The real reason the F18HT class didn't take off in the USA was, there were (and still are) no US builders who could supply boats as quickly as they could supply the Tiger or Inter 18 instead. It would have cost Hobie and Nacra a bundle to produce an entirely new design and with no established class here in the US, quite risky for them to invest that kind of money.

There were many long debates here on Catsailor back when the Bimare F18HT was chosen for the Worrell race, about the suitablility and availability of the Jav 2 for the Worrell 1000. In the end, I think 5 of them did run that race along with the Inter 20's and one of them did finish in front of several Inter 20's. Not too bad for an 18 foot "lake boat" out in the ocean racing against 20 footers.

The F18HT class is active in Europe, where there are seveal builders who support the class. I was lucky enough to get a ride on one of the newer designs last summer with Andi Lutz, on his Mattia F18HT, http://www.goeast.ch/ost

They are good boats, light, powered up and fast, but you have to be good to handle them because like an A cat, they are not very forgiving of mistakes in big wind, but in light to medium there aren't many 400lb. boats than can hang with them.