I will try to answer the points that were left open by the other posts.
On the other point I agree with the other posts entirely; especially "try the all out and than make your choice"
-1- Skiff sailing. Which 17 foot skiff have you sailed ? Going from skiff sailing to catsailing is relatively simple and if it was a spi skiff or one with significant wings than getting straight to a high end single hander should not be a problem. There are some differences in how the rig works and I don't advice going out the first time in 20 knots. But when you know how the cat differs from the skiff rig them (a couple of weeks if you learn quickly) then any high end Single Hander should be fine.
Pro's of older singlehanders like the P16 or P15, nacra 5.0, H14 etc is that you can get them cheap and get alot of bang for the buck. But racing them is not much fun anymore now that everybody got fast cats. I still like my own (first cat) P16 a lot (even after owning several other 18 footers) but in racing I much look forward to racing my Formula 16 and not finish at the rear hoping for a good handicap time.
-2- Biggest problem will be to right the F18 ; apart from that it is done now and then. The F18 controls are good enough to depower it in most conditions although you'll hit the end somewhere (about 14 knots I was told). Then there is the weight. While sailing this is no problem but after a good sail the weight will break your spirit when it has to go onto the trailer. I have Beach parking but sold my 18 footers because I was getting really tired of pulling these up the hill in soft sand we have on the beaches. It is a great workout but I began to really hate it.
-3- Answer this question depends on the type you are looking at; just being 16 or 17 foot long is no garantee you at your weight can right it. If sailed 18 footers (A-cat) that I could easily right myself and 16 footers (H16) which I couldn't. Apart from this I agree with the things said about the different types by other posters; these are also my experience with these named types
-4- Mast float. Don't do it. Of all the boats mentioned non have a tendency to turtle on his own without a float. Floats are needed for narrow mast boats like H14 and maybe other 14 footers like the Dragoon, Wave and mystere 4.3. But all the 16 and longer boats have more volume in the mast because its needs to have a bigger crosssection area to withstand the bending loads. The new Wingmasts seem to be impossible to turle all together even when you keep hanging off the boats from the wrong side.
-5- Singlehanded rigs; I've sailed/raced anything singlehanded from just the mainsail. To sloop + spi. The more sails you have they more you need to work while sailing to get everything trimmed right. In manouvres this even more so. I've raced the sloop setup singlehandedly and after an initial period of getting used to it you will become used to it and be able to do this up to high winds. Spinnaker is more difficult but also faster in lighter winds. And of course you don't have to pull it in the big winds. Selftackers will make sloop sailing solo really easy. I've raced sloop up till 20 knots. It is a slightly different game but when you learn its differences then it can be done quite well. On such rule it to never just uncleat the jib in big winds when it is backwinding the main. Point up or down to the safety zone first and then reset the jib. A main that goes from backwinded to not backwinded can generate a sudden jump in heeling force of about a factor 1.5 On a singlehander this means capsizing. On a doublehander this means and "oohh and ahhh" with the skipper saving the situation by quickly letting the main out.
-6- The rig dimensions of both the FX and Taipan are identical. I've sailed them both for quite a bit and can comment on them. However I am heavily involved in the F16 setup to which the Taipan "belongs" If you trust me enough than I can describe the differences in a private conversation. I will not directly compare pro and cons in public. This is sort of an unwritten rule between class officials and between dealers. And I think much has been said already in the other posts.
I would like to end with a suggestion of looking at the Stealth F16. All european boats (which includes the hobie high end productline) are relatively expensive now due to the nosedive the dollar took over the last 6 months. The UK build Stealth has alomst kept its price in US$ the same; it is now a very price efficient boat. There is one in South California as well so may get a test ride on that one as well.
To answer Erics question mark (Blade ?) building of the first production boat is starting now. It is also done in EU so it may suffer from the Euro;dollar rate. It should come out near to the Stealth though.
Wouter
