F16s on the Chesapeake Bay

Us guys in Annapolis (West River) are picking up two Blade F16s from the Alter Cup. We have one active F16 racer (Taipan) here, an active Taipan at another club 1 hr south of here and a couple of others that come out occasionally. Anybody else in the Annap, Balto, DC area? Did I hear that there might be an F16 or two from the Alter Cup going to Va. Beach also? Thanks. Ed

sounds like we might need to schedule SpringFever '08 as an F16 event to bring together the SE and Mid-Atlantic F16 fleet. This would be a location that is almost equidistant for the AL, FL and VA F16 fleet.


BTW, Jax Regatta is Labor Day weekend .... any of you from VA want to come down?

Hmm... toss in the Nacra F17's from Michigan and Sandy Hook and you have a pretty nice start of spin single handers...

Just sayin!

Hmmm...You may have something there. I wonder how that would play out? Would these platforms run pretty close to each other speed wise? What are the numbers Mark? Just wonderin. Ed

Ed:

Blade 65.2
Narca F-17 66.7

Should be a VERY interesting race.

Doug

F16's would actually have to show up at SF for that to happen.

BTW, in FL we run sloop and cat at the same DPN # of 65.2 (cat is rated at 67.1)

That way we can compete in a 1-design without having to make adjustments for time...first across wins. This also helps out when you have a crew for Saturday but sail uni on Sunday (or vice versa)...no adjustments necessary.

Trey, Don't make me get my daggerboard out AGAIN for you!!

That actually was a skiff daggerboard. An F16 dagger would most certainly be way too small and would not support the weight of the key lime pie.

Yeah. I was surprised by the F16 showing at SF but what can I say, I bailed out. Maybe everyone was wore out from the GYC Invitational. Lunch, you going to Tommy Whiteside? Ill be there Friday afternoon. Ed

It would be great to get a crowd of F16's at Spring Fever next year!! By then there will be two here in Chattanooga and one in B'ham that I know of. (Rick came all the way from Canada so no one should have an excuse.) Spring Fever was a great time this year as always. Nigel and Mr. Ernie put on a great regatta!

BTW, in FL we run sloop and cat at the same DPN # of 65.2 (cat is rated at 67.1)

Terry - We agreed to do that here with our open class racing with WRCRA.

eD

As in Special Ed.

Sorry Duck!

Not that I don't highly recommend coming to the Spring Fever Regatta, but it would be a HAUL for the mid-atlantic folks.

True ... times from various F16 locations (locations picked up from the F16 Frapper site .... if you aren't registered on Frapper, go do it now and populate the map with F16 owners -- and soon-to-be owners)

WW F16 Frapper Map

EDITED---Note: Error in list ... see later reply for accurate times to Lake Hartwell

So, one could say that Lake Lanier is "mutually inconvenient" for most everyone (except Jeffrey in Atlanta)...

Well Spring Fever is at Lake Hartwell which is about another 45 minutes to an hour NE of Lanier <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

10 hrs is an easy drive without getting ragged out.

Can't you put them boats in boxes and send em fedex?

It'd be like... $3.25, and a goat maybe.

<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Okay what's this preoccupation with goats? Is it something the kids are into these days?

I think it has to do with the move to Ga. I should know, I was born there. Its really not a Baaaaaad place.

Ok, the location is good. But, do we have to do it when it's soooooooooooo cold!!!

Does this mean it's open season on sheep herder jokes?

We just have a surplus of goats.

Trying to clear inventory people.

ooops .... my bad ....

