23 boats present, great weather and a good time was had by all.

Pix to follow.

Fly, SquidPig!!!


Make that mark your own!!


Ok, tack is off!!


Heading up!!


Why is this man smiling?


Might still save it!!
[img]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4519663126_26187cd53b_o.jpg[/img]

Ahhh Jeez...
[img]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4003/4519026709_6889211fb6_o.jpg[/img]

Crewless.
[img]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4519026729_1844e1b0b7_o.jpg[/img]

The boys were in a very solid second place and this was the last gate in the race. Breeze was on and they were smoking. Sucked they lost it in the rounding, but they got back on their feet quick.

Thanks to Wendy Daunheimer for the pics!

Great series of photo's.

Is there a website somewhere containing the rest ?

Wouter

Thanks JW (and Pete, and Karl)...
I personally LOVE the pics of the squidpig on Robbies/red gear FB page... i will leave it to "you" to find them

Photos from day 1 of the F16 Nationals can be found at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wendyspics/collections/72157623725636189/

A special thanks to Wendy Daunheimer for taking the pictures and for Jill Nickerson being willing to take her out on a coach boat getting her closer to the action.

I almost forgot to mention. The photos on Flicker are "web" quality. If someone wants one a full res, send me a PM.

PS congrats to all that raced and to Robbie and JW for the win

Thanks for sharing. Looks like there was some pretty close racing. Fantastic to see such a well attended event and a diverse fleet. Now that the event is done, are there any conclusions to draw about the different boats and singlehanded vs doublehanded? In general what were people's impressions of how the Viper, Blade, Falcon and Taipan competed? Any obvious speed differences that you wouldn't just put down to crew work? Any thoughts on whether any of these designs go better 1 or 2-up?

From a performance stand point, the boats are amazingly similar! The real difference is the nut on the tiller. At around 12 knots, maybe ten, the sloops begin to pull away. The greatest separation seems to come at the windward mark as the sloops get their spinnakers set faster. From my vantage point on the beach this was really obvious.

One thing that doesn't show in the results is that each of the top three boats was able to pull at least one horizon job on the rest of the fleet. Another, Matt & Gina on the Falcon did an amazing thing on Sunday. They were fully four minutes late to the start (after beach repair) and still pulled off a fifth place finish. You had to see it to believe it.

The real story is consistency; Robbie and JW are machine like in their precision. They just don't make any noticable errors.

I have no freakin' idea how anyone can singlehand one of these boats. I'm not arguing for job security's sake - seriously... when the breeze is on, I just don't see that being alone on the boat is fast. There were no one-ups in the top ten... it seems to be a crew-intensive class to me. Even in the light stuff, the two-ups constantly gained ground at the corners...

UNI's RULE! We are waiting for that young rock star to bring order to the universe!

In 6-8 knots there is a pretty clear advantage over the sloops.

I believe that in certain conditions the one-up will be favourered and in others the 2-up boats. Probably you will be faster with 4 hands in heavier winds.
I also believe that the advantage or disadvantage you have as one-up is rather small and that the skipper is still the biggest factor in the end. (cfr first 2 GC).

Thanks for the compliment, but I'm pretty sure the sun must have been in your eyes a couple of times.

or perhaps he was focusing on your hair (can be distracting)

I'm still driving...........................

Did you get stuck behind a school bus or something?

John, I think at least one Uni finished in the top 10 in nearly every individual race, just not overall, mostly due to breakage and DNF's. Your point is well taken however, in 20 knots of wind, it is very difficult to snuff and drive at the same time, and the two ups deffinately have an advantage there! Kris Hathaway had a 4, 3 and a 5. Ed Mills had a 6, 4 and 8. Constatine Seremetis had a 5 and 6. I had a 9, 9, 9, and in the last race, still in pretty good wind, a 3, but of course you were already on the beach by then!

Hey Tim -

Yes, I meant the final standings. I have enormous respect for someone who decides they would rather singlehand this boat. I'm just as busy on the front of an F16 as I am on the F18 - there is absolutely no difference. As absorbed as I get during mark-roundings, I can't imagine trying to drive a smooth line at the same time. Hats off, bud.

Thanks JW, but there was nothing "smooth" about it! I ended up swimming during the "Snuff from hell". Nothing like having the boat gybe on you while the spin is only half way down! ;^)

It's a lot more like a one legged man in an butt-kicking contest!

If it's blowing I would prefer to sail with crew, I just can't find anyone willing to put up with me. I am trying to train my 13 yr. old daughter, I'm just affraid it will cost me in the long run...like when she turns 16 and wants some -payback-!

I think it MIGHT be a time and crew issue....


Lots of people in the UK sailed with crews adn then crews stopped sailinmg for various reasons; or we (in my case) could not commit the time to have a crew as I cannot always plan when I sail). As a result; most F16's in the UK sail single handed.

Is it hard - you betcha
Is it reqwarding - VERY
Is it scary - yep when it's windy!!! But it's fun!

Missing sailing a LOT at the moment.....