I think the other have given excellent responses to your questions and just for additional support I give mine now.
I feel a well sailed Hobie 16 will be plenty "fast" for most of these guys, but the spi, weight, and carbon mast option make it intriguing.
Speed is indeed relative, but the feel of the boat isn't. On a reach there is nothing between a H16 and F16, but on the upwind and downwind leg the difference is quite significant. The feel of the F16 is sharper and more pronounced. Don't flick the tiller over when doing 17 knots under spinnaker ! The boat will curve nicely but that 80 kg of bodymass will not (you fall off the boat).
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?
No, personally I would not even advice a H16 to him under those circumstances. All noobs should start in lighter conditions and work their skills up before doing 20 knots in 4 foot chop/swell on a unpredictatble and unprotected body of water.
Would the boat hold up to the conditions here?
No doubt about it. Your conditions are not muchy different from what we have here in Zandvoort and after 4 years the F16's here are going on strong without any major damage.
Would you store your F16 on the beach?
Overhere we do for 6 months per year and have done so for at least 4 years now (with respect to F16's). It is no different in this respect to F18's, there are only two basic rules. Tie your boat down properly and secure your mast properly so it can not rotate from side to side and shake itself loose. The newer F18's with wingmasts must also adhere to these same rules upon punishment of damage. F16's are no rotomoulded trash boats that take heaps of abuse, but when cared for the are not fragile or easily damaged either. In my opinion they are no different then the FX-one except for the specifics of the wingmast.
Would you compare the rigging time to any of the other spi boats, Tiger, FX, Infusion etc? How long (realistically)?
Exactly the same. Only difference is the overall weight so it is easier to lift onto and off the trailer or to transport over a soft beach. Basically the F16's are a smaller and lighter F18 and are as such exactly as complex as the F18's in the way of rigging and derigging.
Monetarily speaking, should I pony up and support this class on the West Coast?
That is something that you must decide.
I personally feel the F16's fill a quite unique niche and as such I feel that there is a modest demand for it. It just triangulates so well between the F18, A-cat and H16.
With regard to being overpowered on a F16. We must note that the F16 has LESS upwind sailarea then a H16. It is just more efficiently implemented and the increased speed of the F16 make it behave more sharply and agressively. In principle the power is no different to a H16 but in order to make it go you need to know more about sail trim and boat handling. As such the F16 is a step up from the H16 or getaway. But still the boat will sail well under mainsail alone even with 2 persons on board. I have done so several times when I was lazy. And 15 sq. mtr is not alot of sailarea. Basically the F16's scale well to your momentary needs as a sailor but the sailor must still makes the right or wrong decisions. A given sailor may be fine 2-up with just a main in your conditions but not with a full rig and hoisted spinnaker. The F16 boat is just like a sport car, dummies can still get themselves into trouble, but careful sailors will not.
I hope this helps
wouter
