nacra 500 1-up spinnaker. your description sounds like a setup for this cat.

If you can not moore the cat off the beach (anchor with a float), or back it up to the beach...and fly up the beach.. you are not in total control your boat!

If you do a beach landing.... how do you avoid people on the beach (or worse how about a little kid that runs into the surf and in your way!) ?

This sounds like a disaster waiting to happen on a beach like Myrtle.

I seem to recall reading that you can launch anywhere in NC without licensing or problems... you should move to an area where there are no swimmers!!!!

All that being said.. if you wont move to a more friendly "catamaran beach"... i think a weta is a great choice.. you have room for 2 bikini' chicks, and a reacher that you can easily furl. it is a very resilient design (i think roto-mold hulls and ama's) and has carbon and lightweight features. Despite being short (14' if i recall) they are pitch resistant...

I've been sailing off this beach for 30 years with no incidence, ever. I have shore crew per se, to clear an area for me to land. I take offence to your statement that I'm not in control of my boat. To move to another area would be nearly impossible, and my house is 4 streets off the ocean. There is no catamaran friendly area within 25 miles of my location. I am totally aware of the risk involved and take all precautions to avoid swimmers. I also surf and am forced to go to a specific area to surf, the swimmers are not restricted from that area. So, exactly where would you propose I find this protected "catamaran friendly" area?

There is no catamaran friendly area Mike. Just be careful and don't aim for the kids. Its obvious that you know how to land your cat.

I also sail in and out of the surf, as do all of us in Daytona. You pick your spot and pick your time. You do not FLY into the beach. You control you boat speed, stay between the waves. It is alot easier to sail into a crowded beach then it is to manouver on a crowded start line. One more reason to race. It really improves your boat handling.
As for launching you pick you time and conditions. If the wind and surf are not right you leave it on the beach.
I also carry a whistle. My biggest fear is the non cat sailor person who runs out to help.

well i certainly did not mean to offend (my ability to offend without intent is a well documented occurrence), but almost every person i see sail up the beach (Hobie beach) where i sail... does so because they do not know the proper way to land a cat. I did it myself when i first started... and i saw the look in peoples eyes as my boat came toward them...

I was unaware you had 20 years expeiriece... but it still sounds dangerous and an accident waiting to happen to me.

I still feel if you are sailing into a beach, with unpredictable obstacles (people) you do not have full control of the situation, hence... out of control

I would keep the H17 in the running. I'm about the same size as you (a little heavier) and I enjoy the 17, especially in a breeze. It is super easy to set up and on the water it's pretty simple (just enough strings to pull). Personally I enjoy the wings as they keep you well clear of oncomming waves/chop, but you can always run without them. The 17 feels very similar to the 18 although maybe a little livlier on it's feet. The 17 is plenty strong enough to handle beach launching/landings too.

On the down side, I don't know of any off-the-shelf spin kits for the 17, although I know it has been done. Also, especially at your size, the 17 starts to become a dog with more than one person onboard.

sm

I would not recommend any daggerboard boat for your usage. Centerboard and skegs are the name of the game for beach landing, especially solo: you don't have enough hands.

So I concur with the recommendations for the Nacra 500. It has a fairly modern sail plan with spi, it is fairly quick and it boasts skegs, perfect to do beach landings. You can sail it alone without the jib, like a F16, and add the jib for those day you have a crew. It supports weight fairly well, and you *should* be able to right it by yourself.

Have you tried a modern rotomolded spi boat? In Europe we have the Dart 16 and the Topaz 16CX, no idea what's available in the US. Those are not as quick as a nacra 500 by a long shot, but don't ignore them. Both have skegs and (optional) spi, and at least one trapeze. They are indestructible, tough beasts, but once they are going, those are awesome.

Depending on the wind condition you expect where you sail, I'd go for one or the other. Usual light wind, go with the 500. Regular 15knots and more, go with a rotomolded.

I'm heading to the coast this weekend and will be able to sail a 17 and a Nacra 5.2(i think). I'm taking my 18 as well. I am starting to think that a righting pole for the 18 is a better place to start. My 18 jib is self-tacking so other than setting and dousing the spin I can stay at the back of the boat. I can no longer furl the jib but could remove it for heavier wind and run uni with spi. Maybe a righting pole like Rick sells on this site is the answer! That way I can have crew when available, I don't have to buy/sell anything. I just don't want to capsize it and not be able to right it. Pulling the boards prior to landing isn't a concern, mine are bungeed and will stay up in the well.

