Bill,
It is not really that I want to be argumentative, but what are you actually saying here.
I quote :
My perspective is that the F18 is easier to make go fast, and that the HT punishes you for being wrong and having the wrong sail trim, weight distribution, etc.
Compared to a I20 the HT feels unstable, and jerky, but thats the combination of the tall mast, light weight and low volume hulls giving you input.
So you yourself are actually saying that the HT is more difficult to sail fast and that it has a jerky unstable feel to it on top of that. Call me stupid, but I would call that the markings of an inferiour design. More difficult to handle and slower; no wonder all the racing crews have switched back to I20's and F18's. There is no real advantage in sailing the HT unless you get hot on sensitive (responsive?) input.
Seems to me that we are all saying the same things only valueing them differently.
Also, we have had quite some weighting data on the HT in the past (like the HT Europeans) and boats measured in at 135 kg not 125 kg. This topic has been discussed over and over again in the past and the end result was always quite clear. HT's were over minimum weight, not under it. Sorry.
Wouter
