...The light weight penalises the F16 under these measurement systems. ... with the chip of a harsh handicap on their shoulders? ... Could the lightweight singlehanders cope with (maybe) 10/20Kg ashore without harming the class?
I just want to make the observation that there are two quite separate issues here, and I think it's best to discuss them separately. One is whether the minimum weight should reflect the actual weight of the boats currently being built a little above minimum weight like the Falcon. This I believe is the point of Stephen's suggestion that the min weight be raised to 115kg. The second is whether boats should actually be built heavier, as implied by your comment about the impact of an extra 10-20kg of actual boat weight on singlehanders.
The latter is an important issue because as much as people are attracted to the class by the light weight relative to say an F18, they are also attracted by the flexibility to sail two-up or solo and because of the ease of handling a lighter boat singlehanded on shore and when it's on its side. I suspect some are opting for the lighter boats in the class precisely because they intend to sail mostly single-handed. I'm still hoping that Brett will offer an answer to my earlier question about the suitability of the Viper for singlehanded sailing.
