honestly, from my experience (which is well documented on this forum), I'd tell you to get a SuperVee, as would many on this board (or BJ26, but I'm not a Catamaran-guy).
The SV27 was my first racing boat, and I just won 2 Championships with it last season. With a bit of tweaking and Lipos, you can easily run in the 40mph+ range, and in the club I race with some of the best races all year were in the SV27 Spec Class.
It also taught me a ton about what it takes to setup, run and modify a boat for regular racing...Now I'm moving up and building my own boats/buying some used stuff and modifying other boats for next year.

However, if you just want to kick all your friends' *****es, spend $1000 on a boat and a motor from Fuller's or Fine and call it a day. I'd get what they are all getting though, it's way more fun trying to outdrive someone with a comparable boat...that's why there are Classifications anyhow.