Hi Guys

I am new to the F16 page and am after your advice.
I am just getting back into sailin after about 5 years at Uni and working my way into a decent job.

I have purchased "the taipan" 001. I stole it for $2700.00 or so I thought. A new rig, front beam, Ashby sail (big and full for heavy sloop)and alot of work later I have a still good looking tight and stiff 4.9.

I weigh in at just on 100Kg and sail cat rigged (love the big sail). The F16 really appeals to me but I am hanging back for too reasons.

1. I need to gte back into things and working a kite would absolutly nacker me at the moment.

2. Would the old hulls stand up to a kite. I see the mossies doing OK with them????? or are they new mossies

Your thoughts on number 2. mostly please.
I am starting to sail at Humpybong in Brisbane any F16 in the area???

Cheers

I dont see any issues with an old wooden hull handling the loads.
If the ply is sound and hulls dont flex you should be fine..

Stewart

The hulls should stand up alight, BUT it is an early number, so to be safe, insure the cat for closer to its replacement cost rather than what you paid for it. Remember that there are very few replacement parts for cat’s second hand, particularly hulls. Then if the hulls fail you can have them replaced with new factory ones at no loss to you. Great for your peace of mind. Sailing one up with spinnaker is a breeze, if you set everything up efficiently, in fact we have found that with the kite, downwind is less stressful and less tiring than without, and upwind is just the same as sailing without a kite anyway.

cheers guys looks like i am going to buy myself a snuffer kit for XMAS.

>>... Ashby sail (big and full for heavy sloop) ...

Just for my personal interest, do you have a F16 main or a Taipan 4.9 main ?


I weigh in at just on 100Kg and sail cat rigged (love the big sail). The F16 really appeals to me but I am hanging back for too reasons.



2. Would the old hulls stand up to a kite. I see the mossies doing OK with them????? or are they new mossies

A good rule of thumb is that when a boat (hulls) stands up well to being sailed as a sloop than it will stand up well to be sailed with a kite. Pretty much the bridle wires and the forestay tension when sailing upwind are loading up the hulls more than a kite ever does. The only problem area with the kite are the very bow tips that take the lines stabilizing the spi pole. But if you really have to than you can easily reinforce this area on the outside. Pretty much make sure that you don't pull the two sides inwards or shear the very tip off. Personally I feel you are safe here when you drill the holes and stuff the space between the sides will filler and resin and then redrill the holes. This should be enough to immoblize the tips and have the point load distributed. Apart from that, a well made timber hull does fine under a spinnaker. Several (old) timber boats were converted and I have not heard of any issues yet.


1. I need to gte back into things and working a kite would absolutly nacker me at the moment.

Personally I never sail without a kite ever, not even in extremely rough conditions. Like Darryl says, sailing with a kite downwind is less tiring and less stressful. Only part that you need to build up are hand muscules as these will be worked hard on both the upwind and downwind now and in the beginning you will cramps coming on. But one these have been build up then the kite ride downwind is prefered over a ride downwind without.

Ohh, the first times you pull the kite solo will be exiting if not stressful, but that is all mental. That is because you expect it to be very hard. In reality however you quickly come to terms with it and then it is like a piece of cake. Start first in 8 knots of wind and then work your way up. You will find that you will work your way up in windstrengths quicker than you thought at first.



Isn't Ben Kelly sailing Taipan F16 in your area. Brisbane is near the gold coast right ?

Wouter

Hi 001,

welcome to F16, sailing the Taipan with kite one up should be ideal for you at 100kg. The rig is very powerful downwind, must say I do find downwind quite physicaly demanding though, it's all about going as hard as you feel comfortable with. I am sure you can work your way back into it.

As far as the boat is concerned, it should be strong enough, some of the Mossies fitted with kites are old ply ones and I have heard no problems, just make sure bow is solid where you drill through for spinnaker ropes and if it isn't, inject filler into cavity between ply and drill through again.

As far as F16 in your area I am not sure, there are some around Brisbane though, the Horizon sails loft has a Taipan F16 sailor involved who has posted on Forum.

Regards Gary.