>>Anyone tried the FX1??
I did, but I didn't want to react on the open forum as I'm pretty heavily involved in the F16 class. But I will react now.
>>Thoughts?? - this now comes with snuffer option
Demo-ing tomorrow
Pro's :
-1- Looks cool; flyer hullshape.
-2- has the spinnaker option with the snuffer
-3- some H17 sailors in NL are switching to the FX-one, guess that tyhis boat will be the solo boat for Hobie people.
-4- Is everything what you expect of Hobie. Ruddersystem etc.
-5- has wings giving about 10 % more righting moment
-6- Mainsail and mast hook system are nive and work well.
-7- downhaul and mast rotator can be operated from the trapeze
-8- tack and gibes well.
Cons ;
-1- Is offered with jib but haven't seen that one yet and but needs to be modified for that.
-2- Is a A-cat look alike but very similar in weight when compared to I-17 and also not much lighter than H17. It is very much heavier than both the A-cats and F16's
-3- Is very difficult to right solo without righting aids, this was found to be a problem by all who I know to have sailed the FX-one. It is by no means comparable to A-cat, P15, P16 and F16 when looking at rightability. I'm really not overstating this.
-4- I personally disliked the traveller setup. I like to put my foot against the cleat to pin myself to the boat and I feel a centred cleat puts considerable less sideways load on the traveller track. I also like the cleating and uncleating aspect better of a centred cleat.
-5- It must be sailed differently because of the flyer hulls, it also is louder and splashes alot more than say H17.
-6- I found the speed to be comparable to a H17
-7- In the version I've sailed the trapeze wires were in the way of moving about the hull.
-8- Downhaul was heavy. I have also sailed in heavy weather and I used to preset the downhaul and leave it alone for I couldn't reset it from the trapeze (to heavy). Maybe the increase the purchase now. A-cats and F16's use at least 1:12 if I remember that correctly.
-9- The trampoline system is nice and simple but FX-one sailors advice to use strong bungees or elastic line. High strength inelastic line as used by Hobie is difficult to tension and within a few moments the trampoline sags as inelastic line is inelastic but is does stretch when the strand settle over time.
-10- I found it to be draggy with the sterns, but that may be the way a (planning?) flyer hull should be sailed.
-11- I personally found it expensive for the workmanship presented in the boat. For me a Taipan is about as expensive but has more goodies like daggerboards that can be raised from the trapeze. And also better performance
>>any thoughts -14s7 so ?
What is -14s7 ?
>>too heavy for F16 solo
Allow me :
This is really weird as F16's
- have a little more sailarea (main and gennaker)
- have equally high masts
- are just as wide
- are optimized for a doublehander weight of about 145 kgs (320 lbs) and are sailed solo without the jib, but the main is still there.
- is in overall (boat + crew) weight about 45 kg's lighter than the FX-one. Resulting in a texel rating that is 99 instead of the 107 of the FX-one. F16 class does have a official Texel handicap now.
- Fx-one is only 0,23 mtr = 2/3 ft longer than the F16's. F16.s are actually 16,4 ft in length.
On the points I can see some people to be to heavy for the F16's but it is very strange to see the FX-one to handle heavier crews better than the F16's. It is rather the other way around.
I would advice you test sail both classes and compare them. John Pierce of the Stealth F16 has a demo boat you can test sail in the UK. I'm not sure how many FX-one are in the UK but there will be several Stealth F16's in the UK this spring.
I also recall a guy who testsailed teh I-17R and thought its was a nice boat, UNTILL he just sailed a Taipan too and compared the I-17R to that.
Anyways I wish you the best of winds and fun independent of which design you choose. Hope to race you one day.
With kind regards,
Wouter
