Ok....I am "considering" an A-cat as my second cat and have been reading everything I can find, and have concluded that there are a "lot" of choices. So thought I would start a thread to help me sort through some of the decisions that have to be made. Hopefully the thread can serve similar assistance to others as well. First a few facts about myself:

weight: 195-200 lbs.
height: 6'2"
skill level: mid fleet, but improving.
Why A-cat?: large competitive fleet, lightweight singlehanded boat, and I understand that tweaking control lines on an A provides very good feedback...so the hope is that feedback will help me improve my overall skill level.

One last note: In addition to sailing this boat in A-class events, I will also occasionally sail it in open class club racing in light winds. Therefor, I would like to consier putting a chute on it just for those circumstances.

I have figured out that I need a stiff platform (would prefer newer wave piercing design), and due to my weight (and the spinaker potential), will need a stiffer mast. Also I understand the bighead mains are most desirable today.

I don't need brand new, but I do want a competitive boat, so as to not be able to blame my lackluster results on anything but myself...and hoepfully I will improve more with a good boat. Since I am not expecting initially to be in the top half of the A-class fleet, I can't justify spending $20k especially since this will be my "second" boat. (N20 will remain my primary). Sooo...I want to try to keep this down below $10k....not sure that's do-able, especially when I add the spin rig, but that is the goal.

Now...I am looking for advice on platform, rig, sail selection, and anything anyone else (especially current A-class experts) wants to throw my way.

Regards all,

You can easily beat the $10k number, if you go to an F16.

<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> We'll somebody was gonna say it anyway!!

At your weight I think you will just be a bit too lardie to be really competative on a A, now a F16 single handed at your weight, just about spot on, put the chute up and say goodbye to the A's + you goner have loads of change to go sailing <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />.

Joe,
You'll probably want two masts, one for spin, one for main only.

Find a broken carbon mast, fix it and stiffen it up for the spin.

check out www.usaca.info for used boats for sale.

Bill

As to chute rigged A, send an email through the usaca website about that issue www.usaca.info . Ask for Dave Carlson to respond about that and he will talk you through his changes for using a chute. Additionally, there are some platforms that are better than others for heavier sailors. Others in the class can steer you in the right direction. Personally, I am staying with A's instead of switching to F-16's. I like the development and size more in the A Class.

Joel:

I am going to take Bill's advice and have Lars Guck build me a DK-17 when I have ready. I am at 200-220 and he said that it would be a good fit. Check the forum. Haken (sp) put a spin on jis Marstrom:

Here is what Bill said about DK-17

As far as the DK, I own one. Which I built myself. I spent 11k on it.

The DK is designed for a larger guy. Steve Clark is 220-230, George Sanders is 240 or more, the designer, Dirk Kramer is also over 200. I weigh 200 -210.

So the boat has more volume for a larger guy in the stern, which is important going downwind. Steve Clark is very competitive, but he's a great sailor.

The bad news with the DK is that its a custom build, either you do it or you pay someone to build it for you. Paying someone wont be cheap, but you'll get a boat built to your specs, your construction methods (foam, nomex, etc) your rigging preferences, your prefered apendages like rudders, and mast and sail, and such. it will be a great learning experience for you to understand the implications of all these decisions. Plus Hall will custom make your mast for your weight. Peter Cogan will custom make the sail to the mast and your weight. You'll probably end up pay less than the A2/A3 and you'll have a much better product - all custom made for you and your weight.

Now, if you dont have the skills to finish a boat, you'll need someone to do most of the work for you. Lots of guys in RI will do the work. Steve might do it, or you could go to any number of people that specialize in this kind of work. Henry Elliott made the molds and would make you a finished boat. Lars Guck could do the whole project and he doesn great work. You could get the mast from Hall, they are in RI, the tramp comes from Kinder, they are in RI and I know a great sail maker in CT. You could get everything you need with one trip to New England this spring.

http://www.guckinc.com/

http://www.kinder-industries.com/racing_one_design_a_class.asp

http://www.hallspars.com/

Bill:

Sent you a eamil about pics of your boat. Can you send some?

