Best 16 foot Cat for 20 knots

I am new to Cat sailing. I would like to know which is the best 16 foot cat that has no dagger boards and the fullest hulls to prevent pitch polling . I will be doing some local races to be sailed off Sint Maarten. I am thinking Hobie 16 but I am told it's not the best.

Look into a Dart 18.... if you want a 16 foot class non spin boat. Alternatives are Nacra 5.0 and Mystere 5.0 would be other choices... older designs are Hobie 16 and Prindle 16.

Your spin class boats are F16s (Nacra, Falcon, Goodall??) these would be a handful in 20 with little experience.

NACRA 500?

Supercat 17?

Don't get a Mystere, even if it's free. Sounds like the Nacra 500 would be a great choice.

I would ask around locally, and try to find others to sail with/ learn from. The Hobie 16 is a great boat when it's blowing.

Mike

The H16 is indeed a great boat, and with skill can handle 20 plus. But they are low volume bows that when submerged, stick badly, making recovery tough. Some of these other boats suggested have more bow volume, and some have more forgiving(less flat) decks that return to the surface more easily. Thus might be easier (less dramatic) for a new sailor to learn on. Crew weight needs to be way aft on all cats when driving downwind in a blow.

Dave

Here you go!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUHXmuGMDPc

Stick with it, at 2:10 you'll see 3 guys on one Hobie 16 hauling butt!

And then about 3:10 check out the Skipper T-bagging it!

16 size ?
That would be Anything with symmetrical hulls and
dagger-boards , will be just Fine Thank-You !!

Basically WAY better energy retention when tacking,and
over-all Faster.Can't imagine Why anyone would want to
Slug around with semi-symetrical hulls ?

Bille

Apparantly you are unware of circumstances where assymmetric or skeg hulls are the only possible solution.

Like when you sail single handed and have to start in shallow water (like seashore brake) and you have little space for manoeuvring.

That guy looks like he is playing air guitar by the way he is wrestling that tiller during the 3 crew sailing.

YEA -- before i got a tug-boat for the reasons you just
described ; i'd put an electric motor & battery on it.

Still remember the first tack i did on a prindle 16 in 3-5mph
wind ; had to reverse the rudder to BACK her around, and
absolutely Hated it.

I won't add more because the thread said Best 16 foot Cat
for 20 knots, & has no dagger boards ; but he also said
he's new to sailing, and that means he'll be sailing in
light wind a lot, and daggerboards make that easier.

No need to Bash - it's just an opinion and i ain't trying
to sell him anything ; & won't come back to this Thread.


Bille

I too would vote for the Supercat 17. Its more stable than the Hobie 16, which also means a little less adventurous, but safer for single-handing.

Timbo,

That is some hilarious sailing- and brings back many memories too.

Someone mentioned the 'air guitar' thing? Seeing that had me ROTFL!

Hobie 16 all the way... All of its faults are what make it so hilariously fun to sail.. The other comparable stuff just doesn't offer the same experience, and once you start to master it the challenge and skill it takes to get it around a race course with some of the really fast H16 sailors will provide a semmingly endless learning experiece

I agree the Hobie 16 is the more FUN boat. But the guy specifically said 'No pitchpoling'. The characteristics he described are a perfect match for the Supercat 17. The ride is stable (and dull). Not only is the Hobie 16 fun, it is inexpensive for old used boats. Its a great starter boat, if you have a partner to get you familiar with it, before attempting single-handing it.