Hi folks,just moved over here from Europe with a rband new Hobie 16.
<br>I would like to sail with you and unfortunately heared that you are not sailing the one design aluminium mast as we do in Europe.
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<br>Will I be allowed to participate with my alu mast?
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<br>If yes, I promise to be a good competitor.
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<br>Fritz<br><br>

I know it sucks that we have to use the stupid comptip mast. The rule in North America is you have to get a comptip mast to race, so I would keep your awesome aluminum stick and then buy a comptip Mast (you could probably find one used fairly easy in your area). I have an aluminum stick that I use for non-Hobie regattas and with my Trapseat spinnaker. then of course I use the comptip mast for the Hobie regattas, works for me.
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<br>By the way did you bring your Euro style spinnaker? And how long are you staying in the states? Its always great to get a Euro H16 racer here in the states as it seems you guys (and gals) can really get the H16 singing.<br><br>

Hi, I was jsut selling the Spi, because of the races I hardly could use it. WIll be staying here for at least 3 years.
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<br>See u.
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<br>Frtiz<br><br>

''because of the races" you mean because of the H16 type races that don't allow spinnakers?
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<br>I talked with a Dutch H16 sailor that indicated that he felt the Euro spinnaker did not really add that much speed to the H16 and suggested to me that a square top main would add more performance (sense neither the spin or square top main are class legal). I was also told the spin created more pitchpole episodes on the H16 due to the spin pulling the leeward bow under.
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<br>With the Trapseat spinnaker the pitchpole, issue is not an issue unless of course, you go on to high a course, but still I thought the asymmetrical spin might be something to look at but I guess not.
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<br>If you get interested about Trapseat sailing go to www.sail-s.com and click on the Trapseat news section.<br><br>

The SPI is much fun in all winds up to 6 Beaufort.
<br>No SPi helps or tends pitchpoling - any SPI including mine gives the boat a lift, sometimes so much that you must sit quite in the front of the trampoline.
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<br>Rigcht I sold this Spi because mosto f the time I am racing.
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<br>We compared with top sailors other kinds of sail material sponsored by Hobie Europe, but none of the boats got faster, not even with a Mylar sail and the vertical cut!<br><br>

Are you saying you tired a H16 with a square top main and it didn't add any speed?
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<br>What do you think about a spi being used on the H16 and in official H16 races? Also sounds like the spin is fun but did it really add a lot of performance to the H16 in that open races it would be worth using?
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<br>Thanks for answering my questions.<br><br>

We tried a high and tall sail, similar to the TIGER old main and found out that it was not better if any.
<br>We think that it has to do with the boatlength and the fomula 2,43 Square Foot of waterlength or so means the hull has reached its max. achievable speed.
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<br>SPI and Regattas.
<br>We have discussed this for a long time and finally taken the good old 16er as a race boat because of the following reasons (excuse my English but I am not a native speaker):
<br>- challenging class for mixed teams (men and women) the F 18 quite often face some problems with mixed teams in high winds (25+ knots)
<br>- a boat that also addresses newcomers but is still sophisticated enough that to show the differences between good and top teams (admitting that the boat is downwind not fast BUT with a lot of interesting tactics
<br>- we faced what was done to the HC 18 and later HC 18 formula, means downgoing class to many variants
<br>- we have a SPI boat for those who like it the TIGER
<br>- the 16er still is affordable
<br>.
<br>The EHCA is still thinking whether to improve some things which were first discussed at the 2000 worlds in Guadeloupe. That is the downhaul system - and an adjustable rake even from the trapez as well as an adjustable mast rotation. I sailed a "prototype" of this boat in Guadeloupe and this makes fun.
<br>Too many changes/ alterations with the boat and we will face the HC 18 situation!
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<br>Regards Fritz
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<br>still sailing the conventional HC 16<br><br>

Hi Fritz,
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<br>Welcome!! Where are you planning to be sailing out of?? My wife & I both have 16's that we race quite frequently!! With each other and against! We are located in Upstate NY and have a very active group of H 16 sailors with a great weekly series. We race locally and at any Continentals/Worlds that are practical.
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<br>Where are you planning to sail out of?
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<br>Look forward to meeting you on and off the H2O :-)
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<br>Tom Korz
<br>
<br>H 16 102788
<br>Tiger 855
<br>I-20 232<br><br>

Thanks for the information once again. It would be great to see a better downhaul system, and an adjustable rake system that could be adjusted from the trapez would also be nice. Yes a very simple but effective adjustable mast rotation system would be nice and which would hopefully help the mast from slapping back and forth in light wind, etc. So have you heard if Hobie Europe was going to follow through with these changes (hopefully keeping the changes simple and affordable). I must add I do like the sqaure top main on my H16 for non-Hobie regattas as it does add that extra kick that I need up wind.
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<br>Also I think your right keeping the Tiger as the primary spinnaker boat and not mess to much with a good thing within the H16 class is smart. In the H16 Trapseat class we have a spinnaker match racing event called the International Trapseat Cup but that is the only event we use spinnakers for. Of course if there was enough interest within the H16 class in spinnaker they could always develop a spinnaker event just to see how far the interest will go.<br><br>