Please Help - What is a Pacific Catamaran?

I have found a boat on Craigslist locally while looking for a Hobie 16. It is a 15-17 foot Pacific Cat with a rigid cross member (no frame and trampoline). Hull numbers are - WPB31801231086. Does the "86" at the end of the tag discribe production year?
If I am used to a Hobie 16 how would this boat compare?
Any help appreciated.

Gene Wallet still holds the record for the fastest elapsed time in the annual Gulfport, MS to Pensacola, FL Race (approx. 120 miles). He sailed the race on a Pacific Catamaran with a spinnaker. The circa, early to mid eighties, rings in my memory.

They are a titch heavy and not really owner/beach friendly, but they do like offshore conditions. I also believe Gene raced in the Olympics years ago - that may have been a factor.

Cheers,
Bert Rice, Pensacola Yacht Club

I did at search with the hull number and came up with
WPB= Westport Marine Inc. 447 Newport Blvd, Newport Beach, California

It is an 18.5 foot with a short and stout main- it carries 268 Sq.Ft. of sail- We wet sailed it in Presque Isle bay in the late 60's- I don't think they've been made much into the 70's it weighed about 650 so it is a lot slower than a Hobie- but very sturdy. Ours had a roller furling jib- it was fun to sail past the 30 foot monoslug upwind with it's rail awash, they were doing 6 knots and it would do 12 in the right conditions. It was a great boat to wet-sail- we would pump out the bilge- it shipped a little water above the waterline when it rained, and pull up the sails. Look for soft spots. John

John R.

My dad owned an 18' (or so) Pacific Catamaran back in the 70's/80's. It was a nice daysailer, and the rigid deck with foot wells was comfortable to sit on. It was fast compared to monohulls, but a dog compared to the Hobie 18 when it came out. It's much heavier. That model had a roller furling jib. If the previous owner left the jib up, look for sun damage on the jib. My dad's jib fell apart after about 10 years. I've seen the smaller model, it looks very similar, just scaled down a bit.

Rob originally asked my by email, and I said I had never heard of a PC16, but the 18s were very popular on the west coast and there were a lot of them in the east as well.
I was racing on a Shark back then and they were of comparable speed. A bit heavy as I recall. HaHa, but so is the Shark. What am I thinking?
Rick

Thank you all for your information and replys.

Now let me ask the same question in another way - I'm going to buy a Cat fairly soon. I have my pick of several Hobie 16's locally in varied age and conditions but here is the typical boat i'm looking at:

Hobie 16, 1985 or so, w/ trailer, some have trampolines and sails that are newer/replaced. Around $1000

VS.

Pacific Cat PC16 from 1986, Hull is in "stored inside" condition, Has all three sails. With trailer. Around $2000

Please feel free to weigh in - and don't hold back.

How and where are you going to launch this boat?

A 600 lb boat will not drag easily over the sand.. no matter what kind of beach wheels you get. A hobie 16 was made for trailer to beach kind of life.

If you plan to launch at a ramp, sink the trailer, float the boat off and then tie up to a dock to put sails up... different story.

Think of this choice between an antique car (p cat) and an old reliable very used toyota corrola.


When looking at 1000 dollar boat... It's the condition that matters more then age... replacing any of the bits... tramp and sails, rigging, rudders, strait mast, traveler car, boom, blocks will get expensive really quickly.. and amount to a signficant chunk of change for what you put in it originally.

Safety issues like standing rigging matter... you don't want to be dismasted 3 miles from home in 15 knot blow. WAF = -100!

rudder castings are a constant aggravation when the boat ages. Nothing worse then sailing a cat with the rudders locked down but not under the boat... = helm to kill you.

Fiberglass soft spots ... you don't want to learn a new craft before you go sailing. failure could lead to hull breaking up in big waves.... WAF = -200

The running rigging status are things you can put up with on a beach boat.

Finding your local cat club/yacht club will make you some new friends and get some valuable local knowledge and advice!

It will be launched at a launch ramp. Then towed out to the beach. We have a houseboat, a couple of jet skis and we want something fun for when the afternoon winds come up on Lake Powell.

I had an H16 when I was younger - and loved it. I want to repeat that great memory for me and give my kids the same great experience.

"My dad's jib fell apart after about 10 years."


Did you take it back to the manufacturer and ask for your money back?

Hmm... sounds like you might be better off with a 16..

You can push it off the beach and most importantly drag it up the beach without an army... The Pcat will just be heavy to deal with on the sand. You could put it on a moring for the day, night, or weekend if that would work for you... still a beach needs a beach boat.

What you really need is a former Pcat sailor to explain how manageable the boat is. 650lbs.. sounds like H21 terrority and this boat is not built like a H21.

Different circumstance that particular Pcat might be a perfect boat but it sounds like you want another beach toy and that is what the 16 was created for...

If I had a choice between the Pcat and a decent h16,

the H16 for sure! Fairly light, will handle heavy air, and lots of spare parts.

I'd stay away from the dinosaur if I were you.