This website also confirmed for a while that the AHPC Viper F16 was a F104 boat when it really wasn't. Not only in specs but also because it it broke the "class rules" that more then 10 had to be produced and that it had to be launched at an official international boatshow. The Viper design failed at the time on both accounts although I think just shy of 10 have been sold now.

My point here being that while at I do believe the EU F17 to be a good and fast design, the dependency of the F104 blogsite isn't too great.

Personally the EU F17 fails on the "min 10 boat produced" requirement as well and can be protested out of the race on those grounds as well. We know of only 2 boat in existance in EU attire.


Why the F104 class has ever decided on having these rules is beyond me.

The only reasons I can think off is that the associated builders (Hobie, Nacra, Mattia, BCM) want to corner this market for themselves and prevent any smaller builder to be able to make a succesful start in this class. Makes me wonder who is creating this class, the boat owners and sailors or the mainstream builders ?


But, we must comment Macca for coming clean on this topic on this forum. Basically it is an admittal that the F17 has NOT won the F104 French national title; A DSQ is DSQ. The F17 crew apparently sailed very well, no doubt about that, but the title has not been awarded to them.

What I think more interesting is that SCHRS handicap system by the persona of it official Simon has indicated on this forum that it is in the dark about the F17 measured weight too. It asks publically for any certified and officially recognized measurement form of the F17. Basically, this F17 design had no SCHRS handicap as of this moment. I'm still waiting for the official Texel confirmation off its rating. Typically the listing is update a few weeks after the Round Texel each year : http://www.watersportverbond.nl/content.asp?me_id=468%20


Wouter