im guessing your going to the worlds then. See you there. We have around 8 skipers and there crews just for the youth coming from Australia i dont know about the opens but we have alot.

Sorry off toic. the Hobie 16 in the worlds will be sailed without the kite and wont be introduced for a long time but dont let that discourage you from not getting one.

Exactly how can the H16 handle "a lot of weight" with those low-bouyancy hulls? What is, in your opinion, "a lot or weight"? 350lbs, 500lbs, 1000lbs? They used to rent some H16s near here and I'd see them putting around with 4 people on that little tramp and hulls all but submerged. In my opinion, that just doesn't cut it. I've had 7 people (definately over 1000lbs) aboard my boat, with room for them all, and the hull-stripes weren't even under. It was a day with a good amount of wind and some nice rollers and the boat handled very well and moved swiftly. After dropping all the girls off my crew and I double-trapped at very good speed back to my launching point. Even with 22 year old dacron sails (boomless, too) I can keep up with most H18s and P18s in the area. It's also a dryer ride than most other catamarans I've sailed on.

Hans Giessler still races the 16 and 18 models and consistently places well. G-Cats are still a competitive design, and definately worth a look if you can find one in your area. The only boat I'd like to replace my G-Cat 5.7M with is a G-Force 21 Grand Prix

One thing I am a bit confused about is the definition of centreboard / daggerboard.

On a windsurfer a daggerboard rotates back if it hits something and a centreboard doesn't.

Is that definition the same with Hobies? If so what does a TheMightyHobie18 (D/C) keel device do when it hits something? What about a 16?

Cheers Alan

A centerboard on a catamaran is typically referring to a swing up design. Dagger boards slide in a slot and do not rotate back when you strike something. Depending on the force of the strike, it could do some damage to the board or to the slot in the hull. Hobie 16s, Prindle 16 & 18s and some others have a hull designed with one flat side. Not as effective as centerboards or dagger boards, but it gets the job done.
Jack

On catamarans, a dagger-board simply slides up and down to adjust hieght. It does not retract if it contacts something. Daggerboards hitting bottom at high speeds are the cause of numerous pitchpoles and cracked hulls. When in the up position they stick out of the deck. Crews sitting behind the raised dagger-boards on a downwind run have broken ribs when the bows dug in and they were sent flying into the 'board.

Centerboards rotate to the down position. They are comparatively low-aspect, but can rotate upwards on contact. However, under heavy side-loads (typical upwind and reaching conditions) there is so much pressure on the board that it will not rotate easily. Still, they aren't nearly as likely to break the boat, and when in the up position they're contained within the hulls instead up sticking out of the deck.

The H16 has asymetrical hulls, which don't require boards of any type, but are not as efficient. H17s use centerboards and H18s use daggerboards. Getaways and similar designs use little skegs which do more to help the boat track straight than add windward performance. I'm not saying these boats can't go to windward, but they do so less effectively then the other types.

G-Cats have symetrical-yet-boardless hulls that still go to weather well, add no complexity to sailing, and dig into the sand on shore so much that cat-trax are a must for moving the boat any more than 20', even with two people.

Any pictures or websites for the G-Cats?

Cheers Alan

Here is the web site for the g cats
http://www.g-catmultihulls.com/

banannahead

Here is some more info about the H16:

With it's legendary design and induction into the Sailing Hall of Fame, the Hobie 16 is truly in a class of its own. The 1996 Hobie 16 World Championship, held in The United Arab Emirates, drew over 300 teams from 55 countries competing on new, factory-supplied boats. In past Telex Regattas (the worlds largest multihull regatta) the H16 has won the event and even today with all the new so-called modern designs the Hobie 16 continues to win, placing first in its length and second overall in 2002. The Hobie 16 was the first multihull of any length, class, or design used for an official disAbled (Trapseat) World Championships. Thirty years of racing and going stronger than ever.
Powerful enough to challenge veteran sailors yet easy enough for beginners, the Hobie 16 is the perfect all-around cat.

The Hobie 16 very effectively protects the crew form spray, thanks to its banana shaped hulls and raised trampoline that is very high over the water. The ingenious hull design requires no centerboards and does not slide-slip in the water. The outer side of each hull is relatively flat, and the inner sides of each hull curves like an airplane wing to develop “lift,” in this case a horizontal force pulling the hull inwards. When the wind is dead astern or dead ahead the “lift” from each hull is perfectly opposed and cancel each other out and when the wind blows from any side, the leeward hull sinks deeper (more wing in the water) than the windward hull, and its “lift” towards windward dominates. Also due to this unique hull design the Hobie 16 is considered the undisputed king of the surf, no catamaran handles better in the surf. The standard Hobie 16 overall Portsmouth rating is 76.1, with Trapseats at 77.6, and the Turbo version provisional rating is at 70.5, all these ratings are without a spinnaker. New in 1997 were European designed (tighter fitting) corner castings, pylons and rudder gudgeons for improved sailing qualities. For those with disAbilities the Trapseat wing seats are the perfect addition. The ‘Trapseats’ bolt onto each side of the Hobie 16 easily and are comfortable for everyday cruising. And even people with the most challenging disabilities can sail a Hobie 16 with Trapseats with ease and on equal terms to those without disabilities. After 30 years the Hobie 16 is still the #1 rental and sailing school catamaran, due to its durability, speed, and meeting disAbilities requirements – the ADA (with addition of Trapseats). The fastest asymmetrical hulled centerboard-less (16’) cat in production. The Hobie 16.... The ultimate one design class, rental, and sailing school catamaran.

END

I have also sailed G-Cat and when compared to other high performance cats I really felt no speed or performance advantages. Seems to be some interest in this cat and would be a good idea to ask Rick White to create a forum for the G-Cat as this is a H16 forum. I did go to the G-Cat website and forum and there were only a few post on the forum so maybe there is not enough interest in having such a forum. It did seem to indicate on the G-Cat website that they are still building it. Once again there is a forum on the G-Cat website.