Okay, I'll bite.

I can buy a (wide-bodied) Falcon F16 at 112 kg (or lighter) for less money then I can buy a Viper F16 at 130 kg. Therefore I see no sound foundation for Greg's claim that more hull volume must increase boatweight beyond a few kg or that lightweight boats increase the costs to unacceptable levels. In fact, in the past I worked with him to sell a container of Taipan F16's to EU. ; that refers to factory modified Taipan 4.9's to full F16 specs INCL. min weight. The price quotes then were not out of line with what is being asked for regular F16's now. So I know AHPC can build affordable min. weight F16's. I also know that they simply decided not to do so. Greg feels the Viper F16 is a competitive boat even with the added weight and I agree with him. Greg was consulted on the carbon beams issue and a compromise satisfactory to all (incl. Greg) was reached in 2002/2003. The F16 class stands by that compromise (as should the other parties). Disallowing carbon masts would force a builder of the first hour plus many class members out of the class and give AHPC a monopoly on F16 masts (at least initially); neither of which is acceptable politically. Greg knows this.

In defense of Greg; he has always taken me seriously and never communicated with me in the way you and Macca seem to think is appropriet. As far as I can tell the Viper F16 design receives much benefit from the F16 class as indeed the other way around.

Wouter