Just wondering if anyone has some advice on a good make/size of cat for a beginner. Something that I can grow into would be good and not looking to spend a fortune...under 5k??
Any help and advice would be great!
are you looking to race or just leisure sail? one up or two? are you sailing on a lake, bay, river, ocean? how much do you weigh? how fit are you? what are the typical winds in your area?
not being a smartarse but you need to consider all of these first.
Select to expand quotefelixdcat said..
Get anything Hobbie and you can't go wrong!
depends what it is- some hobies are not for beginners. some can only be sailed 2 up.
Got a good Windrush 14 at a giveaway price on a rego'ed trailer. We love it. Look around at Catsailor.net.
An arrow would be awesome 
search Seabreeze Buy'n'sell and you might find one well and truly in your price range.!!
A fourteen footer is ideal for starting wish. I had a windrush - nice boat, very slippery and well made. The caper cats were very bouyant but not good up wind sailers. Big storage lockers built in... I don't rate the older nobies, the original 14 and 16 were too low volume and very prone to nosediving. Later designs might be better. Ply cats like the arrow are still raced and are very light boats compared to the glass ones. You have be on top of maintenance though.
Cats are great to sail, fast and fun. Very stable and ideal to learn the finer points of sailing.
Select to expand quotefelixdcat said..
Get anything Hobbie and you can't go wrong!
Nah, be brave and jump on a Nacra 520 
Hobie17 - fast, you can grow into it...
With Hobie, it's about finding a good one... They aren't cheap, but they are worth the money.
Hobie18 & Hobie16 can also be sailed solo, without the jib.
Hobie14 is slower... naturally...
like harry potter said:
Paper Tigers. And they are still around.
I see them selling for under $600 second hand in good condition and a few of the guys down at Queenscliff yacht club have them. Very nice 14' cat. Single main sail. Dead simple to learn in and goes very fast.
Get one with jib can still sail singlehanded, not like you have to adjust it much.
I used to sail a windrush 14. Learned heaps on it and sailed it solo with a jib no problem.
