Have you checked out Maaca's Super Taipan? 10' beam, carbon fibre mast and beams on a set of Taipan 5.7 hulls. To me, I think this is close to what I would like in a big cat - light, responsive, yet durable. I don't think there's any reason for cats to be 400 lbs any more but they still have to be able to take some abuse and last 10 years or more. My biggest dissapointment with the F18 class is the weight of the boats. It's a shame that everyone is shelling out tens of thousands of dollars on these boats yet they are of an old school build quality. The new Capricorn out sails the 5.7 due to it's updated hull design. Imagine what it would do if it were 120 lbs lighter? The same goes for all of the boats in that class. Being lighter also makes these boats more responsive in lighter winds, widening the rage of good, enjoyable sailing. In 8 knots of wind my old TheMightyHobie18 would just be putting along, a Taipan in the same wind is hauling butt with it's sailors double trapped.