I will only comment on the F18 here :

>>>You ~might~ still want to look at F18 ... . 400lbs is upper limit for their weight range but they are both classes that seem to be building. They'll sail with 400lbs - the only question is how fast (assuming you want to do some racing) and choppy conditions might begin to be a problem causing the bow to submarine.


The F18's have alot of freeboard; more than TheMightyHobie18 and P18 and N5.5. Actaully the F18 do take weight alot better than the older 18 ft boats. Newer F18's have even more freeboard. Mainly because some early hotspots of the F18's had dominant coppy conditions (Holland for example). If an 18 footer is considered than an F18 should be on top of the 18 foot list.

Performancewise. I sailed one several times at 175 kg's (385 lbs) and did well in the races (top 3 positions in handicap out of some 15-20 open class boats, also ahead of majority of competing F18's). Highest weight on a F18 doing well was 200 kg = 442 lbs and they were 28/100 on elapsed (some 22 F20 competed as well) at 15/100 on handicap. And they were 10th/31 in the F18 class.

I'm not saying that 200 kg is a good weight for the F18, hell it is to much for the I-20 as well, but it does show how flat the weight dependency of the F18's are.

Mind some F18's take weight better than others; but in general the F18 class will perform quite well with weight.

Having said all this I think 20 ft is the way to go at 400 lbs

Wouter