From reading Wouter's reply and Steve Kwiksilver's questions, let me see if I can make a bit more sense.

Wouter has explained the basics of the F16 Class. The intent is to make it an international class in order to by ISAF sanctioned and to qualify for the Olympics and be able to have a legitimate World Championships.
I like the idea of both. And while the class is so small and still just a bud, not a flower now is the time to make a good analysis of where it is and where it is going.
First, I want to apologize to the many folks that worked on the rules and regulations to get the class to where it is today. I am sorry I was not there in the mix with you. However, I have been really swamped trying to keep this web site growing and being more useful for multihull sailors, trying to get NAMSA off the ground and flying, and helping Mary maintain her sanity and keep putting out the magazine. I apologize for not being there, nonetheless.
All the time things were developing I seemed to only hear about the parts that I guess I thought were pretty cool – options of main/jib and spinnaker with two up, or main and headsail with one up. That made for some great versatility and the possibility of a great and growing class.
Then when this year I actually started getting free enough to do a little sailing I was shocked to find the Hooter was taboo. How can a smaller, flatter sail be banned from a class. I have never heard of such a thing. In my days in the Tornado ( I was class secretary when we got it into the Olympics) if I showed up with a much smaller mainsail, I don't think they would have thrown out the sail. They would have just been grinning from ear to ear.

Now, since the class is still in its infancy, this is the time to get things straightened out. Not when the class is huge and unweildly and changes become almost impossible. And since the U.S. represents 33% of the world's fleet, I think the U.S. sailors should have a lot of say in the matter. And we in the U.S. all sail in light air conditions with flat seas for the most part.
Again, I am sorry I was not in the original debates, but I see no reason for the reaching headsail to be outlawed. And it is quite simple to change this ban – simply eliminate the mid-girth requirement.
Wouter stated, "The hooter was debated in the beginning of the class in summer 2001 and the outcome is in the rules."
I would like to have that debate re-opened and rules re-inspected. The reaching headsail will attract many more people to the boat that otherwise fear to use standard spinnakers. And the versatility to the class would also attract more sailors. Apparently the debate was akin to the Democrats discussing welfare with other Democrats – there was obviously no one there representing the other side. Debates require opposing views.., and while I could be wrong since I wasn't there, it would seem there was only one side represented adequately.

In regards to the way Texel and ISAF handicap systems work, I really have a hard time understanding the concept as presented. "They do consider it a headsail but just rated it in the same way they would do with a large jib" does not really explain things to me. And US Sailing Portsmouth looks at the reacher (aka Hooter) the same as a spinnaker. Since 33% of the class obviously must concur that the reacher is a flat spinnaker then is should be allowed.., or at least be considered for allowance. This begs to re-open the debate referred to.
In other words the US Sailing Portsmouth Committee's interpretation should not be disregarded and be replaced totally by the thoughts of Texel and ISAF (both of whom are either European or heavily influenced by the Europeans.) Shouldn't the American contingency have some say in this debate? I think so!

I am also fascinated by the word "genaker" used in this debate. I believe this is a hybrid name coming from the combination of two words – Genoa and Spinnaker. What is a Genoa? Duh! A jib. So, by the very description of the word the Genaker should be banned or rendered useless by ISAF and Texel as well. On that premise the only sail allowed on the F16 should be symmetric spinnaker. Wouldn't that be a huge step into the past.., and back into monohull dogma?

It is quite obvious that the outside U.S. influences have never seen, nor have any idea how and why reachers work. There is a lot of exposure here in the States and most of the hard-core spinnaker guys say they are slower and won't try them. Yet those that do try reachers find them easy to launch, easy to tack, easy to dowse and at least as fast as the standard spinnaker.
Yet outside our boundaries there are those that think reachers are only used on big boats and are useless around the buoys. If that is the case, why are you digging in your heels and resisting with so much malevolence. Just let it happen! If it only works for big boats on distance races, why the defensive stance? Just let it happen!

Again, the class is so small and if we get any numbers showing up at a regatta, we will be happy. So, if someone shows with a Hooter, you say they can race, but not be scored. Why? What are you fearing? Let the trials begin, if this is to be a class with a fast and good future. Now is the time to try things.., not when the class is huge and it takes years and years to make small changes (remember that the Tornado changes to what it is today – square-head main, double trap and spinnaker -- had been in the mainstream of multihulls for a decade before the Tornado finally voted on changes. Despite the world-wide desire for the change, it was voted down for years and years by a stronger European constituency.)

One more point: I would like to re-open debates on pole-length. When I first started thinking about bow sprits there was only aluminum. And aluminum comes in 12' lengths. If you want a 14' or 15' length for your bow sprit, you had to buy a 24' piece.
Incredibly, we found that a carbon fiber bow pole (heretofore considered way too costly) was cheaper than buying a 24' aluminum tube and cutting it to 15'. WOW! Lighter, stronger, stiffer, less likely to break and cheaper.
And, we all knew that the longer the pole, the more open the slot and faster the boat. This has been proven time and time again, and again just proven with the add-on to the Hobie Wave – that change made tremendous leaps and bounds in boat speed for the Wave, making almost as fast as a Hobie 16.

Both of these items are presented to the class with the idea that while the class is still a bud and not a flower, still blooming and trying to blossom, still in its infancy and struggling for maturity, still in need of some simple, "no brainer" and proven ideas that will keep the integrity of the boat's class and at the same time make it faster, safer, more versatile and easier to sail. These ideas will attract more sailors and allow the class to grow and grow.