Thanks for all your responses! To reassure some of you, I definitely do not intend to get a boat and head to the beach without lessons and reading a lot.

I'm in Charleston, SC and will be wanting to sail from Folly Beach.

I'm feeling thanks to all of your responses that the AquaCat would be a waste of money for me. I found one on Craigslist that looked like a great deal but I couldn't find any reviews of it online. Found this forum and thought I'd join and ask! (I'm glad I could provide some good conversation for you all too!)

I'm looking for a good deal/cheap as I'm just starting out from college and saving up for a wedding. Learning to sail is a goal for my fiance and I before our wedding next summer. If I start looking for a Hobie 16, would price range should I look for? Also, any advice on what to look for (on the boat) would be great.

Thanks!