Wayne handicap numbers are NOT engraved in stone. By your own statements you believe the heavy F16 has a very favorable rating. You have to know that situation won't last.
I know I'm not going to change your mind and I have no cat in this fight but some of the things you say just have to be challenged.
One thing for certain is, I'm not saying the Viper has a favorible handicap at all, what I am saying is that at 1.018 it is competitive with other modern boats such as the F18's and Hurricanes ie with the right skipper and wind ranges it sometimes comes out on top. At 0.989 ( F16 ) it is a real task to get in the points such is the competition at the top level. My guess is that the Viper is about right.
For a long time I have voiced that the ratings are still too biased over weight and are behind the game / missed that the rigs are now having more of an impact than what we think. There are a number of classes that have recently updated the rigs with great success and rejuvinated old boats and then wonder why they are doing very very well in handicap racing. I would guess ratings such as SCHRS will eventually catch up, but it does great damage along the way, designers can now design and introduce boats faster than the ratings are willingly changed.
Do agree on the Hobie issue. But there are others out there who will probably step in.
