Tony,

The number of boats sold in the F16 class is closing in on 200. For some reason the class is stuck in first gear in Holland (were we both sail) bu even then there were never more then 2 clubs that had more then 5 FX-one's. Namely, Muiderzand and Noordwijk. Of course we are going into our second Alter Cup event on F16's now. That means 11 charter boats that some company needs to finance and sell right afterwards. Last time all boats were sold in no-time at all (pre-sold). This time the expectation is no less impressive. If we are "a small class" with a very limted foot print then no builder could justify that. I think it is time to recognize that the F16 class is breaking through. Maybe not in NL but certainly in certainly in several other places over the world.

I also really don not think the F18's and F16's overlap that much. F16's always have a very large single handed contintient (about 50%) that the F18's will never have. The size of the hulls (fat) really is no factor as even the Taipan could be raced well up to 155 kg. We always had an overlap with the F18's in the way of 2-up crew weights even when initially many people thought the F16's were better suited to midgets. The latter has always been a misunderstanding that we have finally been able to kill.

Additinally, I don't think the F16 sailor were so hot on attending every regatta in the first years either. I don't see how we were favored against the FX-one in that respect. The Fx-one failed because not for a single reason in my opinion but because it was just not "it" for a series of reasons. And that is also the compliant about the iCat in this thread. Both may be very good boats techinically but they do not strike the right balance between a set of desires and market realities. Not like the F16's do.

And I think that is what the whole thread is about.


Wouter