Sorry, but the Spitfire is not COMPETITION for the F16. I know a fair number of the Spit sailors well, FFS, I am probably sailing on next weekend!! Chris Sprout actually thinks that the F16's and Spits complement each other. Spits are heavier, and 2 up ONLY, and are SMODS; thus they are more suited to people who want to sail "out of the box".
I'm well known on the public record to favour including the Spitfires even at major F16 events; and have done so straight from the beginning of the F16 class. It is one of the points where I differ with the official stance of the F16 class. I always envisioned the F16 class to work towards grouping similar designs together and thus consilidate the catamaran scene. Again, this is also why I think level performance between F16's and F18's is important. One start, one race, one result listing. I think cooperation is the key to a bright future. Divided we stand, united we grow stronger. Cat sailing as a whole is too much a sport in the margins to waste resources on combatting eachother.
My (far off) ideal would be were all formula classes work together in a union and start giving rise to formula events. Share measurers, share protest committees, share organising resources, share larger fleets then we have now, create more fun.
What I meant to say with COMPETITION is that if there is a class out there seriously rivals the F16 class in succes then it is surely the Spitfire. As in comparison to say the nacra 17's, FX-ones, Shadows, BCM Evolution, Mattia Esse, etc.
I for one am wholly supportive of any cooperation between Spitfire and F16 sailors c.q. classes.
I hope this corrects this particular misunderstanding.
Wouter
