Hi, was just asked by Rolf how the F16s are doing far east in China, so...

We have 5 Taipan 4.9 now at the lake and a 6th is expected to join the fleet in spring from someone who moved from Singapore to Shanghai.

We still do occasional races but the biggest struggle so far was to get all Taipans on to the water the same time.

People downhere always move here for working, not for living, so very often working shedules define the few leisure time and that does not always suit a fixed racing calendar. Skills of the different sailors are also very different making sailing not so close anyhow.

Our earlier efforts to get jibs suitable for frontbeamsheeting produced in China also got stucked, one sailor just went for the proven Godall one (which is really very nice product) and I was quite happy in recutting a diagonal mylar jib and adding full length battens. Surely not competitive to the Godall jib, it still was an easy way to go. We couldn't really find a Chinese sailmaker and most of the other crews are happy with what they have or sail to seldom anyhow to be more enthusiastic about modifications to their boats. The modifications for frontbeam sheeting were simply moving the old sidetracks to the frontbeam and this works quite well.

I broke my mast last season when sailing with heavy crew under larger F18 spinnaker and the mastrotator failed in a gust, derotating the mast. Meanwhile a new mast is fitted with a standard spi and the boat is up for sale as I put nowadays more time into the SC20, which basically was bought to go out sailing with more people as I got a little bored by sailing the Taipan F16 singlehanded. Specially under spinnaker its a nice boat but upwind it never gave me the fun I was used from the A. Some sail the Taipans in the classical father-kid configuration, and for this (or light crews) I still believe its probably the best class around.
For some pics of our club activities (and a few Taipan pics) feel free to visit the clubs webpage www.shanghaibyc.org and search the gallery.