Maybe we should also keep in mind that he is a total beginner, and that he is going to be sailing on icy-cold water and also that he is going to be cruising/exploring without the benefit of other boats around to help if he gets in trouble.

I don't think the Hobie 16 is a very easy or forgiving boat to learn on. Trial and error might be fun in the warm waters of south Florida, but could be dangerous up there where he is.

Again keeping in mind the three boats he has to choose from, the conditions in which he is sailing, and the use he has in mind for the boat, the logical choice is the Wave.

It will carry MUCH more weight than the Hobie 16, it has a bigger deck/trampoline seating area than the Hobie 16, it is much more stable than the Hobie 16, it is easier to learn to sail than the Hobie 16, it can handle more wind than any other beach cat, and it is much easier to right than the Hobie 16. (And, of course, the material itself is buoyant, so the boat can't sink.)

Another consideration is that he has a VERY short sailing season, so he needs a boat that he can sail as much as possible during his window of opportunity. The Wave can handle a far greater range of wind speeds than any other cat. And, as I already mentioned, he can add a jib and a roller-furling reacher if he wants to go faster in light air. But in that part of the world you need to be able to shorten sail quickly.

There is probably a reason why the monohulls like the Dragon, that are designed for conditions up there, are substantially undercanvassed. Even the Tornado catamaran is undercanvassed (relatively, compared to modern cats) because of the area where it was designed to sail, around the British Isles.

In other words, the Wave sounds like the perfect boat for arctic exploration (at least of the three he has to choose from).

Two big guys (about 200 pounds each) went beach-hopping a few years go on a Wave in Canada on Lake Ontario, a notoriously cold lake. It worked great because of the boat's buoyancy and load-carrying capacity. They made hatches in the hulls so they could carry most of their gear in the hulls, even including a camp stove.

I know, this all sounds too practical and logical and safe, while he is thinking speed and excitement. Well, a Wave in 25-30 knots of wind is as exciting as most cats are in 15 knots. And most of those other cats wouldn't even be out there in that much wind (unless they are -- or even IF they are -- in sight of people on shore and/or with other boats around).

No matter which of the three boats he chooses, he should make sure there is masthead flotation on it, again for safety reasons.

And, no, I don't sell Waves. It's just my take on his three options. I've never met a Twixxy, so if what I have said about the Wave relates to that boat, as well, that could be a good option. I would put the Hobie 16 last on the list I would recommend for this particular situation.

I almost forgot -- the Wave IS cartoppable, especially if you get the classic version rather than the club model. The classic is fast and easy to assemble and disassemble.