I will concentrate on the F16 part of your questions here.
How tough are the F16 class?
I consider them to be just as tough as any other boat out there.
In the past 5 years we have not seen a significant failure. I can elaborate on this but the summary is just that.
Also note that the F16's were derived from the Australian Taipan 4.9 design which has been holding up without significant failures ever since 1988. This boat was actually 102 kg when ready to sail.
I feel total confident that the F16's are dependable boats were the crews will meet their limit in toughness before the boat does.
are they good for this kind of safaries?
To be really honest, the FX-one will not be your first choice here either. Certainly the F16's will not be any different from the FX-one here. Both are race boats and safaries often require a totallly different approach to the design. I don't think any modern beach cat is particulary well suited to this role. If anything your Nacra 5.7 is one of the best boats to have on such trips. If these safari's are you prefered way of sailing then don't sell your nacra 5.7.
With both the FX-one and F16's hold up to doing such a trip. I think they will, construction wise they will. There are just both more tiring to the crews then a more underpowered and simpler boat like the Nacra 5.7
and for sleeping all year in the beach?
I keep my boat 6 months of the year on the beach in all weather and sun. I usually have to dig out my boat from the sands twice or three times a year. I never spray it clean after sailing or before sailing. The boat is still going strong. I do take off my carbon rudder setup to limit UV impact. But these are only 3 kg combined so it is not like you are carrying much to your car or storage.
More like a FX one or Class A
More like an FX-one in the way of robustness, more like the A in the way of feel. The F16's are really not fragile in any way. People may believe that when looking at the low weight but really they aren't. We have had collisions and quite a few of us have sailed the boats plenty of times in really rough conditions. I've seen Nacra and Hobie boats devellop cracks and ruptures in stiff were my boat just kept going. I've broken shackles, blocks and I've bent a mainsheet block (Ronstan), But never did I break any major part of the boat like beams, hulls, mast, sails, daggerboards etc. Many others are testifying to the same things. The fact that shackles etc were broken proofs that our boats were under considerable loadings and that we were really pushing it. Truly, I'm fully confident that the F16's will hold up in the rough. At one time I forgot my luff daggerboard and I sailed my boat doublehanded up the beach with the baords still fully down. The boat was actually standing on this board when we jumped off onto the dry sand. I've not done a single repair because of that.
and for sailing in heavy winds?
These modern boats (including FX-one) are race oriented boats and as such they are lively in a blow. There are fast and just like sports car you can "run them off the road" if you don't know what you are doing. It is that simple. But If you do know what you are doing or are willing to learn what you must be doing then heavy winds should not be a problem. It will be tiring and challenging but it will not be a problem. But it does help if you are fit. You must remember that you'll be doing 20 knots in very rough water. The boat can handle it, Thereofor the really interesting question is if you can handle it ? Not much difference between FX-one and F16's here UNLESS you are decidig to use the T-foil rudders. The F16 class allows these and in a big blow and rough seastate I can garantee you that sailing with these will make the boat alot more preferable then any boat without.
Finally, I understood that there is a number of brands that manufacture F16 boats, which one do you recomend?
Well currently the options are :
Taipan F16 by AHPC (AUS) - that is the one I have -
Capricorn F16 AHPC (AUS) - replacement of above and will be launched officially before summer 2007 -
Stealth F16 by Stealth marine (UK) - the one with T-foil rudders and carbon mast standard -
Blade F16 by Vectorworks marine (USA) - Looks a bit like the FX-one, in rather high demand now -
Bimare in Italy has a F16 project going as well it seems. I dare not say more, but this project appears to be well developped by now.
As a former F16 class official I still don't feel that I can publically advice one particular brand of F16. And even if I would I would want to hear a little more about how you sail most often (doublehanded or singlehanded) and what you think is important to you. Some really want a carbon mast others don't.
have to go to bed now.
I hope this answers your questions
Wouter
