| Shopping for a beach cat after 20 years away! #217376 08/10/10 04:23 PM 08/10/10 04:23 PM |
Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 3 capttony OP
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Posts: 3 | Anxious to get back to sailing after 20 years away; getting married, starting a business, and raising kids. I've owned and raced a Hobie 16 and later a Nacra 5.2 and various monohulls to 35 feet. I even had a Hobie 12, anyone else remember these rigid cats, more of a toy than catamaran IMHO!
My kids are now 12 and 14 and I am looking for a boat to teach my them the beauty and responsibility of life under sail and the thrill of flying a hull.
We will sail 90% of the time off the beach in North Florida, I'm 220#, wife 140#, two kids 110# ea. I could see the majority of time sailing with one or both kids, occasionally all four out for a cruise. I'd like the option to solo sail and right a boat myself, I doubt we will race. I'd rather not deal with daggerboards or lock down rudders like my Nacra had sailing off the beach. From my research reading this wonderful forum, I think I have settled on either a Prindle 18 classic, 18-2 or 19. Budget $2-3,000, maybe a bit more for a great boat.
Am I on the right track? Thanks in advance for any guidance. | | | Re: Shopping for a beach cat after 20 years away!
[Re: capttony]
#217377 08/10/10 04:52 PM 08/10/10 04:52 PM |
Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,203 uk TEAMVMG
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Posts: 1,203 uk | Same old problem. You want to carry 2/3 people and right it singlehanded - you are going to have to compromise somewhere
p18 or n570 are good places to start
Paul
teamvmg.weebly.com
| | | Re: Shopping for a beach cat after 20 years away!
[Re: Mark Schneider]
#217379 08/10/10 05:32 PM 08/10/10 05:32 PM |
Joined: May 2004 Posts: 1,403 Ventucky Red
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Posts: 1,403 | Ditto plus one. Can't go wrong with a Prindle 18 or the 18-2.
Last edited by Ventucky Red; 08/10/10 05:33 PM.
| | | Re: Shopping for a beach cat after 20 years away!
[Re: capttony]
#217392 08/11/10 06:10 AM 08/11/10 06:10 AM |
Joined: Sep 2004 Posts: 75 Clearwater, FL stevefisherkeller
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Posts: 75 Clearwater, FL | 1989 Dart 20 -- Tornado main sail & furling jib. Cat Trax beach wheels, Aluminum Sail Box. Trailex Aluminum trailer with new tires, springs, & SS Buddy bearings. Back-up second set of complete rudders. Boat is ready to sail, add water & wind. $2800.00 Might be worth a trip south;) Steve Fisherkeller 727-458-5405 catsailor33781@gmail.com (FL)()Aug)
Steve Fisherkeller P19MX
| | | Re: Shopping for a beach cat after 20 years away!
[Re: TurboCat]
#217398 08/11/10 11:49 AM 08/11/10 11:49 AM |
Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 1,253 Columbia South Carolina, USA dave mosley
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Posts: 1,253 Columbia South Carolina, USA | GCat 5.7 is a good option, especially with front tramp and no boards
The men were amazed, and said, "What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" Matthew 8:27
| | | Re: Shopping for a beach cat after 20 years away!
[Re: capttony]
#217400 08/11/10 12:45 PM 08/11/10 12:45 PM |
Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 1,307 Asuncion, Paraguay Luiz
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Posts: 1,307 Asuncion, Paraguay | Whatever boat you choose, add a righting pole to aid singlehanded righting.
Luiz
| | | Re: Shopping for a beach cat after 20 years away!
[Re: capttony]
#217409 08/11/10 07:53 PM 08/11/10 07:53 PM | andrewscott
Unregistered
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Unregistered | I think the cat forum advertisements are probably better kept boats and were I will concentrate my efforts. I think craigslist, ebay, local papers are all very good sources... you can find gems or jerks at any source. Don't discount those other places to look.. also if there is a local sailing scene, club, stores or shores.. those are good places to visit... talk with the natives, ask around about cats for sale (or go for test rides) look for postings, etc. | | | Re: Shopping for a beach cat after 20 years away!
[Re: Luiz]
#217573 08/15/10 12:40 AM 08/15/10 12:40 AM |
Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 757 japan erice
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Posts: 757 japan | weta trimaran could do all but fly on the edge
at 14' the kids will sooner grow into soloing it
and as you get older you'll appreciate it's lower weight
performance a touch down on the 5.2 and H16
but as a mixed family boat user friendliness is a few clicks up
lots of youtube videos to find out if further research is warranted
Last edited by erice; 08/15/10 12:46 AM.
eric e 1982 nacra 5.2 - 2158 2009 weta tri - 294
| | | Re: Shopping for a beach cat after 20 years away!
[Re: HMurphey]
#217622 08/16/10 10:02 AM 08/16/10 10:02 AM |
Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 3 capttony OP
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Posts: 3 | Thanks again for all the great suggestions! After alot of reading/researching I think I'd like to concentrate on finding a Nacra 5.8, and have placed an ad to try and find one. I loved the way my Nacra 5.2 sailed, and have learned to deal with boards and the beach. I would appreciate a more performance oriented cat. Thanks for the insights, Harry, I'll also look at the Hobie18s, however the "comp tip" mast concerns me. I'd rather have an all alluminum mast. I'd also perfer clear anodizing versus black aluminum. The Nacra F18 is very intriguing, and a beauty is currently advertised, however 18 hour round trip is not in the cards. Anyone driving from Chicago to Florida and want to earn a couple hundred bucks? Thanks again for the warm welcome and suggestions. I will remain patient until the right boat comes along. Hopefully, as it may be close to the end of the season there will be more boats comming available. | | | Re: Shopping for a beach cat after 20 years away!
[Re: erice]
#217674 08/16/10 07:02 PM 08/16/10 07:02 PM |
Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 1,307 Asuncion, Paraguay Luiz
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Posts: 1,307 Asuncion, Paraguay | weta trimaran could do all but fly on the edge...
Price?
Luiz
| | | Re: Shopping for a beach cat after 20 years away!
[Re: Luiz]
#217699 08/17/10 04:00 AM 08/17/10 04:00 AM |
Joined: May 2006 Posts: 1,383 Kingston SE South Australia JeffS
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Posts: 1,383 Kingston SE South Australia | About $15000 Aussie dollars and in my experience the Weta doesn't perform around a race course anything like the cats mentioned. Nacra 5.8 is a top choice, you could use one of the old small jibs so the kids can pull it on
Jeff Southall Current boats Nacra 5.8 1703 Animal Scanning Services Nacra 5.8 1667 Ram Raider Nacra 18 Square Arrow 1576
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