You must read the ratings data better to understand this. The number you quote for the 2-up version is WITHOUT a jib. And there are 3 persons onboard in the other rating. Addition crew weight of a 3rd person will do that to your rating.

With respect to the F16 1-up ratings : I still think them to be better at directly equal to F18's but the rounding off boundery is right between the F18's and F16's So in 1-up mode we end up 1 point faster and in 2-up mode we end up 1 point slower. Under Texel 2005 and early we had perfect equality between the F16's (2-up) and F18's. Rounding off rating number will do this sometimes.

Please note that when going from Texel 2005 to Texel 2006 the F18 became rated faster. From 102 to 101.




Now you know how much more potential you can still get out of the boat, because it is definately there.

I'm not a top quality skipper myself, I know what I'm doing but I should be able to pump a few more % out of the boat still. However take a look at the result this club race of last year, look how close the elapsed and correct times are.

http://www.wvz.vuurwerk.nl/180905.html

Conditions were windforce 4 (about 15 knots, sometimes more) and a good chop over about 2-3 foot waves with a short wave period. You had to get into a tack really well or the waves would have you blow it. It was tiring, so alot of crews dropped out in the later races. Notice that I'm in the middle of the F18/I-20 fleets on elapsed times.

Now, also look at the open 15 sq. results of Hans Klok (1st places) this guy shows what more can be won by just improving sailing skills. That guy is 6 minutes faster then all of us per hour. He has a good boat but is definately a very fast singlehander. In his case every works just as it should be. For a time (about the first round) I was actually leading race 3 then I blew it by going the wrong way, I had to gamble. I decided to go really close to shore thus getting out of the tidal current but there was more wind out to sea. But HEY, I had been working the mainsheet and spi sheet hard for about 2 hours already (notice the conditions), I was really nearing the end of my endurance. I was shacking the cramp out of my right hand on the reaching leg to the offset mark.

I'm perfectly happy to race F18's on the same handicap, in either mode. Season 2005 really showed me that it fully possible. That and the fact that Gary Maskiel is winning a score of Australian races on his F16 which is also rated equal to the A-cats/F18's as well.

All that is needed now is more personal improvement.

Wouter