Wayne,
You were probably playing around on a Windrush.
They made a 12ft Surfcat.

Below are some MAricats.

Looks like a Patin with rudders.

Gill

What is a Patin?

age 36 Weight 83kg

No way! the mari 4.3 is alive and well. In fact i'm confident there have been more new 4.3's built in Australia over the past 12 months than F16 <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I agree.
The Mari is a good little boat.
It got boat of the year , I think in 1977.

Patin a Vela is a class that actually races in Europe. It evolved from a fishing craft that was poled around. It does not have a solid deck or a trampoline -- just cross-boards to get around on, and the sailor has to steer it with his weight distribution and the sail. No rudders.

I think I have attached the picture.

Maricat 4.3 minimum weight 95 kg => NOT a F16 compliant boat.

http://003fb61.netsolhost.com/43rules.htm#boat

Besides, anybody can post here even when not owning a F16.

Just can't make rule change proposals without being an F16 member.

Wouter

Age 35
weight 90 kg or just under it.

Wouter

I wonder if he/she was born with both or had "the surgery"?

Oh, I am 40, weigh 205 lbs. and 100% male.

As the F16 class proves, a Min weight is just a number, or something to aim for... I'm pretty sure that my 25 year old maricat is well over the 95kg min weight and its more like the 110kg.

Imagine what it would weigh today if it started its life at 10kg over min weight? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Looks like someone is trying to breath a bit of life into that horse of yours.

When fishing patience is very important.

I'm 47 and 11/12ths, just over 80Kg, and all male last time anyone checked. But I think the original question relates to how our age and gender affects our views on sailing.

I'd echo the point that for many, you have to reach a certain stage in life when you can afford a multi-thousand pound / dollar toy. I was 41 before I even got on a cat (in fact any boat smaller than a cross channel ferry). I'd perceived sailing clubs to be too political and stuffy, and dinghy sailing to be too dull. I initially windsurfed (cheap and fun), had a family, then mountain biking (started in mid-late 30's, cheaply, discovered my mistake very quickly, then bought an 'expensive' bike). Aged 41, I discovered cats while on holiday in Jamaica - came home and bought a new one. Hence it might take time to accumulate the money and opportunity to discover cat sailing.

As to how my age affects my views - I've found myself diving in with a very gung-ho attitude - you only live once and all that. As your forties slide by, you realise that youth is not perpetual. For example, I did a trip from Dee to Beaumaris (40 miles), about 4 weeks into my ownership of the Spitfire - as a measure, it too me a year to work out how to avoid capsizing it - essentially unsupported, and into what turned into an unforecast F7 headwind for most of the trip. Experience tells me to be even more cautious next time, but the clock tells me to 'go for it' while you can!

I am inspired by those who admit to being somewhat more senior, and have recently been beaten by Reg White on his Spitfire, so I know I have many years left if I am lucky. However, I am aware of slowly seizing up, in the hands and back, and being less nimble round the boat. So as I get older I am prepared to take more risks, but am probably less well equiped to do so!

As for the gender debate - I try to encourage women as well as men to get behind the tiller especially. For some reason they think their place is as 'crew'. I contradict this whenever possible - the 16 footers especially have light enough sheet loads, and a well balanced boat is easy to steer. Strength is not an issue - the possible exception being to play the main, but I pass that to the crew. I am sure any woman could cope with the physical demands of helming these boats. The question then becomes, who is the 'captain' - quite a different issue!

Product of MariGlass which was owned by SeaWind Catamarans at the time.

Age 32
Weight 72kg to 76kg

but don't own an F16 so please ignore above

Age: 26
I am the female part of Gilo...

Don't forget the cost of the car to drag the cat around...
Gato 52 the other day, male 75 kgs

I disagree about the age and having more money. While you do make more as you get older you tend to have some high expenses. I'd think you'd want people my age, mid to late twenties, assuming they've had some time out of college. My reasoning is that at 27, less then half of my friends are married, and about half that are have children. The single or unmarried types have plenty of diposable income.

When I was 27 the only thing I could afford was an old Windsurfer and an old Ford...

That's true Karl, kids will suck all the time and money out of any sailing budget. When I was young and single, I could put all my time and money into two things, flying lessons and sailboats. I always had my own racing boat from age 19-28. But I had to sell my boat(s) and motor cycle to buy a house back when I was first married and she came down with the dreaded -Twins- disease. My buddies in the Air Force had a "Name the Babbies Contest", the winning names were, "No Boat and No Motorcycle". It was 7 years before I got on a boat again. Wiped out my age 29-36 sailing years.

Most of the top level racers I know don't have kids, and some don't even have wives anymore... Most wives won't take second place to a racing sailboat for long. And if Mamma ain't happy, nobody's happy. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />