Hello!

I'm thinking about getting my first cat (don't tell my wife!) and have done some research on this good forum. My experience in sailing so far is with a Force 5 dinghy (like a Laser). Right now I'm comfortable up to about 15 knots. Under 25 hours total sailing exp.

Here are my concerns:

Getting the Right Cat.... I probably will have under 3k to spend. I'll be solo 90% and I weigh 180. Will be sailing on a Lake Whatcom to start with, then the San Juan Islands which are connected to the Pacific as I live in Bellingham, WA. Water temp is 55 degrees at it's hottest, 45 in winter. Already got a 6.5mm wetsuit.

Solo Mast Stepping.... Have read people do it all the time, but it's difficult to visualize until I see a boat.

Capsize Recovery.... I've read about different solo systems. Seems this can be done without too much of a problem. What's the 'Hawaiian system'? Have read about sealed masts, mast floats, etc.

Heavy Weather.... Haven't seen much about reefing the main. Heard about a furling jib. Understand that would be nice. Can any cat be retrofitted with this? A big fear would be having to sail home in 30+ knots with huge sails.

Wings.... This seems like a real nice idea. Can any cat have them? How about making or having them made? Saw a price of over $800 for some. Seems steep. What are the pros and cons of these guys.

Learning to Sail.... How different is sailing a cat compared to a dinghy? Any places from Seattl north to learn or demo? Dealers?

From what I've read, a Nacra 5.5 or smaller would work, or a Prindle 16 or smaller. And of course a Hobie 16 or smaller. Seems the Hobie is the least favored but cheapest and most plentiful.

In the meantime, I'll keep reading and following eBay.

Cheers,
Danno