Affordable used cats for newbies??

Well I'm always talking up cat sailing when I fly, and I've got at least 3 guys seriously looking for used entry level boats, not for racing, but to get started. Of course I've given out my old copies of Catsailor, told them about this website and the classifieds, and Ebay, and Craig's list, etc. but all three have the same complaint: They can't seem to find a good starter boat, not a racing boat, just a back yard beater to get started, for around $1,000-3,000.

If any of you know of a suitable starter boat, please PM me or put it in the classifieds. Oh, two of them are in the Atlanta area, one is here in Sebring, FL. They don't want to drive cross country for a look.

And that's another issue, they are always asking me "What to look for..." because they have no idea what's requried to restore a beater. So a cat that's ready to sail would be better for them.

Thanks in advance for any leads.

Timbo: where abouts in the ATL area? Probably Peachtree City?

You shouldn't have a problem finding a decent used H16 in that price range.

That's what I told them, I also told them to get up to Lk. Hartwell for Spring Fever to ask around, etc. but neither one did, they both live on the south side, south of PTC I think, out on 85 towards Fayetteville? (is that south of PTC?)

Anyway, I told them to find a cat regatta up there, maybe on Lanier, and ask around. If any of you ATL guys need crew, they would like to, and they would probably bring the beer! I told them either Hobies or Prindles, 16's or 18's, since they both have kids they want to sail with.

Yeah you have the right idea on the boat type IMO.

Yeah, they are out there. At least 2 hour drive from Lanier.

Alatoona is closer but I don't know what multis are down that way.

someone on another site recommended this tool - this allows you to search multiple Craig's list cities in one search:

http://www.searchtempest.com/

Andrew, thanks for the tip!

Oh, and one of the ATL guys is building a house on Lake Martin, near Auburn, Alabama, so any cat near there would be good too. He found a good TheMightyHobie18 and emailed me pictures, I was out on a trip and by the time I saw it and told him to buy it, it was gone! He still blames me...

I suggest they build three F12s. It will cost less than $3.000 each, they can start the class in their area and their children will be very happy, especially when they upgrade to something bigger.

haha... brilliant!

but you might end up with something like this

but more likely something like this



or this

Another chemist at my lab built one of these wooden H-like things on the next street over, after Roger Maris's widow sold him the house. Phil asked my advice (I said NOT) and offered sail lessons at no cost of course on my Hobie 16. He declined, building it with his teenager son. I saw it in the driveway for 3 years, and it never moved, never got mast or sails. Too bad. Lead the horse to the water----

I don't like the idea of directing neophytes to old boats. I started on a prindle 16 that was ok but thankfully i had a buddy (PTP) that was as interested in sailing as i so we quickly realized that the 16 was a dog ( i apologize to any P16 people that love their boat). we quickly moved on to a 6.0 that kicked our butt however we felt what a real cat could do and haven't looked back since.
If you know people that are interested then invite them out for a spin or more. let them get a taste of the capability of these boats. you have to ride the line of scaring them vs. keeping them interested. If they can sail for a bit on a performance cat then you can avoid them buying an old dog that will sit in their backyard/driveway where they learn to hate the thing.
I have this guy at work that just bought a used 35K stink boat(motor). he is bumming because the head gasket is blown and he's looking at a 2K bill to get that repaired. its sitting at the repair shop and he's trying to negotiate with the previous owner and the surveyor to find the money to get his "new" boat out on the water. people talk a lot about how much these boats cost and i agree they can be expensive and we are not looking to finance buying a cat, however i think pointing a potential new sailor to old antiquated boats that are marginally fun to sail and cost them 1-3K in change is doomed to fail. we need to get them out on the water and feel the real speed and thrill of these boats to get them wanting more.
In short, when you consider the cost of the "dark side", our boats are a STEAL! why discourage someone by directing them to buy a dog for 1-3K when you could invite them out and give them some incentive to invest in a FANTASTIC sport/pastime/hobby, etc. If/when they do decide to buy a boat they can get a boat that will keep them wanting to sail.

Different people like different things. My wife loves her underpowered but very forgiving Hobie 14. She crewed for me for a long time on a Hobie 18 and Tiger, but she wasn't confident enough to helm one of those boats for any length of time. Now she is really learning to sail and loving it.

Putting a newby on something as responsive as a Tiger is not necessarily a wise choice. I also knew a fellow who tried to learn on a Hobie 20. I kept telling him it was a two person boat but he thought he could handle it. He capsized and almost got himself crushed between the boat and a dock. He no longer sails a cat.

Timbo:

If they are interested in a good starter boat to learn spinnaker on, look at the Mystere 4.3. I learned a lot on that boat and sold it for what I payed for it three years later. It is a very stable fast boat.

Doug

I started on a Nacra 5.2 after renting several types, I still sail the 5.2. I cost me $1000 to buy and has been a blast all the way! I can pick off straggling F-18s now and anyone else who makes too many mistakes... Who said an old boat is no fun?!?

The -only- way I was able to get into cats was with a $750 backyard lawn ornament of an TheMightyHobie18. I cleaned it up, sailed it two years, sold it for $2,500.

Selling a "newbie" a newer cat for $5,000- $10,000, when he doesn't even know how to sail, is not an option, unless he's got more money than brains, and I realize there are some of them out there, but most of the guys I fly with have more brains than money...thank God!

it really depends on how much you can afford doesn't it

if you are seriously loaded, why would you ever want anything 2nd hand?

if you are thinking of borrowing money to buy a toy, i question your priorities...

Doug is exactly right about the Mystere 4.3. I think John Williams will agree also - he learned a lot on his and then went on to become THE hot, national event winning, racing crew! This boat is good for single-handing or for two-up. It sails well with main only, sloop rigged, and with spinnaker. Add a sail as you progress and when you get comfortable with all three sails you are ready for nearly anything.

That said, the Hobie Wave is a great boat to learn on and to race one-design. It has to be the most maintenance-free cat available, also. So, different boats for different people. Probably explains why I am a fleet owner....

Agree on the 4.3 for sure. It broke my heart when they stopped making them, but there are still many good used ones out there - insanely cheap for a glass spin boat. I also was a Wave owner and I'm still a big fan - anyone who hasn't sailed one should try it - remarkably good design, simple and fun. Used Waves are inexpensive, too. Both of them can be had in very good shape for the $1,000-3,000 price range cited.

Mike, you flatter me and thanks. There is a looooong list of people crewing out there and I'm nearer the top of that list than I was 10 years ago... but I still can't quite see the head of the line... guys like Charlie Ogletree, Jay Glaser, Jamie Livingston, Kenny Pierce, Nigel Shafer, Alex Pitt, Tripp Burd... they're hard to see around. I am having an awful lot of fun - life after 40 isn't what I thought it would be.

Prindle 16 - tons of them for sale these days.