A problem for us F16's is that owners tend to hang on to their boats. If you can call that a problem.

However, a few second hand taipan are hitting the US marketplace, several sailors are upgrading to blades some others to cruising boats.

I know of 3 Taipans that are availble for purchase. price range 5000 - 9500 US$ (yes they have taken out a Catsailor classified add and payed Rick for the advertising)

Maybe one of these is of interest to you, pearlbear. Contact me if you want to persue this further.

Otherwise P16's and H16's may be very good choices for you, they both meet a good number of your requirements (although not all). I did 8 years on a P16 personally with very much the same criteria as you specified, I think it to be a good, robust and cheap boat for it. H16 is much the same in these respects.

With respect to class racing. (requirement 2) I would only consider F18, I-20, H16's, A-cats. Boats like the Nacra 5.5's, hobie 18, Prindle 16, etc are all dead classes anyway, or will be dead very soon, without any chance for resurrection. If you going to only race open class anyway then why not do it on a modern boat like the F16's ?

Only advantage to having 5.5's TheMightyHobie18's etc is that you can pick them up dirt cheap. And you should be able to do that as you will be "one of the last mohicans"

Wouter