small cat vs small mono
 

Hey all. My wife and I want to get a small sailboat for use on the
local lakes around here. We are tentativley looking at the hobie 16,
17 or the Hunter 170. My major concern is performance in light winds,
which is all we get around here in the summer. Her concerns are
maneuvering around the dock which she percieves is addressed by a mono
with a small motor. My perception of the hobie's is speed and
excitement, while she likes the "contained" feel of the mono, but is
not opposed to speed and excitement. Passenger wise it would be the
two of us or the two of us and a couple kids or friends and a cooler of
course. Anyone have any opinions to help us out?

Thanks,

Ian and Leslie

ps. I'm not worried about mutiny

Ian wrote:

ps. I'm not worried about mutiny



Long's you know who the Captain is, she won't mutiny.

AL

"Ian" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hey all. My wife and I want to get a small sailboat for use on the
local lakes around here. We are tentativley looking at the hobie 16,
17 or the Hunter 170. My major concern is performance in light winds,
which is all we get around here in the summer. Her concerns are
maneuvering around the dock which she percieves is addressed by a mono
with a small motor. My perception of the hobie's is speed and
excitement, while she likes the "contained" feel of the mono, but is
not opposed to speed and excitement. Passenger wise it would be the
two of us or the two of us and a couple kids or friends and a cooler of
course. Anyone have any opinions to help us out?

Thanks,

Ian and Leslie

If you want her to go sailing, let her pick the boat. Can't say for sure,
but I would also imagine that you would have an easier time putting a small
kicker on the Hunter than the Hobie, which might come in handy when you get
caught out on one of those days when the win dies.

John Cairns

Me of course! I only want her along so that she can pop the top on my
beer with those long polished fingernails.

wrote...
Hey all. My wife and i are considering getting something to sail in
one of the local lakes around here. We have been looking at the Hobie
16,17 and the Hunter 170 as alternatives. My major concern is
performance in light winds, as winds on the tennessee river system are
sporadic during the summer months at best. I dont think we will do any
racing, but we might take a couple of kids or adults and a cooler along
with us. My wife is partial to the "closed" look/feel of the monohull
and i like the open trampoline feel of the cat. We are intermediate
sailers of large (40ft) monohulls. Neither of us has sailed anthing
this small. Anyone have any opinions to share with us?

Choices are too personal given those [non]limits. You'll have to sail a few and
decide for herself...

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hey all. My wife and i are considering getting something to sail in
one of the local lakes around here. We have been looking at the Hobie
16,17 and the Hunter 170 as alternatives. My major concern is
performance in light winds, as winds on the tennessee river system are
sporadic during the summer months at best. I dont think we will do any
racing, but we might take a couple of kids or adults and a cooler along
with us. My wife is partial to the "closed" look/feel of the monohull
and i like the open trampoline feel of the cat. We are intermediate
sailers of large (40ft) monohulls. Neither of us has sailed anthing
this small. Anyone have any opinions to share with us?

Thanks,

Ian and Leslie.



Rent what you're comparing and see what you like.

I sure wish we could, we tried hard to do just that, but here in the
central south (north alabama) sailing is an oddity, so there are no
boats to be tried without driving 4-6 hrs. But tis all moot point now,
as we went with a monohull. New owners of a Precision 185. Thanks all
for your input.

"Ian" wrote in message
oups.com...
I sure wish we could, we tried hard to do just that, but here in the
central south (north alabama) sailing is an oddity, so there are no
boats to be tried without driving 4-6 hrs. But tis all moot point now,
as we went with a monohull. New owners of a Precision 185. Thanks all
for your input.


I didn't want to tell you which boat to get, but I would have told you to
get the monohull and I'm sure that you're wife will find it much more
enjoyable than the cat. Have a great time!

Congrats on the new 195.

Come pay a visit to www.trailersailor.com in the Precision forum.

I've not sailed the 185 (I have a 18 with the "cozy, waterfront cabin" and
the big piece 'o lead on the bottom.

But it is a highly regarded boat.

Do think about a masthead float. This is in essence a dingy, and as a prior
sailor of larger boats you will soon discover that 1) dinghies can capsize
if you try hard enough (all reports of capsizing tehe 185 had a fair amount
of crew contribution to the event), and like any broad, flat boat, they can
turn turtle This is mostly due to the fact that the centerboard can get up
into the trunk (I have read) when the boat's on its side, preventing the
typical get on the centerboard and pull recovery maneuver.



"Ian" wrote in message
oups.com...
I sure wish we could, we tried hard to do just that, but here in the
central south (north alabama) sailing is an oddity, so there are no
boats to be tried without driving 4-6 hrs. But tis all moot point now,
as we went with a monohull. New owners of a Precision 185. Thanks all
for your input.

Ian,
At the risk of offending some, I offer the traditional -
May the Lord bless this vessel and all that set forth upon her.
Fair Wind and Following Sea
Matt Colie
Lifelong Waterman, Licensed Mariner and Perpetual Sailor


Ian wrote:

I sure wish we could, we tried hard to do just that, but here in the
central south (north alabama) sailing is an oddity, so there are no
boats to be tried without driving 4-6 hrs. But tis all moot point now,
as we went with a monohull. New owners of a Precision 185. Thanks all
for your input.

We are just itching to get it out on the water! Waiting for a small
motor to get us down the narrow, very rocky channel to the boat ramp.
Thanks!

I actually found the trailersailer forums yesterday. Some really good
conversations and people from what I can tell. I will be a regular
reader for sure.

Ive read alot about the turteling possibility, and I certainly will
make a mistake at some point in time, so I am going to look for a mast
float. How do these things connect to the mast? Do you think I could
affix a hobbie float with relative ease? If it does turtle, can I get
it righted again?

No offense taken here! Thanks for the blessing!

"Ian" wrote...
We are just itching to get it out on the water! Waiting for a small
motor to get us down the narrow, very rocky channel to the boat ramp.

If a 1.5-2 hour cruise limit works for you, an electric trolling motor works
fine for short, quiet power needs. Otherwise, the 2 HP 4-stroke Honda should be
plenty.

For most woman it's a mater of dry or wet. Small mono like the old
lightning are dry sail with a whisper of wind and can easily hold cooler
kicker. They can be picked up fairly cheep as well.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hey all. My wife and i are considering getting something to sail in
one of the local lakes around here. We have been looking at the Hobie
16,17 and the Hunter 170 as alternatives. My major concern is
performance in light winds, as winds on the tennessee river system are
sporadic during the summer months at best. I dont think we will do any
racing, but we might take a couple of kids or adults and a cooler along
with us. My wife is partial to the "closed" look/feel of the monohull
and i like the open trampoline feel of the cat. We are intermediate
sailers of large (40ft) monohulls. Neither of us has sailed anthing
this small. Anyone have any opinions to share with us?

Thanks,

Ian and Leslie.