Gilo,

You can get a min weight F16 and anyone always could. But even youself decided against the carbon mast option for other reasons. The carbon mast upgrade maybe be more expensive but it isn't expensive in absolute terms compared to the prices paid for competitive aluminium masted F18's. See my earlier posting in this thread for price data.

Therefor the builders can provide everybody with a min weight boat; it is the choice of every F16 owner whether they want to pay for that or not. Alot of us made the personal choice to not do that; alot of others (mostly Stealth owners) did.

This is exactly the same as the Tornado class is now, every owner can still race with aluminium, several still do, just not the top 50 crews. For them the carbon upgrade is peanuts in cost compared to their other costs like travelling.

F16 is no different in this respect.

Wouter