I grew up sailing on the family monohull, and only recently sold it. But the family always had the desire for a multi. My wife couldn't stand the mono, heeling and going 6-7 knots max didn't cut it. She's enjoyed the cats, fast and relatively flat and less of the motion that brings on seasickness. The F-27 is awesome, easily reaching speeds into the mid teens and I haven't flown the spin yet. And yes, any time two boats are on the water it's a race, and the loser usually has a bunch of reasons why they fell behind. Can't ever see a mono in my future again either, but I'm with the rest in what matters is being on the water - that comes first, preferences as to what gets me there come second.

"That 70's Show" - pretty funny, even more so considering how long the scows have been racing. The M17 is just a newer scow, so shouldn't that be part of "That 20's Show"? Heck, the kid's Grandfather probably raced a scow.

But it does show different perceptions (and perceptions may as well be reality) - cats are still stuck with the opinions people have about them from the 70's regardless of design updates, whilst an update of an even older boat type is fresh and exciting.

The M32 thing at KW is interesting, the opinions weren't that favorable on the SA forum of a boat that cost that much that couldn't handle those conditions. Not all boats there were breaking rigs. By the way, there was also much hand-wringing on the Farrier/Corsair sites about the F/C-28r class bailing on the last race due to the conditions - people were afraid it would send the wrong message to the sailing world about the boats and the sailors.