I agree with John:

I have a Hobie 18 magnum and it's a terrific boat to be sailing because it's stable and I can easily single handle it. But, they're not making the H-18 anymore because of the transition to the Hobie Tiger, which seems to be for experts only if you intend to take advantage of all the adjustments and the spinnaker.

Racing the H-16 is a sure way to really get a lot of experience fast because you'll be able to race one-design and really find out what works and what doesn't. The Nacra 5.2 is a great boat if you don't intend to race. Kind of hard to get back on the trailer single handed, though.

Wyatt