Well Wouter can fill you in on the details of Jim's trip to the USA, or Jim himself since you see more of him than Wouter most likely, but I remember when the Taipan 4.9 and 5.7(?) was being introduced to the USA some 10 or more years ago. I was at the time on a Nacra 5.5 and looking for a new ride. A friend of mine down here in Florida got a new Taipan 4.9 and I got to see it up close, very nice boat! I wanted one, more-so when I heard they were racing them both 1 up and 2 up, as my kids were young (8-12), we live on a lake, and I thought it would be a great platform to get them into sailing. The only thing holding me back from buying one at the time was the cost. Add shipping from Oz.

Around that same time, Bimare was just coming out with their new Jav 2 F18HT. There were quite a few to be imported by the container-full at a very good price. (This was all Pre-Euro days, the exchange rate to the Lira was much better than the Oz bucks)

I got to see the Jav 2 up close at the Tradewinds regatta, it was very light air that year, Randy Smyth and WF Oliver were on it and they stomped everyone, even the I20's. I got to sail it with WF when the regatta was over and the price was right with the next container coming, so I got one of those instead of the Taipan.

As it worked out, the F18HT class never really caught on here in the States, which was unfortunate because I think they are great boats, but not long after that class showed up, so did the F18's, and more crews jumped to the I20's or F18's. Eventually the HT class shrank and the F18/I20's grew. I ended up trading my Jav 2 for a used I20, a boat I dearly loved, and sailed it alone here on my lake many times, but I couldn't race unless I had crew.

The only "problem" for me was, my kids were not very reliable crew. And they had their own sporting events (soccer, baseball, baskettball, horse shows, etc. etc.) so I missed a lot of regattas in those years, I ended up selling the I20 after 3 years and got out of racing for several years, only crewing for friends on their I20's when needed.

Enter Matt McDonald and the Blade! Matt started building Blades and lives about 2 hours drive north east of me. I had read about it here on Catsailor but not seen one up close until I drove up to his shop and went for a ride with him. I was hooked.

The fact that I don't need to find a crew to race was the real selling point. And the light weight, as I'd already had one back surgery for a ruptured disc.

My wife swears that was due to hauling the I20 up my beach alone, but I know for a fact it was from lifting all those hay bales into and out of the horse trailer!

What pissses me off is sailors from other classes, with no knowledge of the history of the F16 class, or it's rules, and no time or money invested in the F16 class, with no meaningful input other than to say, "Change your rules then...maybe...I'll buy one."

Well, sorry, you'll have to write the check first, then show up at the regattas, then we'll listen to your "Valuable Input".