Noted you live in the Bay area so expect you will sail in breeze and chop often. I worked for a Sol Cat dealer as a teenager in the 70's and the boats were not built well at all. They leaked horribly and the platforms were very flexible. We were also a Hobie dealer and the fit and finish of the Hobie product was way better than the Sol Cat product.

The parts issue is real and I'd bet the sails you'll get are about the age of the boat. Not a good combination for your safety and well being if you sail in true NorCal conditions.

If you lived on an inland lake with mostly light air, the Sol Cat might be OK but if you plan to sail where you live, the Hobie 18 has a lot better track record handling wind and chop than the Sol Cat. I'm sure the Sol Cat is attractive because it is probably dirt cheap given the typical age of these boats but do yourself a favor and spend a bit more money and get a boat that was a lot more popular and still has service support.

Good luck.