Quote


Ehh Rolf,

A boat with these specs (especially mast height) absolutely NEEDS to have a carbon mast; an item that is very expensive in the USA for any homebuilder. Even Nacra has been replacing the carbon mast on their F17's and also I-20's with aly because of prohibitive high costs.

This is a serious drawback of the HT concept and class when it comes down to the USA.



Carbon schmarbon..

Yes a carbon mast makes sense. Yes it costs money. Yes it costs more than an alu extrusion. Who knows what will happen with carbon fiber prices in the future. People are still building and buying A-cats with carbon masts so it is not unobtainable. There are even one-offs with carbon masts becouse they are the boats somebody really wants. Homebuilding masts have been done for all kind of boats up to 60foot trimarans. Carbon can be sourced at affordable prices, we just bought 36kgs of 400gsm weave and uni for US$1900 (I am going to protect and tend to that source). Who cares about all this if they have locked their sights on the 18HT.
I think the 18HT can still be an active class with a good future in the USA, just takes that one person who gets things started. I am certainly not going to step out in front of things and proclaim why any initatives are doomed and point out why repeatedly. No class needs or deserves that. Instead I am going to cheer any initatives that gets more cats on the water.