A 12 foot Goat probably wouldn't be much easier to sail than this boat, unless the 12 footer was deliberately undercanvassed. This boat should have good righting moment without huge effort, and has a moderate sized rig. I think it would be fairly easy to sail.
OTOH the Goat would have a different aesthetic, which some people will prefer, and the benefit of a rig that is more suitable for casual/varied use (drops instantly, etc).