Here are the adjusted times for LAKE HARTWELL, GA

• Birmingham, AL 4:17
• Jacksonville, FL 6:34
• Richmond, VA 7:33
• Orlando, FL 8:27
• Cocoa, FL 8:50
• Merritt Island, FL 8:51
• Middletown, OH 8:53
• St. Petersburg, FL 9:07
• Satellite Beach, FL 9:13
• Germantown, MD 9:39
• Prince Frederick, MD 9:50
• Solomons, MD 10:33
• Roland, AR 10:51
• Orchard Park, NY 13:07
• Lake Zurich, IL 13:33
• Midland, MI 13:45
• Houston, TX 13:58
• Rochester, NY 14:13
• Spring, TX 14:16
• Allendale, MI 14:23
• Hearne, TX 14:51
• Grand Isle, VT 18:10

I don't have an F16 but I can bring the rubber boots and velcro gloves.

I go away for the weekend and when I come back everyone is talking about GOATS <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
Sheep hearder jokes <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
We come clean over here and say "Sheep Shagger" <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Hey Ed,
Just got a note from Kris that he's trying to get one shipped up to West River as well—that makes at least 5 F16 on the norther Chesapeake, of which 4 will be right here at West River!

Tback, Robi and I got together for a tuning weekend. Not racing specifically, just lining the boats up, comparing settings and exchanging ideas. It was a big help.

Of course, we had to do a little racing! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Did something like this last year and last weekend. Every time it is surprising how much you can learn from a get together like this. Especially when you are sailing along side eachother and try to out trim and outpoint the other. You can then tweak some settings and see how that effects you total performance.

So such a gettogether is warmly recommended, especially if you are new to the boats.

Wouter

As in Bergeson, or a different Kris? This is cool! Instant replacement for the N-20s at the WRCRA. The next one-design to infiltrate the WRSC? The dinghy guys will be having nervous break downs soon...

We need to sail with some other F16's when we get it. Find out what to do to make it REALLY fast. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Anybody want to come visit Chattanooga this summer???

Another Kris. Had a false start racing at WRCRA with a Nacra 6.0 a couple of years ago before relocating it to VA Beach early in the season. Eventually replaced it with an F-18. Plan to keep the F-16 in Maryland and race it.

Kris,

Totally cool! Welcome back.

Keith,



Don't alert the natives! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Well,,,,,,I come back from the weekend and I see we are off the goat trail and back on track with the subject at hand.

Wow,,,,,another F16 for tuesday night racing etc. Most excelent. Welcome back Kris.

I played hooky yesterday and John and I met the boats in Galesville around 1pm. Now I have to explain how I got a sunburn while I was out sick. Oh well, not the first time it's happened. John was like a junkie and needed his fix real bad. With George and Susan's help they got his boat put together and he was able to launch for the Tuesday night race. Conditions were much like what you guys had at the A Cup, gusting into the low 20s. John and Chip, both very experienced I-20 guys went out smokin. I think they were late for the start but first to A mark, I think. No capsizes and big grins upon return. John got his groove on. Pat Regan, our F-16 regional guy, drove an hour to set up his T4.9 and sail the race so that with him, John and our ever present Constantine there were three F-16s out there. Anyway we had a lot of good comments on the Blades and with the Glaser sails they really do look sharp. We will be tinkering with and sailing these boats all weekend as we had a regatta that was cancelled and we have our kitchen passes intact. Ed

Crewdog,

Apparent some of the mast trim can be improved for big wind as claimed by Matt McDonald in this thread :

http://www.catsailor.com/forums/sho...er=106657&Main=106389#Post106657

That is if the boat is still setup with the Alter Cup spreader rake, spreader length and prebend (diamond wire tension).

Apparently the adviced setting provided by the sailmaker Glaser is also a little different from what was set up on the mast during the Alter Cup. Details are found in the thread above and I'm sure Matt can give you the tuning sheet when asked.

This may well be worth checking out.

Wouter

Not to worry Wouter. Matt being Matt, he sent me an email with all the details on what might be needed on these particular boats. Can't beat that kind of service. Ed

Ed- Can you forward me the stuff from Matt?? Thanks!

Just ask Matt. He is the most open, genuine sailor you'll meet (or else he's been feeding me BS, so he can beat me). Always wants to make EVERYONE go faster. Glaser is also putting specs on thier web site (I believe).

