help me find my next cat-back on the water after 10 years

I guess I'm on my own here!

I think the prindle is my favorite cat for cheap money. Be careful to find good hulls that aren't soft.

I think the prindle is my favorite cat for cheap money

I 2nd that, cant go wrong with a Prindle, built like a tank, easy to rig, easy to sail, high volume hulls will handle the weight of a few adults. The rudder setup is the big challenge but there is a section in the Tech Album which deals with the Prindle rudders and how to dial them in.

With the shallow shore ? I would get something with self tending boards or no boards.

The boats you listed are still around H-16 and H-18 and good boats. The newer style boats are more fragile than what you have sailed before. Go to the OSYC in MS and meet the folks over there they will help you a lot. Never sailed a Prindle so I have no opinion. I will say I have only seen one prindle so it would not be my first choice, parts may be hard to come by.

Last but not least, any boat that is good for 1 will be slow for two, and any boat that is made for two will be over powered with just one up. HTH, Richard.

I can second the Prindle. 16 or original 18 with no boards gives you good shallow water draft with kick up rudders. Down here on the Gulf coast there are quite a few around and I have never has trouble finding parts.

How much are you looking spend?
Do you like fiddling and replacing or would you rather buy newer?
If money wasn't an object I would look at a Nacra 570 or 500. The older versions are 5.7 and 5.2. Boardless, boomless.. simple.
You might want to look at these threads.
Enjoy the shopping experience.

http://www.thebeachcats.com/forums/viewtopic/topic/13656
http://www.thebeachcats.com/forums/viewtopic/topic/14112
http://www.thebeachcats.com/forums/viewtopic/topic/11574

Boardless Supercat 17?

The older versions are 5.7 and 5.2. Boardless, boomless.. simple.

Slight typo, Scott. The 5.2 has a boom, & is a dagger board boat. The 5.0 is the little sister to the 5.7, boomless, & boardless.

For just you: N5.0 (or 500 or SL16)
Cheap and Durable: P18
Cheap and Durable for just you: p16
For you and crew: N5.7 (or 570)

Nice & fast, for you and crew: P19

paulrees wrote: Thinking about a used Hobie Tiger or similar. Probably not the acrobat I used to be either but ready to get out and get back in sailing shape. Any suggestions or ideas would be very much appreciated.

paulrees, Welcome to TheBeachcats.com! And welcome back to cat sailing after 10 years.

You've probably noticed that the spin boats have pretty much taken over the racing scene for beachcats.

For many years it wasn't really practical to fly a spinnaker on a beachcat but after the snuffer system was perfected it has become standard on new boats. The way the spin goes up and down will amaze you.

The Hobie Tiger is one of the more available of the "first generation" of the modern F18 class of boat. The F18's aren't tanks like the Hobie 16's and 18's you sailed but since they are class limited to weigh 400 pounds they are pretty sturdy. Used ones can be great deals because racers move on to the hottest latest thing.

Come on over to Ocean Springs, Mississippi on Saturday morning and you can get a good idea of what's available. The Slip to Ship regatta attracts a great cross section of boats, and I know of one Tiger that is probably for sale.

If you are interested in racing class at OSYC, then you have two choices, hobie 16 or F18. There are other boats, just not enough for a separate class. Come over and check us out this weekend at Slip to Ship.

Super Cat 17, boardless, boomless, kickup rudders, works single handed or with 2-3 on board. Still in production. If the Nacra 5.7, 570 looks appealing to you then the SC17 would also be a contender.

Thanks for all the comments. I actually have sailed slip to ship many times from LBYC. Placed a few times on H18. I really want to jump to the new technology and that is why F18 is my first choice, but for under 10k. I am also salivating at the thought of the spin heading downwind. That is why I am leaning to a Tiger. Shallow water not an issue so daggerbds are fine and i prefer to assymetrical hulls. I am a member at PYC in Mandeville and we have 1 A cat sailor and thats about it. I have stopped by OSYC a few times as i own a business in Gulfport.
If you can point me to that Tiger for sale I would appreciate it. I have seen 1 in CA on cat sailor but thats about it.
Thanks

LBYC built several piers and left little access for the cats so Coast Catamaran Club moved the race to OSYC.
OSYC shared many members with CCC and the same people were doing the work. CCC has been disband close to 10 years now. This will be my 18th Slip to Ship.

I think Damon my be referring to a Tiger at OSYC but not sure. The owner may be looking to upgrade to a newer F18. There are 2 Tigers at OSYC.

+1 on the Tiger. Your son will love it 🙂 . Don't forget to let him take the tiller!

Single-handing one would be limited to the light stuff (probably less than 10), but you apparently have experience with the H18 which isn't that big of a jump.

If you can keep it stored stick-up, that would be ideal. Setup time of an F18 is considerably longer than an H18.

At PYC we have a yard by the beach ramp and just need cat trax to launch so stick up is right. Always had crew on the H18 but the F18s are lighter so I am comfortable with handling solo with just the main if I cant find crew, but hopefully that would be the exception as I know the F18 comes with an accelerator and turbo boost built in, so the power factor will be new. I am planning to come down saturday morning to OSYC for the slip to ship pre-race to check things out and boat hunt so keep an eye out for a middle aged (51) boat-less cat sailor with a Gulf Islands Waterpark Hat!

paulrees
boatless catsailor for now