Matt,



I'm only commenting on the Blades right now, but the experienced behaviour on them is quite the opposite. The reports say that it actually riding the waves better and doesn't slam into the trough at all. I understand you mean "sinking the bow" when you say "slam". The flatter keel lines do slap the water surface more than the older V-shaped keel lines.





Of course I don't know what your fears were, but I can tell you one thing. There was a guy in the F16 class that "Ehhmm"-ed and "Errr"-ed for about a year. He couldn't see how those hulls could ever work. He was pretty certain that it would be a dog in waves. Then finally he took the plunch and in the first race he did, he and his crew saw 20 knots of wind and short steep chop. His wife wasn't to happy getting out in this stuff for the first time on a new boat and really preferred the Hobie 16. After the weekend was over, they were both completely sold on the Blade and the hull shape. Wife proposed to sell the Hobie 16 and sail the Blade from then onwards. You just don't get a better testimonial better than that.

Sadly I haven't sailed the Blade design myself yet so I can't neither confirm or deny this report personally. That is why I keep saying "test sail a Blade and see for yourself". Up till now all the test sailors have given very positive reviews on the hull shape. So I feel that after my own test sail I will warmly recommend the new hull shape of the Blade. But I first want to have my test sail as I've sailed other wave-piercer designs that didn't work, as well as some that did. So I know the good reports are completely possible but I want to check the Blades version for myself.





Your welcome and remember; don't take my word for it. Check-up on the claims yourself.

Wouter