[TAMUmpower]

I've been checking out a good condition Prindle 19 cat as my first sailboat. Am I a fool to think I can handle and rig it as a total beginner. I've been on a rental cat once but didn't have a clue about sailing then...and it was 12 years ago. I would normally be sailing it with a friend and maybe his wife. I'm 170, hes 155, and his wife is maybe 95. I'm 30 years old.

At this point I'm a little ahead from being a total beginner in that my dad used to sail a little bit and I've been reading and watching instructional videos every day for the past month ever since I've come to Florida and realized right away this is something I wanted to do. So no experience, but at least getting in the ballpark on the basics.

In general I'm pretty coordinated and pick up new skills quickly, I just want to make sure it's a platform I'm not going to kill myself on while I get my bearings. I'm assuming I can just go out in really calm winds and just not trim the sail in completely to limit the speed.

Theres not a lot of internet info on the Prindle 19 what I can find seems positive. I still havent been able to find if its foam core or not on the hulls though.

I'm up in Ocala, Forida. Would probably spend most of the time on Lake George.

 

[smackdaddy]

Heck no! Go for it. I LOVE sailing beachcats! Even when I sail them onto the rocks like a moron!!!

Seriously, they are a freakin' blast.

My beachcat is a weird hybrid of a Prindle and a Hobie. It's called a Spirit 17...

And I brought it back from a rotting hulk in a field:

Flying a hull is just about the best feeling ever.

 

[aeventyr60]

Go for it. You will be fine. Sounds like a fun way to learn. If Smackdaddy can do it...

 

[TAMUmpower]

Thats awesome. I'm all about fixing stuff myself, cars, bikes, a toaster, you name it. I've just never owned a boat and wouldnt know what I'm getting myself into if the condition was poor.

 

[smackdaddy]

Like aev said...if I can fix one up to bristol condition and sail it onto the rocks - you can too!

 

[aeventyr60]

Thats awesome. I'm all about fixing stuff myself, cars, bikes, a toaster, you name it. I've just never owned a boat and wouldnt know what I'm getting myself into if the condition was poor.

Nobody ever does. Just the first class of your schooling on messing about in boats.
A funny scene on fixing stuff:

 

[chuck53]

I did very little sailing when I was a teen, Sunfish and a basic sailing dinghy and later on , went out a couple times with my brother on his Santana 22. That's all the sailing I did until I bought my first boat when I was 40. A Catalina 30.
BTW, I never watched a sailing video or read a sailing "how to" book.

 

[SHNOOL]

Accept that you WILL flip the boat, and you WILL get quite wet, and everyone will have a good time. Maybe a baby bob float on the mast head until you get a feel for it, but otherwise it won't be "boring sailing." Lots of good things can be said about going fast on a reach, and being able to beach the boat to get back.

 

[deniseO30]

Larger boats are not a bad choice as a first boat. Anyone saying small is easy is downplaying how complicated it is to handle a small boat, which can be more difficult. For example, how to come into dock, steer, reach over transom playing with the outboard fwd rev neut... While getting lines ready, watching other boats, and not getting overwhelmed. My. 1st was a 23ft, TOO SMALL

 

[ChristinaM]

Looks like the Prindle 19 is a pretty quick racing boat. If you're ambitious and start out in less wind, especially with 2-3 people you should be able to figure it out. The difference that matters between a slow cat and an a fast cat isn't so much the top speed, it's how fast things happen. We went from a Hobie Getaway to a Hobie Tiger. It took a lot more focus & attention to handle the Tiger, especially with any gusts. The slower, heavier Getaway just didn't throw us in the water on a whim as easier.

But you'll probably be fine. Make sure you know how to right it when you dump it. You'll learn pretty quickly what it feels like just before it dumps you or pitchpole. We didn't have any lessons, just bought a boat & a book (Catamaran Sailing: From Start to Finish by Berman, Phil). That was about 8 years ago and now we're cruising the Caribbean on our own boat. When you finally get bored, grab a copy of Catamaran Racing: For the 90's to up your game.

Beach cats are a heck of a lot of fun and you'll learn a ton of sailing skills.

 

[miatapaul]

Looks like the Prindle 19 is a pretty quick racing boat. If you're ambitious and start out in less wind, especially with 2-3 people you should be able to figure it out. The difference that matters between a slow cat and an a fast cat isn't so much the top speed, it's how fast things happen. We went from a Hobie Getaway to a Hobie Tiger. It took a lot more focus & attention to handle the Tiger, especially with any gusts. The slower, heavier Getaway just didn't throw us in the water on a whim as easier.

