Hi, Dave
The F16 concept was developing at this time but I don't think it played much of a role in the dyanmics of F18 vs F18HT class growth. At the critical juncture, they did not have a full F16 available in production. (You might remember Sam Evans having a fit at the notion that a Taipan with a chute was an F16). Jim Boyer made two trips to the states with his Taipan 4.9's and Lars Guck made a statement with his wife in one of the Florida Key distance races but these were the days of the Taipan sloops. I think most of the people looking at F18 versus F18HT were on a sloop rigged 20 or an I20 and overpowered with it. They were not going to look at the emerging concept of an F16 after all... it's just 16 feet and we did that on our Hobie! WF probably worried about it... but what else would be new.
I took WF's Bim 16 (Main with a chute) to catfight one year and had a blast...(it was very close to the F16 spec's I think). It had an A cat mast on it and the tall non f16 legal rig really hobby horsed in the slop. But, I was convinced that if I knew what I was doing with that extra sheet I would be faster then the I17's in a breeze I was leading the pack until I dove into that wave and crashed and burned. I've seen Jim Boyer make the Taipan fly and I have no doubt that the F16 can sail pretty close to an F18 or the Nacra F17.... its the nut on the tiller that needs improving in the US... the boats are fine.
I don't know... Do you hear that the US Tiger owners are upset at the upgrades that have come down the pipe that make their boats faster and easier to sail but cost you some cash? Would they rather be on the original Tiger with a pin head sail? Would they like to know how the boat goes with a Gran Segal chute? or a Zucolli Main for the same kilobucks that they pay the Hobie dealer (most of whom wouldn't know if the leach of the chute was correct or not) So I agree with you that the SMOD has its place in the entry level but I would think its anoying when you have to rebuild your boat just to go to a SMOD nationals. On the other hand, perhaps people do have a large amount of resentment at other sailors who do upgrade and they don't feel that such a thing is good for them or the class. That's Hobie's arguement and maybe they are correct. I don't know. I think its an interesting question.
Wouter has always understood the F16 niche to be a two way boat... 1 up with a chute or a two person boat for smaller teams and able to run with the F18's boat for boat. Its a slow process demonstrating this to the US market especially when the acomplished racers are either staying with their Hobie 16 or on the bigger is better ... gotta be and 18 or 20 footer program.
