I'll bet this proverb has a version in every language, " There are old sailors and bold sailors, but there are no old, bold sailors."

Agreed. Looks more like 10 to me, maybe less:



30kts would be white caps breaking and all sorts of spray!

Gina and I weigh in right at the same as you would with your wife. We have raced with no problems in events with recorded wind speed off the committee boat in the upper 20s with gusts comming through in the 30's.

The ability to handle conditions is solely dependant on the skill level of the crew. I know people who really should not be out in winds exceeding 5 mph. When it gets gusty or the seas get steep and short as Marcus said I have difficulty keeping the right side up. I race regularly with people though who excell in those type of conditions. This kind of thing carries acroos all types of cats and is not a particular issue of the F16.

To race the boat is most fun for me in the 12-18 range. Powered up both ways yet not so much that you can concentrate on speed and tactics, not just keeping it upright. As far as "fun" goes, that is often is dependant on who you decide to share the ride with. Gina will race in bigger wind, but will not go out for a sail in anything over about 15. When the wind picks up and we are out on the boat, the fun for everyone stops. I have buddies that go out with me in conditions they would never hold a race in and we have a blast. My boy only likes the boat if we are going fast. He will go out in anything, but I have to hold the throttle back some.

Matt

25 gusting 30

That is the weather the old VJ excels!!

Looks like lots of hard work and fun...

Another one: There are strong wind sailors and there sailors speaking about strong wind.

Much more like it TA;

I've been out in uber winds (OOD said 40kts gusts). When next in the UK, ask someone if they were at that grafham open......

mega gust came thru; almost all of the boats out (about 120) went swimming. So windy that sails were just blowing out..

This is not me; but gives some idea of what it was like, The Hurricane 59 is a 20 foot boat.



Flogging mainsail DOWNWIND



Dive dive dive



My boat blew off the trolley going up the slipway with no sails up. It was very (too) silly.....

Thanks Tornado, this is a nice picture !
So it looks like the F16 performs well in anything from 10 to 20 knots, and while it can be quite a workout, it will not break down in 25 knots.
Most of the picture I had seen so far showed the boat in relatively calm water, so I was concerned it would be too light or too over powered to handle the pacific ocean...

And yes, I know my limits, and I am not too bold right now...

Are these more like it ?













All taken at the F16 global challenge 2007 (Zandvoort) on monday and tuesday. Both days certified average 20 knots winds, gusts to 25 knots. Waves on average about 1.5 mtr = 5 feet. Although waves on the North sea are more like tall chop then waves, we have no swell what so ever. Data taken of the local government measurement post that is 5 km to the north.

Wouter

Does the single handed Blade has a carbon mast?

I will be on the water this weekend and forecast predicts pretty much the same conditions, however we have not the high waves. Today with the T and tomorrow with the Javelin, so I can tell you if I can or cannot handle it. Yet I am optimistic <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Cheers,

Klaus

A Blade can be ordered with a Carbon mast if required; it is not standard fit.

Check the pictures of the Global Challenge, Hans Klok sailed a Blade 1-up with Carbon mast.

Gill

Correct.

I have sailed the blade 1-up in those conditions. Maybe on purpose 1/2 of that time. It is amazing how easily you can depower it and go. I max downhaul, limit rotation, drop trav about 6-10 inches. prepare to swim on gybes though <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hey Westcat, I'm contemplating this class also. I live a few hours down the coast, near Morro Bay. We windsurf quite a bit here, and the 5.0 sail is a good average size for a typical, moderately windy (20 kts) day.

The idea that someone can depower a sail *that* large is pretty impressive (not to mention use a spinnaker in 20+ kts!), but one wonders what happens when we view the problem from the other (dark?) side, that of the windsurfer who carries a set of 3-5 sails around and rigs the right one for a given day. If you're a light crew and sail most of the time offshore in California, how about just using smaller sails most of the time? It certainly seems legal under the class rules...or have I read them correctly?

Yes, well cut sails can be flattened well.

You can also have sails designed to be flatter and so less powerfull. There is another thread here from MarkP where he discusses how he has had his mainsail made a little flatter.

You can also have smaller sails of you wish, as long as the sail measures under the F16 rules, it does not have to be the maximum size!

I would however suggest trying a boat and just going wth full size, but maybe cut a little flatter.

I do quite a bit of landyachting each winter and have a series of 7 sails landyacht sails.

Just as with wind surfing these sails are typically considered small by the general public but can develop enough power to flow a car through the softer sand. Typical area's are 3 to 7 sq. mtr. but my largest sail is only 5.5 sq.mtr.

Interestingly enough my least powered up sail is 5.5 sq, mtr and my most powered up sail is 4.25 sq. mtr. This is all due to the draft cut into the sail and a little to the stiffness of the mast (tunig).

In my opinion the same applies to F16 sails. The area itself is not very important as long as you are sailing with the right cut and trim settings. Alot more difference can be had with adjusting these then by removing or adding area. Afterall, we have both heavy 2-up (150 kg) crews and light 1-up crews (70 kg) sail with the sail total mainsail area and do alright. This to some extent shows to control that the F16 rig offers to a crew. With cutting the sail for your conditions more can be had.

So I too advice to just keep the area and have it adjusted to your sailing conditions and typical crew weight.

Wouter

Just for conversation only, I am not working with a lot of experience here.

If the dude is looking for good times where he doesn't go out if it isn't blowing 15kts minimum, why not go for the "reefed" version of the sail. A Pinhead even perhaps. As ?PTP? suggested up thread the gybes can be hairy with all that tipping force at the end of the mast.
The beauty of the square top is the twisting off when the power isn't needed. He doesn't need it. Ever. When off the wind, that big ole flap turns broadside to the wind and gives a big push.

This is taking the multi-purpose F16 tool and converting it to a single-purpose (Higher Winds) weapon. If what he wants is light weight and spinnaker equipped, why not purpose build it. A flatter, smaller spin would be in the recipe too.

Just another keyboard sailor thinking aloud. Getting more snow today. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

If you re-center the traveler and make a point to gybe through a smaller arc, I think you'll swim less. It seems to work for me.

we've talked about this alot... my impression is keeping it centered all the time during a gye really runs the risk of rounding you up hard though...
In the end... whatever works!!