Dart 16 X or F16

Thanks guys,

I have the option of using an Army Dart 16 at Netley for free, but its quite a hike. Weymouth is much closer and is where id like to establish myself, which is why I was looking to buy. The concensus is to to stay Dart 16 so I think Ill use the club boats( v few have a RYA multihull ticket so no snags with getting it on the water when it suits me) and hope to move up next year to a spit/shadow. I was probably getting a bit carried away with wanting that extra speed and runnung before I can walk. Again many thanks and I will quiz you when its F16 time.

Dan

Thanks Scooby If thats a genuine offer i'd like to to take you up on that sometime in the summer.

"I was probably getting a bit carried away with wanting that extra speed and runnung before I can walk." to quote DanW

 

Don't think so , theres a lot of bravado spouted about hp cats , but they are relatively just pussy cats to handle

AS GM says above he went straigt into a stealth and coped .

 

After all if total non sailors can learn to winsurf in a short space of time and fly about a high speed , how difficult can cat sailing be for someone whose sailed allready . Scoobys offer of a shot on his new beasty is well worth taking up , don't be frightened of cost either an older stealth is the most economic way of getting that 16 foot hp feel  cheaper than a second hand shadow or spit (both gr8 boats too) plus you get a sexy carbon mast plus wings on yur rudders if your lucky , last years F16 nats winner was an "old" stealth with f16 main and kite ,

 

My first Cat (apart from the holiday H16 and D16 thing) was a Hurricane59. I was 80kg at the time and sailed with a 60kg crew. I did then and still do find it easier to sail than a D18. The only problem is that it takes twice as long to rig and it's a heavy beast to haul up a slipway.

Anyway, I'm not here to plug the Hurri. Just to agree with the others who have said that fast a more advanced cat than a D16 is probably not beyond you.

Much of my sailing and skiing education has been via the Army. I only know one way to ski (assume the tuck, hold the tuck, turning slows you down) and I sail much the same way. If that story is familiar to you, then you'll get to grips with the speed of cat sailing easily enough. Be aware that NONE of the skills learnt in a Bosun are transferable!

if you want to put a spinnaker on your D16 there are a number sailed/raced this way at eastbourne.

This would give you a bit more zip and get you used to the kite and chute systems used on the faster boats.

In fact its the same chute as on the Spitfire