I have a laser one that I have been sailing for many years now and want to graduate to a hobie. I am considering both new, i.e. getaway, or used 14,16,17,20 but know very little about the boats. There seems to be a great deal of choice in lengths/ models. Can any one recomend which boat to buy . Are there model years to stay clear from. Are any of the boats not able to be sailed solo
<br>any suggestions would be welcome
<br>mark <br><br>

Check it out at: http://www.justsail.com/Catamaran.htm<br><br>If you are looking for an inexpensive boat to start out on, I would suggest the Prindle 16. For a bigger/faster/more powerful boat, consider the Prindle 18-2, Prindle 19, Nacra 5.8. For the ultimate 2-hulled sailing machine, the Inter 20 is it. I would avoid the Hobie 16 as it is a 30-year old design and is not as nice to sail as newer designs.<br><br>Alan Thompson<br>I20 - San Diego<br>You could also consider the Hobie 20 (similar to P19) and the Hobie Fox (similar to Inter 20), but all Hobie boats have a plastic tip on the mast which most sailors think is a big compromise (it resulted from a lawsuit) on performance - even Hobie sailors.<br><br>

What are your opinions of the Nacra 5.5SL as a starter boat?<br><br>

Mark,
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<br>Depending on what you're going to do, who you're going to sail with, etc., I would let that govern your decision.
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<br>Are there fleets in your area? What do they sail?
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<br>What Alan says about the comptips is true, but I know in my area, there would be far fewer friends to sail with, if you weren't sailing a Hobie Cat.
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<br>Also, consider how many will be sailing at a time. If you're going to be sailing by yourself 98% of the time, consider a unirig, like the Hobie 17, Hobie 14, Hobie Wave, or any of the others. Forgive me for not mentioning them by name, as I can't recall which Nacras, Prindles, etc., are designed to be sailed single handed.
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<br>If you're going to be racing a bit on the heavier side, any of the boats in the 20 foot range would be great. Again, it's often a matter of who is sailing what in your area.
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<br>Good luck!
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<br>Tim Johnson<br><br>Hobie 20 #541
<br>Bald Eagle Yacht Club, Fleet 52
<br>White Bear Lake, MN

Just like Mr. Thompson said stay away from the older designs.
<br> But what type of sailing do you want to do? Are you going to race or do you sail "just for the fun of it". Your wieght will be something to consider when getting another boat also. But the #1 factor might be your budget. If you have unlimited funds then by all means get the M-20. But if your like me a used boat several years old might be something more in line with your monitary situation. If you plan on buying a boat to race go to a race. Most of the skippers would be glad to take you out between races and show you how nice their boat is. The bottom line is don't buy before you try. Take your time and make sure it's really what you want. You'll be a lot happier in the long run.
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Alan, You didn’t mention the Hobie Tiger, and this boat does not have a plastic top on the mast.
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<br>Regards
<br><br><br>

Actually, and unfortunately, when Hobie Cat USA imports these boats, the first thing they do is lop off the top of the mast, and replace it with a comptip!
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<br>What a bummer!
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<br>Tim J.<br><br>Hobie 20 #541
<br>Bald Eagle Yacht Club, Fleet 52
<br>White Bear Lake, MN

I went through this topic last season on forum so now starting to feel like a broken record.
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<br>It’s been over a year now and STILL my Tiger has a solid mast and I’m willing to bet that that it would be very difficult to find a Tiger with a Comptip in the North America. If you want a Comptip, I think you can order one through your dealer. In fact my dealer has many full aluminum section Tiger masts.
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<br>Here, Look at this: IHCA class rule:
<br>13.4 A COMPTIP shall be mandatory for the North American Region with the exception of the Hobie Tiger, which shall be raced worldwide with an aluminum mast.
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<br>I didn’t make this rule… but I did vote in favor of it because I wanted a spinnaker boat in the NAHCA with out a comptip…. And go figure, a few months latter, I singed the check and now I have a Tiger with a full aluminum mast. The key issue is to work through the dealers and not the company. After all, that is who your doing business with.
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<br>It’s really frustrating; The NAHCA sailor asked for this boat… we even put the rule in writing… Now that the boat is here, in the configuration we wanted,, the sailors (NAHCA) are slow to respond… go figure??? So the way I see it… I can’t blame company anymore.
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<br>The next question people usually ask is “why isn’t this possible with the Fox?”… This topic was also beat to death last fall…. I don’t know and I don’t really care.
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I would get a Hobie 16 as there are large fleets everywhere, is the largest class world wide, you can buy one for next to nothing, is built on 5 continents, is a blast to sail and will grow with you as your skills progresses. As for being a 30 year old design that is true, even though improvements have been made over the years, remember the Prindle 16 is also a 30 year old design. You can buy a set of trapseats for it as well so you could sail this boat well into your 70's. Its also easy to move around on the beach, is the perfect surf cat, and is indestructable. Also the H16 is also winning big races about even the new modern cats, not bad for a 30 year veterian.
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<br>I would also consider a Hobie Wave, its a great fun little boat. Also super durable.<br><br>