I guess the Fla cat sailors are a little more cautious, I've seen the Myrtle spin guys slide the boat into the dunes wide open. I don't do this but it isn't uncommon. I do like to lift the hull immediately after getting thru the surf. I think its kinda fun threading the needle thru the swimmer traffic on the way in. It really only gets hairy once the rudders have popped loose, hard to steer it.

Sliding up the beach on your cat certainly is cool, until you slide over a rock (or partially buried cinder block washed in during the last storm) and gouge the snot out of the hull.

I had a reacher made for my H-17 to attach to the stock Sport system. Added lots of power to the boat. I carried 3 people easy.

Doug

Nacra 5.5 Uni or 18 Square

You can set them up with a kite if you want.

Hobie 17 as mentioned is a good option.

I replaced my other boats (pluriform) by a single F16 that does all and many years on I'm as happy with my choice as I was in the beginning. But that is me.

If I were you I would either sell the stuff you have now and replace it with a single craft that allows you to do both (2-up and 1-up) or find a very nice second hand Nacra 5.0 (Not many second hand Nacra 500 around in the US yet I fear).

I can't live without the spinnaker and I assume you are no different in that respect. This means the H16 is out. With regard to other second hand boats, I'm not sure they are worth spending the cost of a spi package on.

With regard to the H17, I found that boat to be a B^%$# to tack and gybe. The boom is really waaaaay too low on that boat. Not something you want when gybing under spinnaker. I'm 6 ft 2 inches and weight 190 lbs.

Wouter

The 18HT would seem to be about right for this chap. And he can pull it up the beach alone.

Also when thinking of a good single handed boat you gotta think about which boats you can put the mast up by yourself. I have a H14 until I can upgrade to a used Wave

I started with a Nacra 5.2 although it's a 2-person boat a great well-balanced single handler for a bigger fellow. Then you can always bring a crew if you want or take a hit for single handling. Not sure if you can find any 5.2's any more. It's fun running two sails I think just running one sail may be a bit boring but I know others will disagree- sorry A-Catters.

I sail solo on a nacra 5.2 myself (my first own cat) and love having two sails. In fact, I'm planning to install a spin next year! The 5.2 without the jib bores me to death and has too much weather helm for my comfort, doesn't tack in waves as well by a long shot. Trim the mast forward and it gets a bit "jittery". I have a righting pole installed for very easy solo-righting. I'm almost 200 lbs though... Putting up the mast solo takes some planning but can be done. Usually someone else spots me and comes to help, so I have only raised the mast solo about two times! Most times I just pull the boat over on its side to work on the mast and fittings. The boat sails very well, but it is way too heavy to pull up our beach solo (and I am quite a strong guy If I do say so myself). As a consequence I now sail at a lake! You may want to bear that in mind.

I also like to single hand the G-Cat 5.7 but that can get out of control at times in the ocean with a Main, Jib, and Spin. I've ended up in the drink a few times usually from flying the hull to high cowboy’in for the tourist on the beach. The babes love it I usually make them buy me drinks when I hit the beach. So I can be a pig what can I say...? Many tourists worldwide have holiday pictures of my boat. I even had a Japanese couple get married next to it once.

I had a guy from New Jersey insist that he “rent me for the day”. Since we were both smoking fine cigars I guess he sensed a brotherhood. Told him I was not for rent didn’t stop him he went on. Told him this was what I did for fun, not for rent, he said everybody is for rent and went on for about a minute or five. Finally I pointed to the very fine lady next to him and said ok I’d like to rent her. He got the picture. Later he bought me a few drinks and I took them out we were friends for years, I’d see him on the beach during “season” and a new girl every couple of years. We both got older the girls never did. I haven’t seen him for some time but it always brings a smile to my face.

Got to love some of the people you meet sailing - the stories I could tell from my beach.

I know Hobies dominate the cat world, but I've always enjoyed my Prindle 16. It is about 25 years old and still going. I no longer race, but when I did, only the best H-16 sailor could beat me single hand on the P-16 I also weigh 200#. Neat thing is, I can take novices out for fun on the P-16 as well.

dan