What a bunch of talk when the answer is as simple as "why do we sail catamarans?" We like to go fast! If I wanted to race OD I'd buy a Laser or I14 or some other boat with a large following and hone my sailing skills against a huge number of people...
...but I'd rather sail fast. I started off on a H16 and it was a nice (cheap) boat to learn on but it's such an outdated design. No matter how good a sailor I am- the platform will never be very stiff. No matter how good my skills are- I won't weigh enough to keep the bows up in a good blow. No matter how much training I do- I'll never keep up with a well-sailed I20...
...and that brings me back to why I sail catamarans- I want to go fast! I want a spinnaker or a reacher. I want to push the boat beyond the limits of the old Hobie 16. I want to get the most amount of speed for my money and effort. If I wanted to spend a fortune to go slow-yet-competitive, I'd buy a monohull... or maybe even a Hobie 16
G-Cat 5.7M #583 (sail # currently 100) in Bradenton, FL
Hobie 14T
