Steven

The 18HT comparison is not so good for the USA experience.

The sailors interested in the 18HT class were looking for a boat with performance similar to the A class.... Light and quick. They also liked the development aspect of the class rules. the class formed on the east coast specifically for racers with a really good race circuit that got 10 boats out and that lasted two years. The crashing dollar and life changes for the class core caused it's demise not the boat concept.

BUT these sailors had checked out the new F18's as well (Tigers and Nacra F18's) before picking the 18HT .... They sailed the F18s... and they were not impressed by the boats.... in their view... more of the same... aka a big heavy boat... the F18 was not performing like a 20 (power) and not like an A class (light and easy to manage) Particularly in the wind conditions found on the EAST COAST!!! .. So... they choose the F18 HT.

Now about 4 times as many sailors were F18 inclined sailors... When Hobie annouced that the Tiger would come without the dammed comp tip... (unlike the aborted FOX) you had a huge amount of interest. They thought that the stability provided by Hobie and Nacra made the F18 a certain winner. They argued... tougher boat... will last longer... hold its value... , development was not going to cost them to keep up with the fleet…. For sure... the USA would follow the EU and love the F18. Much like Obama mania... they had a kumbayah sing along. They even shared a NA's in the beginning. It was a transformational time. ....

But then reality check time

The Hobie class assn went their own way... the NAF18's were balkanized.
Yeah... the F18 was not much fun under 10 knots....(most of our seasonal sailing season) but nobody talked about that.
Most sailors were new to spinnakers and for a time the boat was declared fun ... but wind is still needed to make the heavy boat perform. For sure... big fleets would soon appear and that would be fun. Hey... that was the EU experience.... You must have gotten the press release.

But so far... the class is much ado about nothing on the east coast. boats sold... does not mean boats that go racing. Best as I can tell... the NAF18's managed ONE regatta with 5 boats or more on the line all of 2007 on the east coast. Syracuse did a little better with Tiger only fleet.
So, with out major buy in of the east coast sailors... the F18 class is stuck. those that own the boat... only go to a nationals or a regional championship. the rest of the time... they sail something else.

During this 5 year period... the Nacra 20 fleet has recovered a lot of sailors who dropped down to the F18's for the dream.

The distance races give the N20's a real reason to go racing. The F18's.... tend not to show up for distance races.

The A class continued to grow and grew quite a bit (approx 70 US boats at the worlds) (I14 and 505 sailors dropping into the class plus conversions from older two man catamarans ) and TA DA a real demand for the F16 concept emerged slowly and surely over time.

The F16 (Aka Taipan 4.9 with chute) and the Nacra F17 appeared on the US scene about the same time. It has taken a domestic builder and a strong dealer who converted the nacra 5.5uni fleet into the Nacra F17 fleet. (by way of the I20 and F18 two man boats). They have a nice 25 boat class in Michigan and Ohio that goes racing. They have not been able to break out of this region.

In my area.... the sailors would try the Nacra, Taipan or A class. They did not particularly care about the class racing for the boat . If they wanted a chute... they bought a Taipan.... they hated the nacra (too heavy). if they really wanted class racing... they bought an A class. (The FX one appeared and disappeared with the falling dollar. ..)

3 or 4 years later a domestic builder (Blade) is on the scene ... nobody thinks twice about the nacra (or fx1) and the strong Michigan fleet of 25 boats in the class.. .
If the racing class is not already formed and active in your area... the clear choice is the F16. I think most of the sailors LIKE sailing the boat and dabble in racing… so the class viability issue is less important.

If you want a boat to race in a large class... you pick an A class or Hobie 16. (other viable classes exist around the country as well

To me... the message from the history is.

The Hobie 16 racer ( a huge target for any 16 foot class) is simply not interested in ANY spin boat.

The sailing experienc is critical. (20's offer power) The A class... well what's to say./.. the Hobie 16, ease, simplicity, great class with a structure that sustains it)

To the avid cat sailor... (notice I did not say racer) It's all about the sailing experience... first and foremost. the light weight of the F16 is a real plus factor.

A new intro fiberglass starter boat is likely to loose to the Hobie rotomolded escape. If you want more boat….and fiberglass… you probably look at the 18 or 19 foot boats with a tamer rig… in the end… you are looking to put lots of family on the boat.

For the sailors getting a Blade... The fact that you are light and either as fast or faster then an A cat (which is now a large fleet) on your F16 is a real plus for a weekend warrior AND you get the spinaker fun.

IMO, the F104/F16 Viper had best be an equal performer to the taipan’s and blades in the USA or Jill’s garage will be full for a LONG time.

A new concept… like a level rating 104 class will be a non starter. Hobie USA won't support it. Unless, the N17 is grandfathered in... I can't see nacra supporting it either.

The level racing concept is even MORE alien to the US Sailor then Portsmouth/Handicap racing.

(previous incarnations were the Nacra 5.8 and the Prindle 19 the Mystere 6.0 and the Nacra 6.0, the Hobie 20 and the Prindle 19 MX… All were doomed by a clear winner on the water …. I can't see How a builder can sell that level rating notion as fair racing and have anyone believe him. ... Heck... IMO... the negative vibes drove the box rule concept of formula as something that was acceptable alternative to SMOD). Moreover, most clubs would NOT want to divide the small number of racers on the water into yet another sub division.

Time will tell.... It is a shame that the cat world insists on a million solutions to the problem.