Given that the F18 class is a development class, newer designs should be faster than older ones. So what do you think would be the speed difference between an Inter 18 and the Nacra F18 that replaced it. Let's assume that the Inter 18 has been brought up to date with spinni chute - the big difference being the hull design. Also assume the use is for upwind-downwind courses.

If you had to offer a handicap rating to even things out, what would you suggest, compared to 1.00 for the Nacra F18?

Cheers
Simon

Where do you get a rating of 1.00 for F18.

SCHRS is 101 and I think Texel is 1.02 for F18 / inter 18.

I think you will struggle to get anyone who would give an old F18 (the Inter 18 rates as an F18) a slower handicap. This is the issue with Formula classes, the old ones will die/become un-competitive.

Simon - my mistake on the Nacra F18 rating. It should be 1.01. Taking that as a base, I wonder how people would rate the Inter 18, based on gut feel. This is not to be used for real racing, but as a means of making a comparison between the designs. Theoretically I could buy either boat - but I don't want to waste the extra £2-3,000 on an Nacra F18 if I (i.e. me, an average Joe) cannot expect it to be any faster.

Put another way - how much further up the pack am I likely to finish on an Nacra F18 instead of an Inter18? I fully realise that most of my time is lost on slow tacks and gybes etc, so I am looking to the time when I have improved to the extent that boat design is important to my results.

Looking at Race results shows Nacra F18s beating Inter 18s almost all the time - but I imagine this is largely due to the better sailors upgrading to the latest boat, thereby showing good results for the boat. Do these guys put their lead down to the new boat design, or their skill?

I also figure that the Nacra F18 is designed for upwind/downwind racing, whereas the Inter18 is a more all-rounder. That makes me think there is a real difference on the race course.

Anyone prepared to say it's all down to the boat??? If not, why are Inter 18s so cheap?

Cheers
Simon

Simon

I don't think the Inter 18 was produced to be a F18 boat. The Inter 18 has a carbon mast and snuffer system that would have to be changed to race in the F18 class. For a while the Inter 18 was allowed to race with the carbon mast but not anymore. If you are going to buy an Inter 18 you will have to change the mast and snuffer system to race F 18 now. That cost might make the Inter not such a great deal.

UK inter 18's always (I believe) came with Alu Masts.

Simon appears to be European and in Europe, where the I-18 was first launched well ahead of the US launch, the I-18 was always fully F18 compliant.

Wouter

Wand a hot tip ?

Source a cheap and well maintained Dart Hawk F18.

Throw all 3 sails away and get a new set from Landenberger on the mast bend specs you give him. Smooth up the hulls and boards to a shine and race this boat.

That hull shape is still really good and is actually closer to the newer hot shapes like the Capricorn F18 than either I-18 and Nacra F18.

Have the beams reseated by a glass repair guy for extra stiffness if you want too, but you can forget about that.

Most people think the Dart Hawk is a bad design. However this is not the case it was killed by exchange rates (UK to Europe) and the fact that Hobie and Nacra bought the top sailors away.

It involves some work but it is the best secondhander F18 you can get.

Wouter

Us Sailing has both boats listed as PN62.5 Why would you have to offer anything to even things out? If you add a kite then the standard multiplier is .98 but for me it would depend on the size and the wind for the day. (a 350 ft^2 chute on a light air day would be more like .97 or on a heavy air day .995) Or just race and have fun and see how it turns out.

Simon,
INTER 18 sailors that have change to a NACRA F18 in Europe have mentioned some real difference in boat speed. The overall performance of the NACRA F18 is said to be better, whereas the INTER 18 is said to be not so bad in light air. The hull disign, and that I can state myself, makes the hulls slamm more in chop and waves thus slowing the boat down. But there are more xperts out here who can better decribe it themselves.

Fritz

Hi Fritz, It has been a while but the Inter 18s that raced in Michigan were known to be relatively slow in light air and more competitive in a breeze. We used to beat them in lighter air boat for boat with the Hobie 18. Of course, that was back in the days when most cat sailors also did not know how to use a spinnaker. Like you described, I remember the excuses being that the rounded hull bottoms really slapped the waves and bounced around a lot in the Lake Michigan chop. The Hobie 18 hulls were fairly thin and sliced the waves better. I still think that if you upgraded the rig and sails on a Hobie 18 platform that it would surprise a lot of people with its performance! I briefly raced a Hobie 18 with a full, mylar flat top mainsail (only change) that beat Hobie 20s boat for boat in light to medium air.

Mike