Way to go, Mary! My first boat was a Sea Snark, too. I was 16 years old and wanted to get on the water in some fashion, and I happened upon a Snark for sale in the local paper. It was ugly--it had a ragged out "Kool" cigarrette sail (remember that promo?), and someone had done a pretty poor job of trying to glass over the styrofoam hull. But it floated (like a bathtub!), was cheap ($75), and most importantly, I could throw it on top of my car and get it on the water with just a few minutes of setup. I can honestly say that some of my best sailing memories (and stories!) are from times in that boat...

Which underlines two thoughts: first, that some people DO transition from monohulls to cats, and second, that low $$ and quick setup are essential to get most youth on the water.