Eric,
As I'm not sailing in the US I don't really have the right to comment on what you do or how your rating system treats your elapsed time.
However I think you have the best answer. Sail the boat, get more people going head to head on the F16. The average skill level will go up and the handicap will come down.
It will take care of itself as long as people get out there and compete in numbers.

Regards,
Phill

I know that the voices in my head aint real,
but they have some pretty good ideas.
There is no such thing as a quick fix and I've never had free lunch!