Its competition record stretches from the 2002 US Multihull Championship (Alter Cup) in Syracuse to a 2010 Canadian F18 National title. The Tiger was also considered for the 2016 Olympics alongside the Hobie 16.
Design and Construction
The Tiger is an 18-foot catamaran with a 2.60 m beam and a displacement near 180 kg. Its symmetrical hulls have gentle rocker, which, according to the class, makes the boat easier to sail in rough conditions. The daggerboard-and-tiller configuration and stout, teardrop-section mast complete a platform designed for breeze rather than flat-water planing—the Tiger does not plane.
There were three waves of development, but the hull shape, crossbars, and mast were never altered. That gives the class unusual continuity for a racing derivative.
Early hulls had a glue-seam overlap that left a half-inch ridge along the full length of the keel. Hobie removed that ridge at the factory on later production boats.
Rig and Sail Plan
At launch, the Tiger carried a pinhead mainsail with an 8:1 mainsheet, a roller-furling jib with manual cleats on the front crossbar, a rectangular Hobie 20 boom, and a tramp-launched spinnaker bag.
The first revision added:
- A self-tacking jib
- A square-top mainsail
- Round-tube booms
- Early snuffers
The second revision brought carbon foils, a larger square-top mainsail (STX), fully battened jibs, and suspension tramps exiting through the top of the front crossbar.
The third introduced redesigned rudders, a 10:1 mainsheet, Pentax jibs, a single-piece forestay, and lowered bridle tangs. The 10:1 mainsheet is a genuine handling asset, while the mast’s teardrop section resists excessive top twist when the spinnaker is flying.
The crew trapezes sit inside the front crossbar in the Hobie 20 manner, while the skipper’s trapeze is led off the shroud anchor. The spinnaker sheet is held by hand, with no cleats.
Performance and Handling
Valer designed the Tiger with wind in mind. Upwind, it is smooth and confident, matching the later Wildcat on that point of sail. In a strong breeze downwind, however, the Tiger isn’t as quick as the Wildcat, and its steering feels heavier by comparison.
Crews typically begin double trapezing above 9 mph. With the large sails, the cited optimum all-round crew weight is 340 to 360 lbs.
Corrector weights form part of the one-design discipline. Boat weights are fixed on the port side and crew weights on the starboard side, usually on the dolphin striker. Crew weights must remain visible and removable.
Crew-Weight and Sail-Plan Bands
The class maintains parity through sail-plan limits tied to combined crew mass. The standard crew is two, with a minimum combined weight of 115 kg.
- 115 kg to 140 kg: Small jib and spinnaker—3.45 m² jib and 19 m² spinnaker
- 140 kg to 150 kg: Large jib and spinnaker permitted—4.15 m² jib and 21 m² spinnaker
- 150 kg and above: Large sail plan may be used without added weight
Known Issues
The only construction item of note is the half-inch keel ridge found on early hulls. It resulted from the glue-seam overlap and was eliminated at the factory on later boats.
The continuity of the hull, crossbars, and mast through every round of upgrades argues for a stable production standard.
The Verdict
The Tiger 18 is a purposeful F18. Compared with the Wildcat, it gives up some downwind speed in strong wind and has heavier steering, but it offers a stout, unchanged platform backed by a detailed one-design rule set.
Three waves of upgrades modernized the rig and foils without altering the hull, making even early examples viable with later fittings. As a two-person racing catamaran, it remains a well-supported, well-documented class.
Pros
- Continuous hull, crossbar, and mast design across all production waves
- Stout teardrop mast resists twist with the spinnaker flying in a breeze
- Detailed one-design weight and sail-band rules preserve parity
- Gentle rocker aids rough-water handling
Cons
- Heavier steering than the Wildcat
- Slower than the Wildcat downwind in strong wind
- Early hulls have a half-inch keel-seam ridge
