I agree with John, the H18 is probably your best bet. It's forgiving enough for the beginner in milder conditions, with enough power & room for an extra person or two on occasion, and you can really fly in a blow! Not that there is a "bad" move when getting a Hobie cat... worst case, you'd probably love sailing the getaway for a few years, then upgrade to a H18 if you want more of a thrill, or upgrade to a H16 is you want to race.
John Lunn wrote:
That's one of the reasons I now sail a H16, plus there are fleets of H16's still around, when the racing bug bites....like Mad Catter and Water Rats.
John, I didn't know you've been racing the Madcatter, and moved on to a H16! I'm contemplating the same move, for the same reasons. I love my H18... the performance, the stability, the tunability... but you just can't race them. I've had a few good regattas in Canandaigua, NY racing the Sharks (20' wooden cats), which are nearly a boat for boat match to the H18, but to really experience cat racing, you have to get a H16 or an F18. The engineer & sailing nut in me would love to go for the F18, but between the rig time, cost and distance to the nearest regattas, I think the H16 is a better bet.
I had hoped to get a H16 before Madcatter this year, but Coronavirus is putting a damper on those plans. I'm hoping the regatta is still on!