On the F16 forum there is some discussion about a new class forming call "F104". F104 refers to the ISAF SCHRF rating for the class. I have seen pics of an FxOne with jib as a 2up that will fit into this class as well. Regarding the new F16 viper..I am wondering why they made it 275 lbs when the blade is 240. Perhaps this boat is targeted more for the F104 class than F16.. (Just speculating out loud..no daggers please)
The reason to make the AHPC Viper F16 at 275 lbs is far more economic in nature then any other reason. The boat is fitted with parts of the Carpicorn F18. To give an example, its daggerboards we measured at the F16 Global challenge were just shy of 8 kg combined, while all other F16 daggerboard pairs came at or under 4 kg, again PER PAIR. My own AHPC made Taipan daggerboards were the heaviest of the others at 4 kg. The Stealth and Alter Cup Blade boards were respectively 3.4 and 3.6 per pair and we broke none during several days of heavy 20+ knots racing in very serious chop and swell. I think only 1 daggerboard out of 22 was broken during the Alter Cup 2007 event that was sailed in very similar strong conditions.
The Viper F16 had been on the drawing board before the idea of a F104 class was conceived in France.
I'm sure however that AHPC is now looking to service both possibilities with one single design and covering all the bases as such. But that was more a lucky coincidence then plan. Afterall the Viper needs to be build slightly heavier then 275 lbs to be F104 compliant. It is very close but not completely there yet.
In a more positive light however, the Viper F16 seems like a really capable design nevertheless. It held up really well in the chop and waves of the NAM-REM race regatta (75 boats attending) that was held right after the F16 Global challenge. It has the right amount of volume in its hulls and can be pushed very hard downwind under these conditions. And the conditions were indeed very trying. Personally I would love to see the Viper go down to 115 kg (255 lbs) if not 107 kg (240) but it appears to be a very capable racer even at 275 lbs (125 kg).
But this was not a real surprise to us at the F16 GC as we already knew that F16's do carry weight quite well. As in ;"they have a very flat dependency on carried crew weight". It is no real wonder then that some additional boat weight would make little difference. And that was the argument that Greg himself presented as well. Afterall, the 180 kg F18's go like stink as well, even when compared to 160 kg Tornado's and 120 kg M20's.
Wouter
