I think the problem with F16 is one day it will be the ultimate victim of it's own success. As the class grows and the prestige of winning a worlds grows, eventually somebody will pour enough money into a boat that will blow every other design out of the water.
The great thing is that the class has the opportunity to minimize this risk now. Putting in some simple controls and grandfathering existing designs will go a long way to prevent such a situation arising and should take action quickly.
This class has some magnificent strengths compared to it's primary competitors but to not recognize their own strengths and learning from them is a recipe for disaster.
Cheers,
Michael
The F16 class appears to be doing fine with quite a bit of growth Worldwide. AHPC while they have an active marketing program and are placing the best teams on their boats as part of that plan, are not the only players. Matt M, while he is separated from Vectorworks, with the combination of Blades and Falcons is up around 70+ boat last I heard. FCA, Stealth etc are out there and a number of new models are being introduced and are being or going to be built here shortly.
1 kilo of carbon weighs the same as 1 kilo of glass. All the advanced processes and materials in the world will not build an F16 less than 107 kg (2 up) as that is the class min. Carbon sticks are in service and with the min tip weight have not proven to be any game changer. This fear of an unlimited million dollar craft destroying the class is a bit far fetched.
In the case of macca, this is either the pathetic fence banging exercise, or he has motivation for a purpose, whether friendship or for financial gain to continually bring up the same rehashed subject. AHPC has elected, for their own reasons, to build a boat that is heavy. At this time both the class and the Viper are gaining from each other. AHPC though is also pushing the 104 for their boat along with the F16. The Viper is being promoted and provided to the best teams as part of their marketing plan. B2, Robbie Daniels, etc. The other brands are being raced (if raced at all) by weekenders and there is not any program out there promoting any of the other models per say.
If 104 gets is act organized and takes off then the Viper may fit in. If 104 continues to flounder and F16 takes off as a racing class eventually better teams will be riding other makes and maybe macca’s continued harping about saving the class from some imaginary event is really about saving the Viper from obsolescence?
