Hi,
<br>I am in the market for another new catamaran (this will be my 6th since 1985). I am primarily considering an A-Class (but possibly a Taipan 4.9). I would like to ask A-class sailors if they have taken the boat out with two adults on it to "pleasure" sail (as opposed to "racing", the antonymn for "pleasure"). I have a 7 year old daughter and two year old son, whom I'd like to take sailing occasionally, and was wondering if the boat can safely handle the weight without burrying the hulls under. I weigh 155 lbs (Being under-sailed is not a big concern).
<br>Steve<br><br>

Hey Steve:
<br>
<br>You might want to try and contact the following dealers. They sell both Nacra's and A-cats:
<br>
<br>Chip Zenke www.sailfastusa.com
<br>
<br>Mark Biggers www.cathouse1.com
<br>
<br>Their phone numbers are on their website.
<br>
<br>Russell Weaver
<br>Ft. Lauderdale, FL<br><br>

Steven,
<br>I asked this question to a highly ranked Australian A Class sailor. He said he goes out with his girlfriend, but makes sure she stays in the middle so the righting moment is not increased too much. This is done so as not to over stress the rigging. The hulls of his Boyer IV can handle the weight, but the rigging size and fitting are optimised for the weight of one (150-220lbs). He generally doesnt recomend carrying passengers, particularly if it is choppy, and suggested getting a Tiapan if I wanted to do that.
<br>Hope this helps.
<br>
<br>Simon Fisher<br><br>

Steve-
<br>I have both an "A" and Taipan so perhaps I can answer-
<br>You can certainly take your child (I wouldn't try to take both!) with you on "nice" days and have fun on either one. I have pleasure sailed my "A" with my wife on my boat (I know I'm about your weight, she might be too but I can't tell you that ;-), or either of my kids one at a time and done fine. Having a "uni" when sailing with little kids is a blessing I find since they are designed with only one person in mind to "pull on" things. I have also sailed my Taipan uni in the same way but the Taipan has the added "luxury" of being able to put the jib on (with roller furler if desired) and having 2 trapezes so I can take my wife AND one child OR both kids (and they can BOTH "trap out" at the same time) while I sail the boat. They can then be "given" the jib sheet IF they want to do something and they can even race with me if desired. I have gone to several regattas where one of them "promised" to "race with you Dad" and then when we got there they backed out for various reasons and I just removed the jib and raced without them. They didn't have to feel "guilty" about my not being able to race and I wasn't disappointed they "backed out" or forced them into doing it (these were my only options before when I raced sloops).
<br>Just some of my own personal experiences and why I got my Taipan-
<br>Disclaimer- I am technically an agent for Taipan but I would encourage you to speak to other owners if you consider this opinion biased and I would be happy to put you in touch with them if desired.
<br>If you are considering the Taipan I would recommend you also potentially consider any of the other F16 HP compliant boats like the BIM 16, Stealth, etc. as they are quite comparable in general features.
<br>
<br>Kirt<br><br>Kirt Simmons
<br>Taipan #159, "A" cat US 48

Just recently the BIM yard offered their BIM 16's and Bim A-cats at a very good price. This offer and the links to the sites of Stealth, Spitfire, Bimare and Taipan (all F16's) can be found on
<br>
<br> www.geocities.com/F16HPclass/
<br>
<br>Also at my club we have an A-cat sailor who occasionally takes someone along on his A. The A seemed to do alright, however all in light to medium air as far as I can tell.
<br>
<br>Wouter
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br><br><br>

Steve-
<br> I can't speak much to the A-class, but I am a new T4.9 owner. So far I have been exteremely pleased with the boat. It is very fast and a cut above the mainstream manufacturers in technology, especially in the 16 foot range. I have a 3.5 year old son and take both he and my wife out pleasure sailing. I plan to attend races occasionally and race solo. I like the sloop option because if the wind is light, it is fun to sail the sloop solo. It is also available with a spin, which adds a whole new dimension to cat sailing. The boat is beautifully built and also extremely versatile. The few folks in the USA who have these boats are pretty enthusiastic about them and I sure needed some help initially. Now I share thier enthusiasm and can offer some assistance! If you have any other questions on the T4.9, don't hesitate to E-mail!
<br><br><br>

Stephen, since you are in the market for a new boat I will try and sell you one of ours, take a look at www.geocities.com/stealthmarine2002, we are coming to the states in the spring with a couple of boats, we are looking for Us agents at the moment, but for now you can only get the boat from us, the price £6000<br><br>

Steve,
<br>
<br>I sail a 2000 Marstrom A cat. I weigh 250 pounds. So far no problems with the boat burying a hull, or having difficulty carrying my weight. I decided on the marstrom because it has fuller hulls, and is considered the best platform for bigger sailors. You at 155 + 7 yrs old daughter shouldnt be a problem for a Marstrom.
<br>
<br>Mike Parsons<br><br>