So Bob,

Do you want to explain how your one assertion, No big name sailors in class.... remotely relates to the concept of FAD.
This is not obvious to us... (certainly me).

(FAD, Usually thought of as momemtary phenomona, a trend that dies off as people loose interest. Frequntly FADs are led by a big name celeb and the masses blindly follow)

In fact... It looks like they have at least three bulders for their class and are slowly growing in popularity. The fact that I (and probably you) don't know the sailors in australia or the EU who sail this class is probably a good thing for the class not being a FAD.. (I don't know who this John Pierce guy (sic) is ...) But... its probably a sign of maturity that people don't blindly follow "big names" into the F16 class. These observations (increasing number of builders, boats on the water and NO PAID Rock stars) would argue that the F16 is not a FAD.

But... You might really have some insight into FAD boats though! ... Perhaps you can speak of your brief turn on the Mystere 6.0...

Or perhaps you are thinking about your brief turn on the A cat...
The A class seems to be growing by leaps and bounds... 40 plus expected for the midwinters with huge growth in the mid atlantic.. So, hard to see how its a fad.... They do have lots of world champion and Olympic sailors types in this class but many people don't seem to recognize their names ... So.. thats a good thing because its likely that the 40 year old A class is probably not a FAD either.

Or... maybe your promotion of the F14 class idea was a FAD. If you are still involved with this class.. it couln't be a FAD ... Could it?

So, Which of these experiences were a FAD for you? Insight into these questions would certainly help us understand why you think these poor dumb F16 sailors are just smitten with a silly FAD... They certainly don't seem to be following a big name sailor down the merry path.... so it just doesn't look like a FAD to me.

Heck.. maybe the F16 class should be glad that you think this is just a fad and they are not moving heaven and earth to get you a free boat, in the hopes that sailors will be following a big name like yourself into the class (after your brief experiences in these other classes). (Did I forget the Wave hullabaloo... Probably a FAD in your opinion since no big name sailors are racing the Wave since you left the class.) I am sure the F16 sailors do not want to be part of a FAD either so they are probably GLAD that nobody is throwing money at Big Names to promote the class cause that would be FAD!

Can't say much about your part of the world but in the Mid Atlantic, I certainly don't see F16's as a FAD based on the sailors interest and comments. In fact... I hear more sailors interested in the F16 then the Nacra F17. It seems to be more about the boat ... then the big name sailors who are not racing the boat.... in fact... everyone who has tried both boats is very clear what their preference is.

Cheers
Mark