HC 18 vs HC 16 is shallow waters

I’m in the market for a used HobieCat; Ether a 16 or and 18. I owned HC-14 in my youth and sailed HC16’s frequently enough. Now it’s time to get my boys sailing on Hobies. I’ll be sailing in and around South Jersey where the in-land bays and lakes are generally shallow. I’ve sailed the HC-16’s and the rudders kick up over sand bars, no problems. With the HC-18 dagger boards, I’d have to lift them in the shallows. How well does the HC-18 sail with both dagger boards raised? I want to be able to sail with my wife and two boys and I’m afraid the HC-16 won’t have the capacity. I like the capacity and the speed of the HC-18 and expect to sail with at least one of by sons or another adult. Any suggestions.

The place I sail my H18 from has a very narrow and shallow entrance, such that I have to tack upwind in the shallows for quite a while (ssems like forever some days) to get to the dock. Most of this I have to do with the boards up (and the rudders kicking up). The boat handles fine though does not point as high into the wind as it would with the boards down. It does make a bit of lee-way with the boards up but all in all I am happy with the boards up performance.

I sail with my wife and two kids (age 13 and 15) and am very glad I got an H18 with wings as there is plenty of space for the four of us and the boat can handle the laod (though it goes a heck of a lot faster with just me an one kid!). Having had a Prindle 16 in the past i would say that for four person sailing you are better off in the H18.

The 16 will track better in the shallows due to hull shape. My 18 will go without the boards but does slip sideways. The 18 is a better choice for your description of crew and sailing. Bigger hulls, more bouancy. With wings a 12' beam, plenty of room for comfort sailing. There are wings on the market for the 16 but I haven't seen them on a boat yet.