If you don't get the skinny from Matt, ask Gina - she'll give you the true low-down. You know who makes the REAL decisions. Haha.

Chesapeake Bay F16s - is Navarre Beach, FL too far for a long weekend in Sept?

Joanna - Sure, I will forward it to you.

Tom - Jax is 12 hrs from Naptown, GYC is 16 hrs. So Fl trips aren't easy for us but definately inviting.

Duck,

Turn it around on them there FL F16. Invite them to A to O in September. Imagine, all of us spotting D'broke 10 minutes and beating him to the line.

Maybe Spring Fever 2008 is the most central location to all of the F16's in the south-east USA ?

Certainly looks like about equidistant from alabama, florida and MD.

Wouter

Rick came from Toronto with his new Blade to Spring Fever this year. It is a great location, regatta with three days of racing and lots of boats. It would be wonderful to get at bunch of F16's there.

I'm hoping to make Spring Fever '08, but that's a long way off. The panhandle thing would be nice as well.

Wouter, make some room in your pm inbox. You'll get mail.

Trey,

I've made some room now, so fire away.

Wouter

CrewDog (Lucky Duck???),

How far is Duck, NC from you guys? I'll be vacationing in Nags Head, NC in the middle of June. Duck YC/OBXCC host a regatta on one of those weekends (June 9/10). It might be enough incentive to haul the boat up there this year....

http://www.norbanks.com/Duck_Yacht_Club_OBXCC.htm click on events on the left side for more info.

Yep, aka Lucky Duck. I can't make the June 9/10 weekend. The Outer Banks are about 6 hrs south of us and I've done the event on the A Cat. Very good people there and one of the best sailing grounds around. The bay side (sound) is shallow in some areas but nice sand bottoim, great breeze (thats why the Wright Bro's were there) and flat water. This is one of the best places around to learn kiteboarding, windsurfing and hang gliding to name a few. If you take the Blade make contact with Jon beforehand to see whats what. Ed

You can also contact dbncsu. He's a native of the OBX.

Arent you doing Cinco De Nacra today?

Ed,

I would love to hear a personal comparison from you between the A and the Blade F16. After a couple of times sailing that is and then again after 1 or 2 seasons getting to know the Blade well.

I ask this of other A-cat to F16 sailors as well. I find this very interesting. One guy could only produce "They are totally uncomparable, in every aspect", but couldn't elaborate.

I find it increasingly interesting to find out why two boat that are still quite close in specs can still be so far apart in one on one comparison. Not to say one is better then another but apparently the two are jsut so different in feel.

So when you have the time ...

Wouter

OK Wouter, I will take a stab at it. Upwind the boat sailed more like an A than any other boat I have sailed. Not quite as responsive, but we were able to get the same feeling of the boat squirting forward in the gusts and not just healing more. The balance was not as good and we were back at the rear beam, which produced rear beam slapping on occasion (upwind). That really stopped the boat, but we wanted to keep the bows up in those conditions. One race sailed in light conditions, which meant we were either on the boat, single, trapped, or double trapped. The boat came to life just when I would expect it too, as opposed to a Hobie Tiger that feels very underpowered in single trap and below conditions.
Downwind we were pushing the boat more than we should have and went over twice. Most teams were sailing low and safe. After we went to this mode we did better. On the A I would have felt more like I was racing/ pushing the boat to get an advantage. This was fast, but not quite the same gut feeling as when you are in the groove downwind on an A. I think there would be a wind range where F16 is more fun, possibly between 5 and 10. After that and the A is challenge (read fun for me) to go as fast as the boat is capable, and before that and there is not enough power in the spinnaker to make it worth the extra hassle of rigging and crew work.
Summery: For a two up boat there in no question this would be my first choice, if there were a fleet of good racers in my area. For single. I think I would stick with the A. For versatility, again no question..the F16 wins.

Ken Marshack
A Cat USA 192

Thank you Ken.

Wouter