Exploder F18 seems to be really fast boat. Look at results of the team at Eurocat and Texel this year - 11th and 7th place. Pictures of exploder you can find at www.exploder.info.

What can you tell us about the talent pulling the strings and driving?

Without doing to much research those results suggest it is definately competitive. Given the top 10 is typically full of sailors who could win F18 races on a hobie 16, to get those results even if they are great sailors suggests that like all the other f18 boats it will be the guy/girl holding the tiller that will make the difference.

F18 really seems to be producing the desired even playing field. Right now given enough skill, you could happily expect to get good results on any of:

Tiger
Infusion
Capricorn
Wildcat
Exploder
Shockwave
etc

Those results are quite good, being following their campaign and as Scarecrow says, the Exploder is definitely a performer.
I think they had in mind building a Tornado, but with the isaf fiasco, they went with an F18.

They use Landy sails, and they have the technology, as they´ve been building a 20' and a Tri that looks really good.

But as Dave points, those guys are good sailors too.
Maybe ex Tornado crews for sure. They will be at Belguim too.
Also Poland has produced recently a new A-Class, the WingFox

I wouldn't exactly call it a pretty boat

The one that looks good is the Tri
http://www.exploder.info/eng/content/view/19/125/

The Exploder, pretty or not, performs at top level

wow a plane jane looking boat. Don't they need rails or chines ar a flux capasiter?

Jajaj that´s true, but hey , is a marketing move.

The Tiger is still competitive, but if you are an F18 builder your are not going to convince a new costumer that is a "better" boat than the Infusion or WC or Shockwave or any new boat.
Biggest design change since Tiger is volume distribution in wave piercers like Flyer,Cap,Inf, WC.
Rails add somehow structural strenght and in the Wcat adds volume up too at the bow compared to his predecessor Cap.

Being discussed to death, crew or boat, is non sense to talk about that now in the F18, the exploder is a leading case.
The formula works just perfect: even boats, crews defines who´s best.

As Scarecrow said, if Bundy, Mischa or Styles raced in Carnac with one, results wouldn´t have changed that much, as the boats are quite similar in performance.
The market will continue to launch new boats, and that´s just great news for the class. More boats with "flux capacitor"(lol) and gimmicks?

Don´t worry, as you know you can still win sailing a good regatta with your 'old' faitfull Tiger.

More boats, more options, better prices, all good.
The F18 will continue to grow this way.

It's going to be an exciting Worlds. The is talent is very deep.

The only problem I see on my boat is the "Tiller Nut " tends to cause position loss. Its to heavy and makes tactically bad decisions.

But I'm still having fun. Thats what its all about.

Yeah, it is kinda fun aint it.

Just to point something out the exploder was 11th in the EuroCat long distance race, it was 32nd in the fleet racing.
http://www.yccarnac.com/usa/regates/eurocat/resultats-eurocat-f18.html
http://www.yccarnac.com/usa/regates/eurocat/resultats-f18-c0-c1.html

It seems a alright boat that seems to go very well downwind in waves and breeze

Yep

32nd in fleet racing, they managed though to get a 4th and 6th, and some 20ths in six races against the top notch, so quite clear the boat (and crews) is quite good, and is a new boat too.

You were there, right? Are you going to the Worlds too?

Two Exploders will be present on Words.
I think that you are correct - both crew and boat need to be good. Eurocat was the first start on F18 for the other Exploder crew, and unfortunately good boat did not help.

It's interesting that they've "hidden the main beam" does that mean the hulls forward of the beam are higher or that the beam is closer to the water than the existing F18's?

In the ugly stakes, I dont think it is any worse than the infusion and a long way behind the mattia... EW

Now why do you have go and say something like that? At least my boat isn't named after a mythical horse with abnormal growth out of its head.

Disclaimer: I'm just busting balls here. I love all F18's equally.

Dave I think your getting confused with a unicorn!

All im saying is this boat is no better or worse than the infusion... make of that what you will!

...maybe he meant an astrological goat with two horns...

My lack of book learnin betrays me again.