3 adults in a fresh wind. Going it alone in a good breeze can be pretty intimidating at first, but just stick it out and the boat will tell you just what it wants. Skippering a Hobie Cat well in heavy air is definitely one of the sweetest experiences life has to offer, as far as I'm concerned!