Well, I've done it already now, sought the wrath of the Hobie sailors so I might as well spill all the beans.

>The more info I read on the Internet the more I like the Hobie 16.
>It seem to be a much liked classic with a proven design and just big enough for my needs.

They are fun boats, but the owners make them at least twice the amount of fun in their testimonials. That is proven history.


>>I'd think my best chances of ever getting a reasonably cheap cat is to find a used Hobie 16 or buy a new Wave.

If you ( 95 kg ) are really serious about sailing 50/50 with your girlfriend ( 50 kg) and friend (another 95 kg)
Than take my advice. "Do not buy a hobie Wave" . Sure, again fun boats and surely people will tell you the boat will handle anything. But guys, HE ! 180 Kg's on a wave ?! That is not a sailboat that is a raft.

If you have to decide between Hobies and Hobies than what ever you do go down this list in the given order and only go to the next stage when absolutely no offers can be found for the preceding type :

Hobie FX-one (Most likely you will have to buy this new)
Hobie Tiger (Often girlfriends will sails less with you than you friend, Tiger is best with two guys)
Hobie 18 (Like the FX-one a good compromise between sailing with your girl and your friend)
Hobie 16

No other hobie, Don't get anything under 16 foot and stay away from the H17 is you want to doublehanded more than 25 % of the time or if you want to doublehand it with your friend at 180 kg's

If you are really about to spend between 10.000 and 14.500 Euro's on a new boat than don't get a H16 or TheMightyHobie18 but any other type of modern 16, 17 or 18 footer. Trust me on this, H16's you buy secondhand as good deals but not new. as you are not racing it will be no use to sink + 10.000 Euro's into a boat like that when you can have a hobie FX-one for slighly more and that is much better.

And I've sailed all of these for many hours. I know the H16 pretty darn well.

If you are looking for big bangs for not too much buck than look for second hands like nacra 5.7's and 570's (my premier advice), Prindle 18 or Hobie 18's or older F18's like the nacra F18 (dead cheap these days)

New ? Look only at FX-one's (with jib kit), Spitfires, F16's or F18's; the rest is simply a waste of money and Tornado's are to big for you.

The best boats for you and your girlfriend are FX-ones, Spitfires, F16's, Hobie 18's, Prindle 18's, Nacra 5.7 and 570's

The best boats for you and your male friend are F18's, Prindle 18-2's, Tigers, Nacra 5.8's, nacra 6.0's.

Wouter