Chris,

Your post so eliquently makes the point that I was unable to make. When I was racing down at Solomons Island on my P19MX w/ Megan who was 10yrs old at the time, I realized how poor of a decision I had made that day when Megan BOUNCED headfirst off of the mast, with a loud, frightening, and scary BONNNNNNG and went spinning off into the jib still on the wire.... when a "Microburst" hit us.

To say my heart skipped a beat is an understatement, it skipped several I believe. But what was worse, was the guilt I felt afterwards. Now Megan wanted to sail the very next weekend and laughs now about bouncing off the mast.

So while I get GREAT pleasure sailing my P19MX ... I realized that I get even greater pleasure sailing w/ my niece, watching her learn, improve and grow. So I had a decision to make .... hence the pieces of my TheMightyHobie18 where gathered up from their various storage locations around the house/garage/shed and re-assembled. And we have been having alot of fun on my ol'TheMightyHobie18 .... but Megan is aggitating to race the P19MX this year ..... along w/ the TheMightyHobie18. And she now has a Laser (which we share, she sails it and I pay the bills ....)

Now I believe the F16 is a excellent selection for a young and growing family. Highly flexible sailplan so that the whole family can sail using the various configurations. And when I saw "Lucky Duck"/Ed and John McLaughlin yesterday at "Gunpowder" I gently needled them on when they would have a Fleet of F16's at WRSC. I hope that happens soon ....

And Chris ... you demostrated one of the most important qualities of being a skipper/captain. You analyzed the situation, made a decision and STUCK to it.

Harry Murphey