Hum, seems that we have a case of rewritten history here.


>>I have always found it a little coincidental that the F18 parameters are almost exactly that of the "Hobie Tiger",

I think the phrase here is : "It is fully logical that the specs of the Tiger are exactly those of the F18"

reason : mattia, Diam, Alado (2 French and one Italian Builders) started the F18 class to better compete with the established cat builders like Hobie and Nacra. The Dart hawk (Yves Loday, Reg White) was just out and joined. I think Oliver Bovin coined the idea (current F18 chairman)

Later when it became clear that F18 was becomming a serious class and a thread to Hobie and Nacra products, both builders launched an F18 of their own. Nacra attracted Melvin and Morelli to design the Inter-18. Hobie approach the Alado yard and bough the platform design of them.

Therefor the F18 was before the Tiger (although the original Alado F18 was there at the beginning) and the Tiger was fully made to the F18 specs and not the other way around.


>>which came before the F18 not visa versa, and that the Hobie Tiger was very instrumental in "getting the F18 off the ground" (bless their little hearts)


Well, yes, that is another example of Hobie speak. They were neither the first, the second, the third or even the Forth boat in the F18 class. They were well down the list and nor did they design it themselfs; they bought it off one of the founders of the class.

Hobie being instrumental in getting the F18 of the ground ? It is true that Hobie Tiger make up a large portion of the F18's world wide although not the majority and that Hobie has accellerated the F18 growth in say US. However, it is safe to say that F18 had already proven to succeed with or without Hobie getting involved, so that is how instrumental they were.

The succes of the F18 class is just that, the F18 class itself; the boats were the means they used to achieve that.
The beauty of the F18's was the realisation that they got win a decisive edge by promoting an idea and a concept. The formula concept. A concept that was large idenpendent on the actual design and therefor easier and cheaper for a small builder to make into a succes. Of course it wasn't formulated this clearly in the beginning but with advancing insight they continued strengthing this notion and grow the class. It was so powerful that it quickly killed of the very succesful Hobie 18 and Nacra 5.5 classes (as much overweight as the F18)

There is a joke that illustrates exactly what happened.

An American and Japanese business men has gone on safari after concluding a bilateral trade negociation.
The guide encourage both business to get out of the car and get a proper feel for the landscape and wildlive outside.
Both do so and they make a stroll around the savanah. Suddenly they both spot a lion taking a eye at both of them. They
both quickly realize that they are in danger. They both run for their lives with the lion in persuit. A few seconds in the run the Japanese business man makes a sharp turn to the left and runs for the jeep. "What are you doing ?" yells the American. The Japenese guy replies :"getting my Nike sport trainers". "Why, you never going to out run a lion, with or without sport trainers", the American yells back. The Japanese business man replies calmly :"No, indeed, not the lion, but I may just out run you"

And that reflects the approach taken by the F18.


Wouter