Hi Michael
My only intent was to petition to keep things they way they are…The Taipan has what it’s designers feel is the optimized rig…obviously by the number sold, many share that belief. Stealth must have felt the same way in regard to mast height. You state that if the mast height was kept at 9 meters, the ideal one up weight would be closer to 190 lb. or more…and here you are making my point for me…if you weigh 150 lb? (I weigh about 170) would you want a 9-meter mast if it has to be used in all conditions? Probably not…you would choose what worked best for you…are you going to deny the heavier sailor the ability to even the playing field? After all the sail area is going to remain constant.
I was under the impression that differences in the boat designs were one of the favorable attributes of the F-16HP class…not a liability…it’s not one design…its box rules…difference in design IS a part of the overall concept. You are not just racing the other sailor…like you do in one design…you are racing the other sailor and his equipment…like it or not, that’s a fact…If you want to race with other sailors on other boat designs and you think everything is going to be equal…well…you might want to rethink your position…
I thought that was the great thing about so many of you having the Taipan 4.9, you could race one design when you wanted a very ridged boat for boat equality. And also race in a more open setting within the F-16HP class. As you already noted the Taipan is a very fast boat and has already had sail concessions made within the F-16HP class if I remember correctly, so where the beef? The best of both worlds…just because someone shows up with a boat that’s 11 lbs lighter than yours or has a slightly higher mast than yours doesn’t automatically mean he/she is going to win, and you are going to lose…
Stealth had the opportunity to design its boat to optimize the F-16HP rules and it chose to go with the 8.5-meter mast…why not let the other Designer/builders/manufactures have the same freedom to design? Taipan and Stealth may be the only ones currently in productions but I was under the impression that others were in process of developing one as well.
Why must everything revolve around one boat in a box rules setting…regardless of how great it is? You have one design racing and F-16HPracing…how about giving a little room to breath?
Peace
