Questions :
Hunt, you mention you don`t need to be that heavy, what is the ideal crew weight on these boats ? With that monster mast & mainsail area, and 21sqm kite, I`d have thought heavier is better. Is 125kg crew weight too light ? (And how big do your forearms need to be to close that leech ?).
At this crew weight, what is the max. windspeed you could expect to be competitive in ?

Matt, costs are interesting : I read on the Stealth web-site that F18HT costs 25% LESS than F18 boats, something of a mystery to me, I`d have expected the reverse. I can agree that development classes cost more to stay competitive, but only to a point : there is not that much you can modify on simple boats, I`m sure a "standard" F18HT boat is going to be competitive without too many mods, correct me if I`m wrong here. At 25% less than F18, there is a fair amount left over for modification anyway ! (Assuming you have the budget for either to start out with). I`m surprised to find that a boat 50kg lighter with a carbon mast costs LESS to produce.

Last question, which is faster, and in which conditions ? I`ve only seen video footage of F18HT, never seen a real live one. I`ve sailed Hobie Tiger, and the extra weight makes it feel a bit unresponsive, but very smooth (still damn fast though.*) I`m sure the lower weight of HT makes it feel much more lively, maybe sacrificing the smooth ride of F18 ?

(*Comment based on comparison between Hobie Tiger & my 16ft 100kg F16 Mosquito - Hobie Tiger sailors need not take offense. - Tigger is quicker, but nearly twice the weight!!)

Cheers
Steve