Congrats ! but you can't dismiss the other postings as simply errornous.
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<br>Ofcourse the H16 is a very respectable class. And let me in this light comment on your Post Miles, With all respect.
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<br>Ohhh, by the way I was in the race committee during the OPEN Dutch Hobie nationals (Tiger, FOX, FX-one, 16, no 14, no 18, no 20, no 17, not even a open class because to little boats) and withnessed all the races from the counter startline / rescue boat.
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<br>>>The H16 is far from dead as a class.
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<br>It is certainly not dead, but it is "quieting down" in several places. Dutch F18 nationals attracts some 100+ sailor, H16 national attracted some 25 + boats.
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<br>>>Here is some interesting info: Largest multihull class;
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<br>I would say most SOLD class and it is that without a doubt. I can name several places where it is not the largest racing class (anymore)
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<br>>>largest multihull Worlds regatta (single class)
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<br>The trick is between the brackets here. Formula classes aren't ofcourse a SINGLE class to the opinion of alot of sailors. But having said this I still think that hobie 16 still has the largest turnout of competitors partly due to the way hobie runs such an event (providing boats). Ofcourse the Formula sailors need to bring their own boats to the spot were the worldsis held. Now, about 100 boats at Tornado worlds, A-cat world and Tiger worlds sound like pretty respectable turnouts when considering this fact that every one brings his own boat.
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<br>; considered the largest women’s multihull class;
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<br>Well, it is the only all women class that exist so this is was not difficult to achieve. Other classes (Dart 18, F18, Tornado) have women sailing WITH men in the same fleet and therefor do not list seperately. It is nice though to have a seperate women class.
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<br>>> largest multihull youth class
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<br>Well, that it is. (although it is the only youth class at this moment)
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<br>>>; largest disAbled multihull class;
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<br>This is very respectable and praises for that. (no other disabled classes exist)
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<br>>>H16 the only multihull used in the Pan American Games;
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<br>And Tornado is the only Olympic class. You won one and the others win one.
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<br>>>ISAF official youth multihull
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<br>I can not comment for I know to little about that, although it surprises me that they choose to fix this for the comming years. With the general concensus going towards genaker sailing (Intl tornado, Formula classes, Skiff classes and even maxi classes). I would have expected the ISAF to appoint a class that a least had a genaker too. Well, lets call it a miscalculation on my side.
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<br>>>; H16 Trapseat Worlds (sanctioned by ISAF) the only disAbled multihull worlds event;
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<br>If it is the only class for disabled sailors it would also have the only disabled event.
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<br>>> close to 110,000 boat built to date;
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<br>That is undeniable
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<br>>>can’t forget its best surf cat hand down, as that is what it was originally designed to do; and the list goes on and on.
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<br>Now, the list may go on but do the points on the list impact ? Disabled class, Womens class, most sold class, most build boat class are all points that don't really determine wether a class is a major player in the cat scene today. Even though it may be largest attended class at worlds doesn't mean that the focus of the catamaran scene is (slowly) shifting away from the H16.
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<br>Now I'm sure the H16 class will be here in 5 years time but I'm also sure that we in the Netherlands will be happy to have 15 true race crews (not Ohh lets give a shot crews) on the startline then while F18 is probably expanding past 100 boats all manned by competitive crews.
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<br>>>If you look at the attendance of H16’s at Hobie regattas and even non-Hobie events it is obvious it also has the largest turnout of any multihull class.
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<br>I can not comfirm that for the Netherlands. Certainly the Dutch H16 nationals didn't. And miles maybe right about Texel 1999 (I think he is with a small margin) but it is without a question which class is the class that RACES around Texel and which class is the class that participates for fun. I support this last claim by noticing that hardly any Texel H16 crew participate in the 2001 H16 nationals whch only saw 25 + participants.
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<br>>> the H16 remained the largest class represented in this large multihull regatta.
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<br>Let count it again in 2002 Miles. And we're counting F18 and not inter 18, Hobie tiger, Dart hawk etc.
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<br>>>It is amazing after 30 years the H16 is still so competitive and remains the largest multihull class.
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<br>This is largely tradition. H16 is out of all the major Dutch regatta's as a race class.For example Ronde Tiengemeente 223 boats participated.
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<br>Classes scored were
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<br>RTG Klassement handicap >110
<br>RTG Klassement handicap <110
<br>RTG Klassement A-cat
<br>RTG Klassement Tornado
<br>RTG Klassement Dart 18
<br>RTG Klassement Formule 20 ongemeten
<br>RTG Klassement Formule 18 gemeten
<br>RTG Klassement Formule 18 ongemeten
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<br>There were 16 H16's (found in rating > 110 class) and 57 F18's / 56 iF20's, 10 Intl Tornado's + 5 classic tornados's and 13 Dart 18's.
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<br>H16 only just out participated the Tornado class and now consider that Tornado is the most expensive multihull class.
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<br>Now of the 58 boats participating in the Oktober Bokaal competition (4 race days on four saterdays in october) there were only 2 H16 compared to 3 Tornado's, 3 Dart 18's and about 21 F18's / 21 iF20. 2 Nacra 6.0 and 1 of nearly each other class.
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<br>Results can be checked on www.hellecat.nl
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<br>Ronde tiengemeente is the second biggest regatta after Round Texel in NL
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<br>>>You just have to be careful who you listen to as there are many non H16 fans that would love to see the H16 de-throned and have their brand of boat take its places.
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<br>Now and that is why I reacted to this post to this extend and have given some of the data on which I have based my claims and predictions. Now Judge for yourself.
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<br>>>So it’s still going strong and actually from all indications the class is growing not shrinking.
<br>>>No worries!
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<br>Well, maybe it is just me but for a class that has produced over 100.000 boats (much more than any other boat) participations numbers of 25 + at Open Dutch nationals (several belgiums and germans particiapated) and 16 out of 223 and 2 out of 58 sound like a decline to me.
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<br>Now I have no intention of disrespecting the H16 but these are the numbers for at least the Dutch cat scene which is by no means small.
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<br>Wouter
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