When I was a mono racer (30 years ago), I would only see Hobie 16's reaching back and forth across the harbor, until they flipped. Naturally we assumed that without dagger boards, they couldn't go upwind. It did not make me want to get on a Hobie 16 (in NH the ocean water is about 42 degrees in July!).

Then I got a ride on a Hobie 20 (thanks Craig!) and that really opened my eyes to what a well sailed, well designed, high performance cat could do speed wise, and pointing. Oh, and we didn't flip!

I still have trouble convincing non-sailors, or mono-only types, that cats really can go upwind, and go like a bat out of hell downwind with a spinnaker. I passed a couple of pontoon boats out on my lake last weekend when we had nice wind. The look on their faces was pretty funny.