I just bought a H14! I am looking for peoples thoughts on what they wish they knew when they first got their first Cat. Please let me know about your experiences, good and bad, so I may learn from them. Also I am using it in Maine, on Sebago lake to be specific. I am looking for people in that area that I could maybe pick your nose, errr I mean brain someday. Please remeber in your posts that I have no idea what I am doing, so don't be afraid to be simple. Let me correct that a little, I have a lot of experience on fishing vessels,and with boats in general, but not as much sailing, and certainly not with cats. And let me thank you ahead of time for your input.

I started with a Hobie 14. I started sailing because I crewed for a guy for a year on a 16. I guess the number one thing that I wish I knew back in the day was how to "roll tack" because turning the bow of the boat through the eye of the wind can be very tricky on a 14 or 16 for someone just starting out.

Other than that, just general stuff. How to really tighten my downhaul. Even that I should leave my mainsheet loose on the beach... ha ha ha I learned that the hard way. I had two older guys really help me at the beach. I still sail at that beach every summer. It's a great thing to start.

Hi,
I sailed a 14 on a small lake in Wisconsin for a number of years as a teen (which I still am) and had very good experiences. Anyway, tacking is very difficult in a 14 as the other guy pointed out and can be quite a hassle. Learning how to backwind the main and sail backwards is also a very good skill to learn. Be careful sailing it in high wind.... things happen really fast on a 14. Oh yeah, be mindful of weight distribution as well because the 14 can tip any way..... think all directions. But, it is a great, fun boat to sail and is very fast in comparison with other boats of similar length. Update us on how it goes.
P.S. I now own a 16 which I have tons of fun on and use all the knowledge from sailing 14's. Anyway, have a great sail!