You're absolutely right! When I was at the Miami Boat Show, I was told that the Fox would have a comptip, and drew the conclusion that the Tiger would too. Do you know if you can get it either way? I'm surprised they were able to get this one past the lawyers!
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<br>Fair winds,
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<br>Tim J.<br><br>Hobie 20 #541
<br>Bald Eagle Yacht Club, Fleet 52
<br>White Bear Lake, MN

Thanks Alan for the useful web site<br><br>

thanks Tim
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Matt:
<br>The 5.5 is available as the Uni or the sl. Great boat, I will be trading in my Hobie 17 Sport in the spring for just that boat. 5.5 series are Fast and responsive, lots of hull volume (the only thing my H-17 lacks) The 5.5sl is for couples racing, Uni can be converted to essentially the same boat with the addition of a roller furling, and then you aren't limited to racing with crew. I sail for fun with friends, but would rather race without the extra weight. <br><br>Hobie 17
<br>"MISTER LUCKY"

Aloha zuhl,
<br> Thanks very much. I've been leaning in that direction and your input has helped me decide. Looked at the Hobie, and though I like the availability, I was more impressed with the Nacra's overall quality.<br><br>

Just a few down sides to the Nacras is the parts availability is not the same as Hobie parts(Especially Used parts) and cost. Smaller classes to race in would be another one, but I 'm guessing you are buying the boat primarily to sail. People make such a big deal about the size of the classes being a huge advantage of the H-16's, but I bet most people sail their boats 100 times for every time they race them, so I would choose the right boat for me over having one just like everybody elses so I can have evenly matched racing. All depends on what you're gonna do with it and where you are. Don't know your geography, but West Coast and NE USA have strong Nacra presences. There's a few cheap Nacras on the boards in Florida right now. And a few dogs, I looked at several, Caveat emptor, for sure, memorize the ultimate catsailor's buying guide for a particular boat you're looking at and take a friend who knows more than you to be your voice of reason when you go to look. Join us in the forum below for the real scoop on cats. It's a pretty cybercool place to hang out, sailors with every variety of catamaran can answer your questions.
<br>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/beachcats
<br>[email protected]
<br><br><br>Hobie 17
<br>"MISTER LUCKY"

The big factor in this decision is what your intended sailing will be. One design racing? Open class racing? Ability to singlehand? Cruising sailing? How much money are you willing to spend? Now, the one Hobie not mentioned is one you might also consider - the Hobie-18. It is a great all-around boat and it can be found new or used at great prices. With the roller furling jib you can singlehand/depower easily (the boat is well balanced in this trim). With the magnum/sx wings you get a great cruising boat with lots of space and good speed. For racing, the one-design aspect has fallen off, but I can say that the boats can do quite fine in open class. You might hear people say not go with this boat because it is a "dead class", but you owe it to yourself to consider it. Maybe kick the "dead class" thing and rebuild the class. If you want to take more than yourself sailing, I would avoid the 14, as it does not have the load carrying capacity. But if it is just you (or you and a kid), the 14 can be a real kick. The 16 has lots of one-design action and ardent supporters, but isn't everyone's cup of tea either. The 17 would be great for singlehanding, although the sport version is supposed to make it a two person boat you're still low on load capacity. The 20 is a fast boat with still decent one-design action, but I'm not sure singlehanding would be easy on that one. The Wave is a fun boat although not particularly fast - it would be a great knock-about for the family. The Getaway looks like a great step up from the Wave, and from talking to some people that have sailed it the performance is better than expected, probably better than its Portsmouth number indicates. The forward tramp and good hull volumn would mean good cruising space. Lots of choices! Again, see how you want to use the boat, how much you want to spend, and then make the match. I'll mention the 18 on more time as a great all-around boat in the used or new class. You get lots of opinions on this question! And, as you have already seen, there are other manufacturers to consider...<br><br>Keith Chapman, Annapolis, Md.
<br>H-18
<br>Northstar 500 (monoslug)
<br>WRCRA - www.wrcra.org

Re: What are your opinions of the Nacra 5.5SL as a starter boat?
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<br>I have a Nacra 5.5SL. I think its a very good boat. But it is not a starter boat. It has lots of adjustments that can make it quite fast. But you should know how to use those adjustments. I would recommend Rick Whites "Catamaran Racing for the 90's" book available on this site. I like the 5.5SL because I can single hand it easily. I have a roller furling jib that also give lots a flexibility.
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<br>Some people put down a Hobie 16 because of its older design. I think it is a great beginner boat. I had one for many years. They can be picked up cheap used, parts are easy to find. One disadvantage is that they will flip over easier in windy conditions because of low buoyancy in the front of the hulls.
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<br>Patrick<br><br>Patrick Ragen
<br>Nacra 5.5SL #310
<br>CRAC web maintainer
<br>www.sailCRAC.com
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