I have a lot of experience on the 17 but only recently started sailing a 16, however I'm pretty confident that the 17 is less prone to pitchpoling than the 16. (Although the 16 seems much less prone to pitchpoling than it's critics would have you believe). Accross the board there are better racing opportunities for the 16. Racing opportunites for the 17 are limited and depend greatly on your location. Where are you located?