But you'll probably be fine. Make sure you know how to right it when you dump it. You'll learn pretty quickly what it feels like just before it dumps you or pitchpole. We didn't have any lessons, just bought a boat & a book (Catamaran Sailing: From Start to Finish by Berman, Phil). That was about 8 years ago and now we're cruising the Caribbean on our own boat. When you finally get bored, grab a copy of Catamaran Racing: For the 90's to up your game.

Beach cats are a heck of a lot of fun and you'll learn a ton of sailing skills.

This, just like cars, a sports car can be your first car. I started off with a sports car and survived, though I am actually really lucky I did some really stupid stuff in that thing. As long as you are sensible about weather, and watch what you are doing I think you should be fine. They do take a bit of attention, but that is half the fun. Kind of like driving a twitchy sports car.

As has been said, plan on getting wet. I would not take any children out on it till you are very very confidant in your abilities. Partly because it could be dangerous if you get a gust of wind, but more importantly you might make them not like sailing. A beach cat was the second boat I ever sailed on, after a sunfish they are a blast.

Also if you really want to learn how to sail and have thoughts of sailing monohulls there is quite a bit of difference in technique but nothing that you won't adjust to fairly quickly.

 

[TAMUmpower]

So is craigslist still the place to watch for boats? The big sailing forum classifieds dont really have much. Or should I call the sailing clubs around Florida?

The Prindle 19 I wanted got sold before I could call today but theres another one that I have emailed the guy about. Still waiting to hear back.

 

[blt2ski]

There is something to be said about learning on a smaller boat, vs bigger one. I leared on an 8' pram and 12' sloop rigged boat. somewhere along the line got onto a laser, c-lark, various trailer sailors in the 20-24' range. Find I can do things with my keel boat folks that learned on BIGGER boats can not do or fathom, like sailing up to the dock or away from the dock......while NOT using a motor no less!

Something to be said for learning on a motor less SAILboat!

Oh, do not trust a word of what smacky says............it might be the only words that are correct on here.........

marty

 

[miatapaul]

So is craigslist still the place to watch for boats? The big sailing forum classifieds dont really have much. Or should I call the sailing clubs around Florida?

The Prindle 19 I wanted got sold before I could call today but theres another one that I have emailed the guy about. Still waiting to hear back.

Yea, in that size/price likely the best place. Check out sailboatlistings.com, and sailingtexas.com (not just for Texas but really poorly organized) as well. I would check the marina/sailing clubs/yacht clubs also as they normally have bulletin boards and will often list kids boats when they move out or go to college.

Also on CL don't bother with email if they list a phone number. Just call and say you will take it. Then go look at it, and if need be based on the inspection adjust the price. CL emails often end up in spam filters, and if it has been sold you may never hear back, some people never take down old ads.

 

[grnrngr]

I'd say go for it as well. My first boat was a 15' Venture cat, traded my motorcycle for it. got to sail it in New Zealand, Fiji and Hawaii when I was a student at CMA. Quite a contrast from the gaff rigged whale boat the school taught us on. Wear your PFD and if your in cold water, a wet suit is a good idea as well, wore my shorty a lot in the SF Bay/Carquinez Straits area.

 

[krisscross]

Forget about Prindle 19 as a first boat. Unless you have at least one decent and experienced crew you will not be able to launch and sail that cat. And don't even think about taking it out in stronger winds until you really know what you are doing.
I have a Solcat 18 and I sailed dinghies most of my life. It is a lot of boat for me and I would not think of sailing it alone. Too easy to flip over and no way of bringing it back up.
Get a 14 foot dinghy or a cat and learn the basics first. Boats are cheap these days and they should be fun. I sail a Holder 14 by myself all the time and have a blast. It is fast, safe, and I'm always in control.

 

[pdqaltair]

I started with a Prindle 18-2. My experience consisted of one Sunfish rental.

Read. Start with light wind days. Make certain you know how to right her (takes 2--this is NOT a solo boat).

Yeah, great starter IF you are adventurous. She will teach you a lot about handling the wind... and something about getting handled too.

Also consider setting it up with a reef (I don't believe it has points). A reef can make all the difference.

 

[blowinstink]

P-19 is a rocket! That said if you want one, it is probably the right boat for you.

Things to keep in mind in relation to other beach cats: the mast may be more difficult to step than a hobie 16 but you'll be okay especially with a well set-up trailer. You'll have a few extra strings to pull so start simple on flat water with light winds. Really cool boat though! Have a blast.

 

[TAMUmpower]

Thanks for the advice guys. Both the P19s I lost out on so the new option is a recently re rigged hobie 18 about an hour from me that in going to check out in a few days. The guy selling it seems like a straight guy so I'm expecting to get it.

Hoping for some warmer weather and calm winds soon. Looking forward to getting some practice in hopefully

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

Flying a hull is just about the best feeling ever.

Only if its the upwind hull!