I agree with the post above. Also the 17 does not handle surf anywhere as well as the 16. if you will be in waves i would go for the 16.
The 17 is a very different boat... straight hulls, 2 halyards, centerboards. it is a good boat, and the wings rock! but as stated above the 16 is better with crew.. and waves. Also parts for the 16 are abundant
I find it interesting that whenever a question like this comes up that very often, the "other boat" is recommended as a better boat than the H-16. The H-16 is by almost any measure a very good catamaran, but when one starts looking at specific circumstances or needs there are other boats like the 17, or the 18, or one of a dozen other non Hobie products, that might be a better "Fit". In spite of that, Hobie Cat USA has ceased production on all of the other designs, thereby abandoning to the competition, the needs of any sailor that doesn't fit a H-16. It seems to me that as the "inventory" of good used boats in those designs gets smaller and smaller that it might make good business sense for HCC,USA to do limited runs of new boats in those sizes. It is hard for me to believe that there wouldn't be a market for limited runs of those boats. I know they have the rotomold products for the entry level and rental market, but, once people are ready to move up, it would be nice if they had a choice of a reasonably priced, one design, USA Made Hobie other than the H-16. I KNOW the Tiger and the FXOne are options, as well as the Performance incarnations of the F-18. but they are development class boats (read expensive to keep current) and are without strong fleet's in many area's of the country.
