My first boat was a Hobie 16, which we bought when our
kids were 7 and 8 years old.
Boy did we have some fun with that boat! The
kids loved to straddle the two hulls, just forward of the tramp, and ride it like a horse, spray flying. When they got a little older, hanging from the bracing rods under the forward edge of the tramp and surfing was a favorite sport. And the boat is so easy to beach we had great
sails to uninhabited beaches for exploring and picnics. Quality
family "togetherness" time.
One of my daughter's favorite memories is blasting across the mouth of the
Potomac River in a 20-25 kt breeze, she on the trapeze and me desperately trying to keep us from capsizing. We did 7 nm in 20 minutes, beached it to rest, and then sailed the return trip. She was 16 at the time, and didn't realized how close to the edge we were.
Great boat, but it takes some time at the tiller in lighter winds to really learn how to sail it, before going out in heavier conditions, especially with the little kids on board.