Design and Construction
The Tiger is an 18-foot catamaran with a 2.60 m beam and a displacement near 180 kg. Across three waves of development the hull shape, crossbars, and mast were never altered, which gives the class unusual continuity for a racing derivative. Early hulls carried a glue-seam overlap that left a half-inch ridge along the full length of the keel; later production boats had that ridge removed at the factory. The symmetrical hulls carry a gentle rocker that, by the class's own description, makes for easier going in rough conditions, while the daggerboard-and-tiller configuration and stout teardrop-section mast anchor a platform built for breeze rather than flat-water planing — the Tiger does not plane.
Rig and Sail Plan
At launch the Tiger wore a pinhead mainsail on 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 brought a self-tacking jib, square-top main, round tube booms, and early snuffers; the second added carbon foils, a larger square-top (STX), fully battened jibs, and suspension tramps exiting 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 mast's teardrop section resists excessive top twist when the spinnaker is flying, and the 10:1 mainsheet is a genuine handling asset. Crew trapezes sit inside the front crossbar in the Hobie 20 manner, with the skipper's off the shroud anchor, and the spinnaker sheet is hand-held with no cleats.
Performance and Handling
Valer's design was conceived with wind in mind, and upwind it is smooth and confident, matching the later Wildcat on that point of sail. Downwind in a blow the Tiger is not as quick as the Wildcat, and steering carries a heavier feel by comparison. Double trapezing typically begins above 9 mph, and the all-round optimum crew weight is cited at 340 to 360 lbs on the large sails. Corrector weights are part of the one-design discipline: boat weights affixed port-side and crew weights starboard, both usually on the dolphin striker, with crew weights required visible and removable.
Sail-Weight Bands
The class manages parity through sail-plan limits tied to combined crew mass. Crews from 115 kg up to 140 kg sail the small jib and spinnaker (3.45 m² jib, 19 m² spinnaker); from 140 to 150 kg the large jib and spinnaker (4.15 m² jib, 21 m² spinnaker) are permitted; at 150 kg and above the large plan may be used without added weight. The minimum combined crew weight is 115 kg, and the standard crew is two.
Known Issues
The only construction item of note is the early keel ridge from the glue-seam overlap, eliminated on later boats at the factory. The hull, crossbars, and mast continuity through all upgrades argues for a stable production standard.
The Verdict
The Tiger 18 is a purposeful F18 that traded some downwind pace and steering lightness against the Wildcat for a stout, unchanged platform and a deep one-design rule set. Its three upgrade waves modernized rig and foils without disturbing the hull, making even early examples viable with later fittings. For 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 spinnaker up in breeze
- Detailed one-design weight and sail-band rules preserve parity
- Gentle rocker aids rough-water handling
Cons
- Heavier steering feel than the Wildcat
- Not as fast downwind in strong wind as the Wildcat
- Early hulls carry a half-inch keel seam ridge
