The F20c is not just for distance racing. Its equally good at course racing..I actually thing its an easier boat to sail than an F18. Sheet loads are higher but its more forgiving and the lift from the foils keeps you out of a lot of trouble.
And speaking of distance racing..It seems that in europe they are doing a lot of it. Why not the interest here? I don't mean the extreme events like the Tybee but shorter 2 or 3 day ones.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePeoEpEbfd4 I would love to see more 2 days distance racing events that aren't just "straight line" events. There's 1 on the bay, and a few in the Keys (Steeplechase etc.), but Key Largo/Key West is a long, long way to go for many. I would like to see a race in the Tampa Bay area, possibly one in the Charleston area, and maybe another could be done on the North Carolina 100 course but using the ICW instead of the Harlow Canal to eliminate the need to take the mast down.
Charleston would be such a great place to race a distance race. There is so much to race around and see. Though we haven't talked about a distance race, James Island Yacht Club is itching to have some catamaran racing back there. The amount of container shipping going in and out of there has been greatly reduced in the last year or so too (this used to be a pretty sizable issue and sailors in our area have recorded some close calls in the past). There is also an active group of College of Charleston catamaran sailors sailing out of Fort Moultrie.
We've got contacts at the Aquarium on the waterfront across the harbor from James Island and great beaches to race to just outside the harbor. Isle of Palms to the North and Folly Beach to the south.
