hi guys, i currently own and race a mosquito catamaran in south australia, which i sail mkI and mkII with my 8 year old daughter, the boat is great, not selling. the question is i want to buy a second boat, which i can sail with my teenage son,im 95kg and he is 70kg. what would be the suggestion of a boat to cater for us?? not interested in $20,000 hobie tiger etc most available stuff locally would be hobie 18, nacra 5.8 or stingray/ blackwitch?
any ideas???

Brian,
Given your combined crew weight from that selection I would go for the 5.8.

Regards,
Phill

If you could pick up a TAIPAN 5.7 that would work a treat. Great with or without a kite.

thanks guys!!! all comments appreciated!!!

G'day Brian it depends on your price range really, a small rig Stingray would be cheap, big rig Stingray dearer, older 5.8 dearer then the 5.7 dearer again unless you can get a timber one somewhere. Thats the order I've gone through in cats and they all have theyre good points. Once you get to about $7000 upwards you can look at Nacra F18's, theyre terrific value for a modern cat.

5.8's get lighter the newer they are with the newest ones weighing around 30kg less then a new 5.8 did when it left the factory 15 years ago. All use the same yardstick.
http://www.catsailor.net/cgi-bin/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000287.html
More info.

Darryn

thanks jeff and darryn!! i have always liked the nacra 5.8 shape over the hobie 18 shape. i think i would mosty definately go the nacra over the hobie!!! if i can find a stingray with an F18 rig on it, i think that might be the best bang for my buck!!!,
darryn when are you next heading to mexitoria???? i have bought a couple of jibs from gary maskiell, ned to get them back....somehow? got to be worth a carton or two?

Hobie 18 is no good for what you want, no bouyancy up front and they break in half.
John Wright is the guy to talk to in SA about 5.8's http://www.nacra.com.au/classes email address is down the page.
Wont be over in Vic until 2010 Vic states. Tube post is cheap.

A Stingray could work out well with the Nationals at Victor but where would you find one?

Darryn

thanks mate!!!!!

I've pitchpoled all my cats except the 5.8 they're predictable in heavy wind and also good on light wind days, would have one now but I'm addicted to the spinnaker. Darren's spot on regarding contacting John Wright and weight with 1600+ having lighter masts as well. I would only look at the ones with a bridle foil and the bigger jib that goes with it.
If you go for the Stingray let me know I have a line on a couple.

Taipan 5.7 would be a very good choice and can be picked up for a good price particularly considering the quality of the product.

5.8 would be another good choice but personaly I would jump at a 5.7 first.

thanks again jeff!!! the stingray might be worth a look, i think. have always liked the nacra 5.8 but never had enough room to keep one, until now!!

Really they all take up the same room in the shed. I know of a couple of small rig Stingrays, a possible big rig, theres a reasonably priced 5.8 on trading post and Danny James in Adelaide would know what 5.7's are out there. A lot of Stingrays hang on they're beams so you could setup one trailer for both your boats.

Another way to say the polishing the Turd thing.

No matter how hard you rub it, You can't shine s--t!

thanks jeff, great idea, but wont need the double trailer as yet as the kids just want to crew for now, and the older lads have their own cars!!! i like te sound of the big rig stingray, is that the F18 rig?

hahahahah mike !!! i like it!!

No the Stingrays went to a taller mast and a taller slightly squared off sail about 15 years or so ago but still stayed light weight. The F18's builders realised what an exceptional boat it is so they copied it, unfortunately they weren't clever enough to build light boats that last so they made them heaps heavier. I believe the Stingray would qualify as an F18 if you strapped one of your kids to the underside of the tramp as a penalty weight.
I don't know what budget you have, I was considering the following boat for me but I've decided on another one so here's the pick of the boats available
Its one of the last ones made a 500+ sail number only had 2 owners
Foam sandwich hulls white in colour
1 set of sails used twice would have cost more than $2000
1 set of sails used 12 times or so
Dry hulls, shedded, comes with beach roller, trailer, 4 harnesses, numerous PFD's
The current owner used to go around Australia competing successfully
Fully tuned competative boat ready to sail less than an hours drive from you and take to the Lake Bonney regatta on October 5th.
Nothing to spend ready to go $3500
I know of a small rig for about $700 in reasonable order but nothing like the above one
PM me if you want the owners details.

Jeff,What about your 5.7? or you going to keep now.

We were seriously tempted by F18 but are now sticking with the 5.7 and that means I can get a Stingray as well thank goodness for big sheds.
Brian I'll be at the Barmera regatta for the October long weekend regatta if you want to take my 5.7 for a spin with your lad.
Here's pics of an big rig Stingray, a original rig Stingray, the original Taipan 5.7 sail on the left and the new Taipan 5.7 square top main

You can

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