What CAT

I'm heavily involved with running a specific car forum so I'm aware how annoying it is to get the same old questions from newbies week in / out but that still not going to stop me doing it here .. 

I sailed a Dart 15 for 10 years and then moved to an RS600 for 3 years. The RS is too much for me now I'm getting as bit older so I'm looking for something else. On the short list at the moment is Dart 16 or Topaz 14 Extreme. I'm 80kg and 5'8"with plenty of trapeze experience. 

I want a single handed cat but with a kite. Read lots of reviews on each of these boats but these are by sail magazines and I'd prefer to hear from people out there actually sailing them. I have also looked at the Shadow which looks good but are quite expensive. I have a budget of about £3k after I sell the RS600. Will consider others.

Thanks    

Andy - Essex

Have you also thought about a Dart 18? They can be sailed single handed with a trapeze and you can also add the jib to sail with crew.

Cheers

Andrew

Thanks for input so far.

Hi, thanks

I've never tried the Topaz but what I had read, they were meant to be really light ? Perhaps miss-read it.  As my previous post, I don't want anything heavy as we have quite a steep & slippery hard. I'm spoilt with the RS as it weighs practically nothing 

 

I know the Dart 18 can seem like an intimidating beast to shunt around the boat park, but they aren't that bad. I sail out of Netley and launch off the pebble beach with a small wheel trailer and its not that bad - could be easier admittedly

 

They do a genny kit for the Dart 18 - never used it and only ever seen one set up. It looks (and is) an after thought, so might not perform as well as a boat thats designed for as assy.