Did you that the formula 16 class had a world championship in Nantes (France) in 2008 and that 26 teams participated ?

All the sailors focussed on the F16 Global Challenge racing at Mumbles that year can be excuse for not noticing a bunch of French sailor of a little class known as SL16 take all the credit.

Look here at the video for proof !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuHEX9iG84c&feature=related

Wouter

And why didn't the French build the SL 16's to comply with the F16 rules?

I think that it fits in the box rules. Basically it is a youth double trapez boat, similar to the Hobie Max and Dart 16. Unfortunately their weight is around 140kg.

Cheers,

Klaus

It's all French to me.

I did try to get a ratification for the article about 2 weeks ago because it is false information but no response yet returned. I try to get more mail adresses where to send a mail to because it needs to be changed, this can be done by others also, The more protest the better it could work. It is a shame that this is happening.

bets bet would be to get text and video responses in showing what an F16 really looks like. I only have "onboard" video, but have started...

We could just turn up at the next event and enter a F16, nothing to stop us, anyway 26 boats at a official F16 event now that is cool and should go straight into the publicity machine.

Anyway the SL16 is a pretty fast boat, would many of us beat the young well trained whipper snappers,not sure.

In fact,

The jib on the SL16 is non-Formula 16 compliant in overall area. It is 3.75 sq. mtr. large when the F16 are only allowed 3.70 sq. mtr. Otherwise the SL16 appear to be compliant however.

http://www.sailing.org/15141.php

But of course that is not the issue at hand.

However, the error appears to be made by a newsoutlet (local newspaper) that also does youtube video reports. I guess they never knew that a Formula 16 existed while knowing about the Formula 18's and thus thought that the used title was a smart play on the situation. As in designs much like teh F18's in an appearence but sailed by youths and teenagers hence Formula 16.

Local newspapers are typically full of such oversights.

I guess that asking for a rectification is pretty useless. The news article has been outthere for a while and it is too late to change any perceptions this late in the proces. I feel that simply adding a few replies to the youtube posting will have to suffice.

That and officially registering the name Formula 16.

Wouter

Problem is that, I bet, the people that popsted that knew exactly what they were doing. We need to ensure that people do not get the idea that the SL16 is an F16.

Is it grandfathered or dispensated under the F16 rules?

Not that I am aware of.

Hans? John? Phill?

If so, does the international status of the SL16 (or any other international class within the F16 fold) automatically give international status to the F16. Logically that would be the case but beaurocratically...

I think that is stretching logic a bit far The Tiger is an international class but the F18 class had to go through the process anyway.

I guess dispensating the SL16 would have been done under my tenure and I never officially did so. Besides, the dispensations need to be renewed annually and I'm sure that didn't happen.

The SL16 however does adhere to the limits set under the grandfather rule and any individual crew can ask for dispensation by refering to it. This would be done on an individual basis and I don't except any SL16 crew to have done so in the last few years that I've been replaces as F16 class chairman.

Wouter

Wouter

I don't think any SL team would ask to join in F16 regatta's as they would sail at the tail of the fleet. I also think performance wise the difference is too big to grandfather the boat anyway.

Gill

The SL16 is an ISAF recognized class, see http://www.sailing.org/15141.php .
So why not focus on the F16 class and not look to much at other classes, try to change it around, let others look at the F16 class.

Agreed. But, what about the name confusion? Do we have exclusive right to F16 as a registered logo?

If its really considered an issue then the F16 class needs to get ISAF recognised. In Australia we'd say piss or get off the pot. How many boats in how many countries does F16 currently have?

Here we'd be more inclined to tell you to mind your own ****ing business.

Get over it Pete. I've stated over and over that my next boat will be an F16, so while I don't currently have the vested interest of many posters here, to a certain extent it is my business. I really don't understand your hostility to my comment.

The existance of the F16 falcon means you'll find it difficult to protect the F16 name (Formula 16 would be easier) But from the sailing world's point of view the best protection would be gained by becoming an ISAF recognised class.