That is a BS rating by the way. This has been plaquing the US F16's from day one.In the rest of the world we are all racing of F18 handicaps or only 1 % slower. Not 5 % slower as the US handicap would have it.

And it must be said, a good portion of the F18 sailors are simply better sailors then the F16 sailors and this skewing statistical based handicap data.

The singlehanded handicap situation is even worse.

But lets not go into that discussion again.





Stiff breeze is not a problem. The mid range winds is the more interesting part. 8 to 13 knots. Here the more modern F18's seem to have the advantage. As they also have in relation to older F18 designs.




What is a big surf ? I think I sail in spot that qualifies as having big surf often (more then not actually). Haven't broken a part yet. Ohh that is not true actually, I broke a halyard shackle in two last year during one of those fine Dutch race days. 20 knots of wind with gusts over that and 3 to 4 foot waves/surf with very short wave length. And I repaired some wear on my rudderboards this winter (after two years of use) but I was never prevented from sailing by any broken part.





The picture above is not showing me but a Blade F16, sailed by friends. I got out through the same surf a few minutes later, see pic below. I however timed the waves better and avoided the breakers, you can see me about to get airborne over one of those waves in this picture (same location and same day).




I'm not bragging but this is pretty ordinary stuff at my club. Go here to see the pics of sailors going throw the surf in front of our club as recently as yesterday :

http://www.wvzandvoort.nl/70707.html





I personally don't think the F16's are good boats for an event like Tybee. You don't want to do a rally in a porsche carrera. The attention and concentration these boats need to sail them hard makes them too tiring for more then 4 hours of racing. But excellent for 45 minute bouy races. I'm not too sure a F18 is such a good choice for the Tybee either. For the same reasons.





And rightly so. But just race eachother first in wins and both enjoy the match. The boats are too close in overall performance to favour either one in any meaningful sense. Differences in sailor skills will be the deciding factor for sure and that is what first in racing is all about.

Fair winds to you all !

Wouter