Doug

Good stuff...Thansk for the immediate responses guys!! I had already checked out the USACA site (and recheck it regularly), and I am watching the classifieds there. In fact I have already conversed with a couple of the folks there about boats for sale, and that merely extended my list of questions I need to answer before buying or commiting!! Anyway...I like the idea of custom building a boat to fit me, and I have no problems doing finnish work, rigging, etc. I just don;t think I am in a position to build my own hulls at this point. The DK sounds like a reasonable option, especially if I can get someone good to provide the hulls. I'll check out the web sites and send a few emails.

Wouter, where are you?

Hey guys....where can I find more information, picutes, specs, etc. on the DK-17??

After many years of F16 class work I have recently transferred the very last of my duties to other class members. So now I'm doing alot of well deserved landyachting and sailing for solely my personal pleasure. In all the other hours I'm doing numerical analysis and multivariable controller design, a guy has got to give an impetus to his carreer at some time. It seems that after the many years I invested in F16, my carreer is now the one deserving of the bulk of my attention now.

I'll hang around, but I'll be much less active then over the past 10 years.

Wouter

http://www.intcanoe.us/component/option,com_zoom/Itemid,26/catid,13/PageNo,1/
http://home.mindspring.com/~fordc/index.html
http://www.alinghi.com/en/alinghi/team/index.php?idIndex=3&idContent=2248
http://www.sdkstructures.com/

Steve Clark owns the DK design and molds.

If you are serious about building one or having one built for you the first step is to talk to Steve. Send me a PM and I'll send you Steve's email address.

Pics on my DK17 build are on this forum. Search on DK17.

Bill

http://www.catsailor.com/forums/sho...;amp;page=0&fpart=1&vc=1

Pics are here.

Joe,

About the only thing that will match your criteria (under 10K, wave p.)is either a Boyer Mark V (coppy of Flyer underwater) or a Bim Jav I, and then play with the spin.

Ken

Joe,

I think any good Boyer Mk. IV/V will meet your needs and budget best. A Marstrom would be even better for your weight but you may find it hard to find one in your price range.

Regarding putting a chute on the boat, well go ahead but I think you will enjoy the boat more without it unless you have a dedicated rig for it (I would not modify my only mast) and you can store the boat mast up. A good sailor who owns an I-17R has been in touch with me about getting an A-boat. While he knows the I-17R can go downwind faster, he is simply tired of the weight and complexity and wants the A-boat mainly because it will take minimal time to rig and launch.

Good luck,

Bob Hodges
A2 USA 230

Are a Boyer and Auscat the same thing?? I am seeing references to Mark V boats with either name in front??

Regarding the chute....I understand the concerns, however our local club frequently races in 4 to 6 knots (or less!!) during the summer months, and I just loathe the idea of baking and bobbing without at least a chute to move a little quicker!!

Speed is relative...I don't think you would notice as long as you were racing similar boats. Hell, I enjoy the hell out of racing Waves in a fleet in any condition.

Hi All

Yep Boyer and Auscat are the same thing, they don't seem to use Auscat in the title anymore in general discussion, when someone says its a Mark I, II, III, IV or V, most people assume you know its a Boyer.

Regards

Next Boyer question...at what point did AHPC / Boyer change from the Mark V to the Flyer? In other words if someone says they have a 2005 Boyer, would it be a Mark V or a Flyer? Or...did they overlap and make both for a period of time?

The Mk. V and the Flyer are identical below the waterline. The differences are as follows:

1. Construction - Mk. V hulls were kevlar, Flyer carbon. Mk. V had 5-6 bulkheads, Flyer had 2.
2. Foils and beams - The front beam and daggerboard placements are slightly different
3. Bow - The Flyer has a more aft raked bow while the Mk. V looks more plumb.

I owned and raced a Mk. V for three years and had great results with it. I did a lot of 2 boat tuning with Charlie Ogeltree who had the Auscat Flyer and we convinced ourselves that the boats were identical performance wise.

The Mk. V was Boyer's version of the Flyer even though he built the exact copy. It is no longer built and I believe they are tooling up to produce a completely new A-cat in the near future.

Mk. V's are good boats to get if you find one. Some argue that the kevlar hulls are more durable and survive collisions better. We saw no real differences in platform stiffness because both boats used carbon beams.

Hope this helps.

Bob Hodges