ALL true, but I got to fight for the heavy underdog. It is the same old song I sing. The Hobie 18 is a great boat, and you'd never guess to look at it.
Lighter is always better, of course, but as Bill will remind you, a little lighter is a lot more expensive (on a production boat) Building your own boat is the most expensive of all in USA, because you have to pay yourself minimum wage by law, and the hours logged are astronomical.