"Would you sell an f16 to a noob cat sailor that has never raced, flown a spi etc, or even crewed on a high performance beach cat, and feel good about it in the aforementioned conditions?"

The short answer, "No".

The long answer:

I would recommend a windsurfer or a kite board for the Bay. I've been to the Bay many times and seen what it can be like, especially under the bridge, when the sea breaze comes on in the summer, with the valley at 105 degrees and the cold ocean water. Lots of current, lots of big wind and waves, no place for a "newb" and the F16 is not a toy to be learning on in those conditions.

It's one thing if you have lots of experience on high performance cats and want to try it, but the next time you are out there, count the number of high perf. beach cats you see racing there...that should tell you something. It can get mighty rough and the water is cold. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />