I have to defend the Hobie 16 a bit here, since probably nobody else will on this particular forum.

We have been putting on race-training seminars since 1989. When the wind picks up on the water and all the other boats head for the beach, the 16's traditionally are the only ones still out there, having a blast in the big wind.

Hobie Alter Jr. always said the Hobie 16 was his favorite boat because he was able to stay relatively dry -- the raised platform kept him higher off the water.

I think a properly sailed and rigged Hobie 16 is no more likely to pitchpole than any other boat; the accent here is on "properly sailed and rigged."

A Hobie 16 is definitely less likely to pitchpole when landing on a beach, because it is designed for beach landings, unlike the modern catamarans with their sharp, plumb bows that can dig into the sand instead of sliding up onto it.

The Hobie 16 is the boat that was used exclusively in the Worrell 1000 during the race's early years when the sailors went non-stop, day and night, up the coast, coming in to checkpoints along the way for a quick change of crew. It was able to do that because of its unique design to handle surf and sand.

So it is wrong to call it a poor design. It is a great design when used for what it was designed for.

That's why there are different boats for different folks, depending on your needs and how you use that boat.