I will try to explain you more in details the reasons why the X16 will not fit the F16HP class rules.
Before starting I would like to provide you with some info about this new design:
a)as Hans wrote, the X16 will resemble very closely the new V1 A cat;
b)the width of the boat is still to be set but for sure it will be in the 2,30-2,45 m range;
c)the weight of the X16 (ready to sail with furling hooter) will fall between 90 and 95 Kg;
d) the retail price of a complete X16 (carbon mast) will be set between EUR 12.000 and 12.500. The actual retail price of the Javelin 16 (carbon mast) is EUR 11.560. Most likely, again as the Javelin 16, also a cheaper version fitted with an aluminium mast will be on sale at around EUR 1.000 less.
I don’t know (and I suspect BIMARE too) the amount of the F16s sold in 2007 in Europe (the exchange rate prevents any sale of European boats in the USA).
Now divide this amount by 2 (on the generous assumption that the F16 market is fairly divided between sloop rigged and unirigged boats). Now divide this amount again by 4 or 5 (the presumable market quote that BIMARE can get in 2008: at the end BIMARE can expect to place only 4 to 5 boats in the F16 market (not an great deal).
On the contrary with the X16 BIMARE aims to get the bulk of quite an interesting market, (at least in Germany and Switzerland according to BIMARE importers): the market of singlehanded sailors willing to sail fast both upwind and downwind on the German and Swiss lakes, with a boat very very close in performance to an A cat fitted with an asymmetric, but a lot cheaper, not so weak and more forgiving. According to BIMARE estimates this market is worth 40-50 boats a year.
The attention reserved by many reputed German and Swiss sailmakers to A class asymmetrics testifies in favour of the a.m. statement together with the escalating sales of singlehanded skiffs in the same countries.
Also the BIM 16 and the Javelin 16 were suited for the same market but were unable to catch this market for two main reasons: 1) they came somewhat in advance of time and they felt short of expections of the potential purchasers (they were simply perceived as small cats lacking of the cool “racing” look).
The X16 on the contrary will be in full a 16’ A cat fitted with a revised (new design, new cloth, new gear) hooter wholly suited to win the bet. Let’s wait and see.
Let's finish with a few answers to Wouter:
the only parts that BIMARE A class and the new X16 will have in common are the mainsail, the rudder stocks and blades. The mast has a quite different stratification to bear the charges of the hooter and of the occasional crew.
BIMARE has a full range of A cats (the cheap AJ/V1 listed at EUR 13.500 (fiberglass-vinylster), the medium priced carbon-vinylester V1 listed at EUR 16.000, the epoxi-carbon V1 listed at EUR 17.500): however none of them is tailored to fit the a.m. market.
I hope you agree
be the ht product for the mar