Hi, was just asked by Rolf how the F16s are doing far east in China, so...

We have 5 Taipan 4.9 now at the lake and a 6th is expected to join the fleet in spring from someone who moved from Singapore to Shanghai.

We still do occasional races but the biggest struggle so far was to get all Taipans on to the water the same time.

People downhere always move here for working, not for living, so very often working shedules define the few leisure time and that does not always suit a fixed racing calendar. Skills of the different sailors are also very different making sailing not so close anyhow.

Our earlier efforts to get jibs suitable for frontbeamsheeting produced in China also got stucked, one sailor just went for the proven Godall one (which is really very nice product) and I was quite happy in recutting a diagonal mylar jib and adding full length battens. Surely not competitive to the Godall jib, it still was an easy way to go. We couldn't really find a Chinese sailmaker and most of the other crews are happy with what they have or sail to seldom anyhow to be more enthusiastic about modifications to their boats. The modifications for frontbeam sheeting were simply moving the old sidetracks to the frontbeam and this works quite well.

I broke my mast last season when sailing with heavy crew under larger F18 spinnaker and the mastrotator failed in a gust, derotating the mast. Meanwhile a new mast is fitted with a standard spi and the boat is up for sale as I put nowadays more time into the SC20, which basically was bought to go out sailing with more people as I got a little bored by sailing the Taipan F16 singlehanded. Specially under spinnaker its a nice boat but upwind it never gave me the fun I was used from the A. Some sail the Taipans in the classical father-kid configuration, and for this (or light crews) I still believe its probably the best class around.
For some pics of our club activities (and a few Taipan pics) feel free to visit the clubs webpage www.shanghaibyc.org and search the gallery.

Good to see it is all going well in China. Interesting to see a Singapore boat going north. Not sure which boat that is. Are you coming down to Singapore for the Monsoon Cup again? Hopefully more wind than last year. Been quite nice lately.

The Singapore fleet is quite strong with people looking for boats and none for sail. Latest addition to the Taipan fleet was one of the Taipans from Thailand. Some of the new boat owners are quite fast. Also the oldest Taipan sailor is still going strong and sailing every weekend.

Bit of interest about the Viper with production in Thailand, so a local built boat. Waiting to see what it looks like. Alice is trying to check interest to organise an initial order.

We also have 3 A-Cats now with one the Mk2 Flyers from Ashby's Geltek joining the fleet.

Cheers
JC

How about a bit like this ?



Wouter

Dirk,

Could you say hello to Al Skinner from me? We used to keep our Lasers next to each other at Port Edgar before he escaped from his daughter - sorry, I meant "moved to Shanghai". <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

George

Hi George,

it will be a pleasure to do so! I see him on a regular base and he is a main contributor for the club and one of its early founder. Not sure he escaped his daughter, he once commented to me that his daughter stopped crewing for him saying "father, your boat is not cool enough!" and headed for something bigger and faster than his 1/4 tonner is :-) So who escaped whom first ... ? ;-) I am still trying to get him on to two hulls again (he sailed A in its early times) but seems he feels more happy with one hull nowadays. Somehow it's true: even catsailors like one hull ... in the air! LOL

Hi James, nice to hear from you again! So you finally settled down in Singapore? Not such a bad choice! The guy I sailed with moved to Shanghai some months ago and at that time there were no people interested in his boat, so he shipped it. Not sure that last years strange jury decision favouring a local club property owner is related to that ;-)but it somehow limits my enthusiasm to return. Good to hear so that you found some competition there. Surely miss that.

Hi Dirk, Settled in Singapore after spending 6 months in London. Crazy, went to the UK to work and they sent back to Singapore. Definitely not complaining. Missed winter which was a bonus.

The Singapore cat regattas start at the end of January after the Singapore Straits yacht regatta.

Cheers
JC

Interested in seeking more info on the Viper
Anyone got a link please

Steve

No link yet. Contact AHPC directly if you want to know more. But there is a buzz in the network. Somebody is leaking info and that is usually a sign that something is coming. A while back they really wanted to have the prototype on the water this winter, meaning now !

Last I spoke to Greg was early november.

Last I heard of Jim was his announcement that he terminated his company Boyerfibre Craft and that he wasn't building any boats anymore. Alot of stuff went over to AHPC under the direction of Greg Goodall but the Taipan moulds did not. Jim has kept those, probably in storage somewhere, but can't respond to any order because he doesn't have the tools anymore. Similar story with the A's. Glenn Ashby and Scott Pickering are now producing the new flyer A-cat under the Geltek name and "The Tool" A-cat moulds were given back to the original owner. That leaves AHPC with only mark 4 and 5 boyer A-cat moulds but no-one is buying those types anymore. And of course the Taipan 5.7 was discontinued a while ago.

So this leaves AHPC producing ONLY the Capricorn at this time.

I imagine that if they didn't had an new design coming that they would want one relatively soon. Greg assured me personally (and to some others as well) that the Viper F16 was that new design. He quoted me even the retail prices in different area's. But currently I'm also waiting for a sign that launches the boat in earnest. Haven't seen it yet.

So my best advice is to just phone AHPC and ask them.

Wouter