newbie here, looking to learn

I"Ve just bought a '91 17 Sport. I know nearly nothing about 'Cats. I have a good friend who knows a lot, even has a 17, who checked it out and declared it a good buy, and has helped me sail it once. Unfortunately, he has a wife and 3 children and a business , and acts as if sometimes he has to attend to those matters instead of my needs to learn more about sailing. (Go figure)
My son is an excellent Hobie Cat'er, but he's 10,ooo miles away in New Zealand (never around when you need them).

My question: where can I locate the best source of information on my boat. I need pictures, man. I need to learn what all of these words mean. I read these these posts and it's like reading a foriegn language. Something like an illustrated rigging manual, WITH PICTURES, would be fantastic.
any ideas? any links?

thanks, from newbie the sailor

Well, for one thing, try this book:
http://www.murrays.com/archive/63.pdf

Catamaran Racing: For the 90s by Rick White.