Dose anyone know anything about thee new Hobie FX One? Is this the replacemmmment for the 17 and will it come to the US?
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<br>Doug Snell
<br>H17 # 6325
<br>"Stress Free"<br><br>

Wouter gave it a bit of a 'shellacking' (bad review) a while ago- where are you wouter?
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Well, I'm not in the business of sacking the FX-one and with the F16 HP becoming a direct competitor to the FX-one I choose to restrain myself with respect to FX-one comments. This to retain credibility and out of respect to the Hobie dealor in NL who I know.
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<br>If he wants to he can work through the history of posts and find my comments.
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<br>Personally, I can say that I chose another design over the FX-one for several reasons and I'm more convinced now then I was in the beginning. However I still have to sail my new boat, so the jury will be out on this one till spring next year.
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<br>Wouter
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For info on the FX-1 go to http://www.hobie-cat.com and page down to models and FX-1.<br><br>

Wouter
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<br>Out of interest did you capsize the FX-One when on your testing of the Hobie Fleet Session, the reason being is that every time I have seen one on its side, notibly at Texel this year the poor guy steering has not been able to right the thing, not until drifting onto the beach anyway. I would still like to try one out myself to make my opinion of the craft, and I would also like to try out one of the F16HP's to compare, is John Pierce doing Stealth test runs in the UK as I go back occasionaly, it depends on where he is I suppose.
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<br>Mark
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That the FX-one was hard if not impossible to right in the heavy winds we had in the afternoon. I didn't capsize the boat myself, but others who did found it difficult and the instructor where always quick on the spot when she fliiped. Mind you they were mostly quick on the spot with nearly all crews apart from a few who they trusted. Nevertheless I got the impression that FX-one got extra attention.
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<br>And Englishman described his righting as follows : It came up from a trutle easily, the bouyant mast helpedb but righting it was very difficult untill the instructor in the rescue boat just ever so slightly pulled of the mast at its tip.
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<br>It is my experience that Hobie mast are rather heavy in general.
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<br>Using the wind on the trampoline to help you right the craft doesn't really work for it's lateral resistance is far to small and the craft actually sails pretty fast sideways when on your side.
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<br>The English guy and I really wanted to know for sure and decided to do a righting series on the Fox in the light morning air and in the heavy air in the afternoon. We would go out together on the FX-one and than try to right it solo in turn. Sadly the Fx-one was holed when another boat was blown over on the water and hit the FX-one bow. So we never got the change to do this series.
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<br>I wish to underline here that these are personal views and even though I got a whole day on the boat in both light and heavy air it must still be regarded as a limited test series.
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<br>I was however generally disappointed with the FX-one as I was with the Hobie Pacific. I did however appreciate the Tigers and Hobie 16's very much. The last were really setup up well and sailed well within their limits. So I think that my views are rather objective
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<br>I'll be going back in two weeks time, I promised to do alot of skiff sailing and 49-er sailing in particular so I might not get the change the right the FX-one myself but I'll give it a shot when I get the change.
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<br>Wouter<br><br>

Sorry I overlooked your last point :
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<br>I would let you test drive my implementation of the F16HP were it not for the fact that it is under construction now and it will not be finished before next years season.
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<br>Never the less I think that maybe the other Dutch F16HP who is sailing right now can help you or that John can facilitate you in the near future. Word is that the Stealth will be altered a bit to optimize it under the F16HP rule (less weight and such). Maybe you should contact these two sailors on the F16HP forum. I will privately test the water too via an e-mail
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<br>Regards,
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<br>Wouter<br><br>

I was talking to the editor of Cat-alist (www.cat-alist.com), and I can relay this scoop that originates right from Hobie USA. The first containerof FX-1's is currently enroute, and boats will be available for sale (sail) within approx. 2 months.
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<br>Make way for the new kid on the block !!!<br><br>

I recently sailed (August 01) the FX 0ne in Brest, France (Brittany) in the open ocean force 2 building to 4 with 1 meter tight chop. It was configured with 2 trapeze and a standard spinnaker. Our combined weight was 170 kilos.
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<br>To answer a question...The boat does perform better than a Hobie 17. Is that however, the approx. 12,000USD question?
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<br>Given the wide range of choices now emerging on the market, I would not settle for the mediocre acceleration, and dramaticly unsmooth way in which this craft slammed over (on top of) and not through the waves it has been touted to 'pierce.' -regardless of our attempts to stay firmly footed forward. What does look aesthtically pleasing to the eye about its avant garde hulls and shiny new finish is absolutely nullified in performance by its 'oyster barge' weight. In addition, although we didn't flip her, I would estimate that you would have as much luck righting her as with a Hobie Miracle 20 -singlehanded. (BTW, I too saw the FX one over in Texel 2001 and watched it blown to the beach as its rather study sailor struggled to not make the Texel 2001 video).
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<br> I was actually hoping to report that Hobie had a winner after spending many happy years on a H16 and Miracle 20, however I would emphatically recommend that you SAIL several of the F16 offerings ( configurable to suit your moods: single or double handed with or without jib/spinakker and reportedly going to be raced in F16 sponsored regattas in both singlehanded and crewed config...still being discussed) in varying sea states and wind conditions. Then carefully note your personal reactions versus the hype --which will inevitably come as the FX one makes it way into the frontal lobe of your local dealor.
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<br>Furthermore, I would recommend that you evaluate the farsighted comments made regarding a closely related issue in a post on this (new)forum begun by Mark Schneider entitled: "F16 versus F18 market appeal" and factually answered using the FX One as a real world example, by Wouter.
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<br>(mark schneider)
<br>I just read about the development of the F16 rule and it appears that one of their goals is to have the boat rate the same as the formula 18 class (quite possible since these builders are knocking 150 lbs off of the boat?)
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<br>My question and concern is ... Are the *US builders and dealers jumping on the F18 bandwagon in the US .. 8 years too late!! Will they be selling a boat which will have little appeal to the sailing public in a few years (see history of all other 18 foot boats since H/P 18's) . What is the marketing strategy for selling a 400 lb boat (F18) to the public versus a 250 lbs or so F16. If the boats will compete boat for boat on the water.... This would seem to be a no brainer...
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<br>(BTW I just finished racing the Bim F16 at the catfight and had a blast on this little boat. I really enjoyed being able to move the boat around and really hated helping to move the 400 lb boats though that soft sand.)
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<br>Perhaps the US Market should skip the F18 generation of boats and pick up on the F16 to serve the demand for a performance boat in the 16 to 18 foot market!
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<br>(Wouter)
<br>…..I think that the A-cat class might well be better of at 16 foot now that its weight has dropped of from way above 100 kg many years ago to 75 kg now. The boat may not need the full length anymore for it's crosssection is already very small and it's length might now only create more unneeded wetted surface area. May this is just why the flyer A-cat is so succesful ? its strange bow is effectively shortening it's waterline length. This is just a theory I'm working on right now , but it seems to fit the facts the best. and it would explain why the heavy boats like the FX-one and Fox aren't capable of forfilling their intended advantage over the I-20's and such…..
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<br>If you have any additional questions feel free to email me, I even have 3 nice pictures of the FX one we sailed that day.
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<br>Good Luck!
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<br>Best,
<br>David <br><br>