In addition to the P corrections, I thought the origian Taipan 4.9's were Uni, non-spinnaker boats, then added the jib, then finally the spinnker? I realize they were built long before there was a F16 rule but I think they measure pretty close (except in beam and...what else?) to the current F16 rules, so you could use their old numbers as a comparison.

Here's a "quandry" for you, as this has actually happened, quite often around here. Say a boat wants to race in an open fleet, distance race. Say the boat has a spinnaker on board, but due to the wind direction, and the course direction, the chute never leaves the bag, so effectively, this boat is carrying extra weight and windage just by having the thing on board, never to be used. Along side this boat races another just like it, but this skipper left his spin in the car, pole too, and halyard, sheets, bag, all the extra crap you need for a spinnaker.

Now the guy with the spinnaker on board but never using it has to use a much lower rating than the guy without, who is actaully sailing a lighter boat with less windage! At the finish line, they tie, crossing at exactly the same instant. Who wins? The guy without the extra stuff who is also using the higher rating of course.

So Pete, if you are going to -not- use your spinnaker, it would be a good idea to remove all the associated hardware as well and save your boat some wt. and windage. There might be a call for such a sub-fleet with new F16 owners who are crewless and maybe not so experienced with their spinnakers. Ask around, you might be able to get a few to go topless with you! (see picture above!) <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Personally, I cannot imagine wanting to go without it unless it was just incredibly windy, in which case I might be at the bar instead of sailing anyway. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />