Since, the forcast was 18kn+, and my first time on boat, I knew i would be not have the singlehanded skills to handle the spin without going swimming.
I was nicely supprised with the speed of boat up and downwind compared to F18s & N20s.
Upwind, I had the traveller out 6", to be conservative(windy) and did not try to point like most uni's do above the F18 & N20, and to my supprise could match their speed upwind, once I got clear air. I had poor accel off the line (depowered for sailing conditions, not starting). My best was around 4th to the first weather mark in the third/last race Saturday among N20, F18, F16.
Quad tacking the weather mark w/o crew to blame is time consuming
I think double handed changing gears would be quicker than single handed, it is easier to politely ask the crew...
Downwind, I tried to wild thing in the lulls, but had to come up way to high to make it practical. I would release the M.rotation, but not the outhaul. I did NOT release the outhaul for downwind because the plastic clam cleat was difficult to singlehandedly engage without slipping. The downhaul was not singlehanded friendly either. It would have helped in the lulls, but it was windy enough that it did not hurt to much.
If I bore off before the height of the puff, I think the boat would start planning on the river, and continue to accell without any tendency to pitch. If I was late to bear off in the puff, the bow would go down under but would easily come back up with little loss of speed, main sheeted in/no change.
In the puffs I could almost match the spin's, but in the lulls they would pull away.
The acceleration and quick rudder responsiveness made the light F16 a real joy to sail compared to a 3-4 hundred pounder.
After arriving at the park am Saturday, it did not take N.P. very long to ask if he could borrow it for the Acup, so it will be interesting to see how he does with the 1st gen F16 compared to the 2nd. Driving home Sunday I guess the net let the cat was out of the bag, and got a call from Ollie, news travels fast.
