Bobcat,

If you do get down there be sure to beg, bride or blackmail either Seth, Chuck or Matt into taking you along for a 30 min demo.

You learn SOOO much from sailing only a short time with an experienced F16 crew. It will be equal to spending about 1 to 2 years studying various tuning/trimming guides and experimenting on your own.

After such a demo sail you know what to look for, how it must look like and what the end goal should be. It will make learning from the various tuning guides ALOT easier.

Especially since you are living so far North you will have rarely contact with other F16 sailors, as in face to face contact, and that will make your learning curve on these boats harder to climb.

So indeed, be sure to get the full 30 min demo work over (including spi hoists and drops and sailing under spi) ; that will make the trip worth while by itself even.

Best advice I can give you.

Wouter