Ducati Scott, the prototype Blade F16 with smaller beams (80x2 mm alu) then the VWM Blades ever had flexed ONLY 45 mm in the standardized test stand. The standard Taipan 4.9 (both AHPC and homemade timber) flexed 64 mm. My own widened boat (again with less rigid beams then the prototype Blade) flexed 65 mm (AHPC mast as mainbeam and 80x2 rearbeam). I seem to recall an early 2006 VWM blade F16 standardized flexing measurement of 50 mm it uses exactly the same beams and hull setup as the 2005 version. The newer VWM Blade F16's as delivered by the EU agent flex less then 25 mm in the same test stand (2 times 90x2 beams).

I have no standardized flexing tests for the Stealths but these are most definately stiffer then my own boat and that of a fellow owner (VWM Blade). Stealth has always been rather stiff platforms in my opinion.

Again I note that all these measurements were executed using the exact same test procedure, so they are directly comparable.

I find it really hard to believe the 80 mm flexing measurement that you refer too.

I do note that such a claim is often used when describing the Viper F16, but I question the dependency of it. If anything, the Viper should be compare to the specs of the currently available models (not of passed introduction batch models) and all of these are significantly stiffer then your quote measurement suggests. The other builders certainly have not been idle over the last 4 years !

I do grant the Viper F16 appears to have a very stiff platform if the 137 kg prototype present at the 2007 Global Challenge is any indication. Yet, the competition is a whole closer then you make them out to be.

As an engineer and F16 sailor I like my own platform to be stiffer (65 mm flexing), but I see absolutely no benefits beyond 25 mm flexing. While sailing I don't notice any hull flexing on my current boat although I'm convinced that reducing it by halve (35 or less) will make it feel slightly better in severe chop. I feel the Viper should be placed in the latter group, together will all other F16's sold new or of max 2 years age.

Wouter