I'd like to hear about people who've had the chance to test sail th new FX-ONE. I'm considering a replacement for my Prindle 16. I'm 250pounds dry and solid and I'd like to know if the FX ONE's worth the big price tag (y'know, canadian dollars those days...).My setup would be the Mainsail-spinnaker combo. I also consider the Nacra 5.2( very similar and available used) and the Inter 17.
<br>I sail on the St-Lawrence River in Quebec City, and wind's are pretty strong when combined with the tides effect.
<br>Thank you,
<br> The Frenchie<br><br>

Hi - I haven't sailed the FX-One, but I've sailed the I20 and I17R and they extremely sweet-sailing boats. Also, they are very well-engineered and have lots of little convenience features to make your life easier. I have seen a Fox, and it did not appear to be as well-engineered or as user-friendly as the I20.<br><br>Note that the Fox costs something like $1000 USD more than the I20 does, and with the I20 you get a carbon mast and spinnaker pole instead of an aluminum mast/pole on the Fox. I assume that the FX-One is similar in this regard.<br><br>Sail fast and have fun,<br>Alan Thompson<br>I20 - San Diego<br><br>P.S. If you are ever out here, let me know and maybe we can get you a test-drive on the I20.<br><br>

You don't list the Nacra 5.5uni specifically, but it is a boat designed for carrying weight (minimum for the sloop, same platform, is 275.) Also, the PN is nice; if you put a chute on it, the D-PN for distance racing is 67.0 compared to 66.6 for the I-17R and no number yet for the FX-One. Also, the 5.5 is about 6" longer and 3.5" wider than the 17R; I can't say how it compares dimensionally to the FX One.
<br>Anyway, I was 260 dry when I got my uni, and was one place into or one out of trophies four of the first five regattas I sailed. (I was very last in the sixth and won the seventh.)
<br>
<br>good luck, and sail fast
<br>AT<br><br>Andrew Tatton
<br>Nacra 5.5u #417 +chute

The FX-one has been discussed here many times so scroll down this forum and the old open forum and read the comments made by several people whop sailed it. The same applies to the Inter 17 R and inter 17 normal. Most discussions appeared the last5 weeks.
<br>
<br>Good look researching
<br>
<br>Wouter<br><br>

See, you are making the right choices already. One up boat are a special ride. Don't get me wrong, you can take family and friends out and turn itinto a camper.
<br>
<br>I have a I 17 normal. I could not be pleased more. My sailing friends all want to take her for a spin. In fact, my ex 5.8 skipper asked me if he could use my I-17 in a local race if I was not going to.......it is a great boat.
<br>
<br>Check out the used !-17's at ; www.cathouse1.com
<br>
<br>They are out of Michigan and you can drivre down and get a used one and save some $ too!
<br>
<br>regards,
<br>
<br>Bruce
<br>
<br>St. Croix, Virgin Islands<br><br>

Solo Man:
<br>
<br>I just purchased a I-17R and could not be happier. Before that boat, the only thing I ever sailed was a Hobie 16, which I still have and like a great deal. I was nervous about going to something with a spinnaker, however the I-17R is really easy to operate and very exciting to go downwind on.
<br>
<br>By all means, try everything before you buy, because everyone has a different opinion. I think you will be very pleased with the I-17R.
<br>
<br>I never tried the FX one nor have I seen one, so I cannot comment on the boat.
<br>
<br>Russ<br><br>

Solo Man
<br>
<br>I too can only on the I17R, and my comment is ;
<br>
<br>FLY INTER
<br>
<br><br><br>CR, Inter 17R USA 107

Thank you all so much for taking time to answer my post!!!
<br>I have to say that the 5.5 did cross my mind, but I was not so sure about all time(weather) rightability in solo.
<br>5.5s always place very high in our races...must be a good sign .
<br>I17's are very rare aroud here. Once heard there might be 3 total in province.
<br>The big trend now are FORMULAS 18. There's many INTER 18, 1TIGER and some Twisters. INTERs place very well, but the TIGER's pretty fast too. It all depends on who's holding the stick..
<br>Nice sailing everyone, there's only 3 weeks left for us, so have fun for us.
<br><br><br>

with a roller furler the 5.5sl is a great solo boat. have had mine for only 2 months but have been out on it on nearly every sailable day.<br><br>

I am sailing with an hobie 17 for several years but after sailing several times with both cats I must say that I am inpresd aubout the fx-one,better than that I orderd one just last week.
<br>However I must wait for the new saison becouce here in the netherlands it`s over(and my wife is in labour!)
<br>
<br>sail fast
<br>
<br>mark<br><br>

Wouter has suggested scrolling for more information, but if you want to save a lot of time, utilize the "Search" on this software -- it is great!
<br>1) Click on "Search" and that will open up a form
<br>2) Select which forum -- you can select All Forum, or any singular forum
<br>3) Select the word(s) you are seeking
<br>4) Select the Options
<br>5) Select Date Range (you can select all posts or and dates)
<br>6) Default is 25 posts per page, but you can change that
<br>70 Click "Submit" and all the post containing your criteria will be there for your perusal
<br>Cool, eh? You know the old Forum stuggled with stuff like that.
<br>
<br>By the way, I have had a lot of fun with the very lightweight Taipan 4.9 as a unirig and with rollerfurling Hooter -- in around the buoys races I have been right behind the A-Class boats (good sailors, by the way), at the weather mark, and then smoke them off the wind.
<br>Downwind in a recent distance race (long 10-mile downwind first leg) I was right behind the Inter 20s and Nacras w/spin at the first mark (about 10 miles), and was ahead of all the 20' sloop boats (H20, Tornado, etc), and lost most of them on the upwind leg, finishing right with the H20s. On the upwind I did have some problems that kept me from doing better. There was a lot of kelp and I had to literally stop all the time to raise boards, rudders and then continue (problem with single-handing). And I am not as agile as I was now that I am 65 and overweight. I was really getting exhausted going in and out of the trapeze a zillion times. It was grim!
<br>The Hooter is really fast off the wind, escpecially for lighter boats that do not require big shoulders for power. And it furls within two boat lengths.
<br>
<br>Just food for thought
<br>Rick<br><br>Rick White
<br>Catamaran Sailor Magazine
<br>email: rick@catsailor.com

Rick, thanks for sharing this performance data
<br>
<br>>> .. I have had a lot of fun with the very lightweight Taipan 4.9 as a unirig and with rollerfurling Hooter -- in around the buoys races I have been right behind the A-Class boats (good sailors, by the way), at the weather mark, and then smoke them off the wind.
<br>Downwind in a recent distance race (long 10-mile downwind first leg) I was right behind the Inter 20s and Nacras w/spin at the first mark (about 10 miles), and was ahead of all the 20' sloop boats (H20, Tornado, etc), and lost most of them on the upwind leg, finishing right with the H20s. On the upwind I did have some problems that kept me from doing better.
<br>
<br>
<br>This sort of data is very welcome to validate the models and claim developped in relation to the F16HP class.
<br>
<br>Thanks alot, it was good to hear that we're still on the right track.
<br>
<br>To bad we can't incorporate the Hooter though. This sail gets killed under Texel and ISAF handicap rating.
<br>
<br>Wouter
<br><br><br>

dear rick,
<br>
<br>It sound fun kicking butt with the hooter but here(netherlands) we are sailing almost only with the texel rating.
<br>I tried to get a rating for a h-17 with an reacher but the comision did not accept it and talking with them they anouncd the same thing about the hooter.
<br>
<br>mark
<br>
<br>ps; I just orderd the hobie fx-one with snuffer<br><br>

Just changed from a Hobie 17Sport to a NACRA 5.5SL w/chute.

No comparison in the 2 boats, the 5.5SL does EVERYTHING better and a heck of a lot faster, and with so many choices of sail combinations & PN's I can optimize my PN's to race in any conditions. You're right, ya can't right it solo unassisted. I bought a SOLORIGHT and soved the problem forever. Righted the boat in 20 knots solo, NO prob. 5.5 is a lot more affordable than those others you mentioned, don't think you're gonnna find a better, more versatile performance boat for the money.

CARY

Matt:

My 5.5SL has everything I want except RF. I'm 3 months into it, still tweaking a few things to make it right just for me. HAve a big Asymm Smyth chute, Think I want to convert that to a RF Hooter just to make it singlehandable with the chute in bigger air. HAve two stock jibs too, wondered about possibility of just converting over to RF jib with the stock jib on a furler or do I have to have them recut? Looks like you could just take the 2 little battens out and it would work on a furler. Got any pics of your RF setup you could send my way? Thanks,

CARY

The 5.5 Uni carbon is easy to right and a very fast boat. I have one for sale in the classifieds. You can talk to the Cathouse about it - it's in great shape and has been a great baot for me.



Mike

"Frenchie"



A local FOX owner just ordered a FX-1

It is supposed to be in St. Croix Mermorial Day weekend ( May 25th)

It is a very pricey rig when compared to a Inter or NAcra Uni.

So, now we will see what the boat is all about. I will post info on trials as it occurs, (...he will be training with me on the I-17 normal)

Oh,..no spin ordered,..kinda hard for one body to handle in 20+mph!



regards,



Bruce



St. Croix,US Virgin Islands

I'm the poster formely known as SOLO MAN



Heh, I've just ordered my Inter 17R, fully loaded with spinnaker\snuffer and carbon mast. It'ill be so much fun. I'm switching from a Prindle 16, you can guess what a change it will be. I still have one more week to wait...



Have a blast!

I just got my FX-One and I am very pleased with it.....the hull design is very clean and the low profile on the bows works very well here in Caribbean..where we get some pretty good rolling seas...it cuts right through the waves...its faster up wind than I thought it would be and faster downwind ..the downhaul is a great set up just like the Fox and the mast rotator line runs under the tramp to the hulls..very easy to make changes downwind.......another beachcater here has a I-17 so we can train together and see how we fare against each other.......

To those who have fitted a H17 with a snuffer/hooter... I could use some advice. I desire to do this eventually to my 17sport, but I have some questions. If anyone can answer some simple questions, I'd really appreciate it.



First, from perusing Murray's sail section, its not entirely clear as to which sail to purchase.



Second, adding a load on a mast that has no diamond wires seems like quite a risky endevor (as was astutely pointed out to me). Should diamond wires be retrofitted onto the h17 mast for this?



Thanks.