Macca says a heavier F16 will be better because : -added weight means MORE volume thus better behaviour -added weight means STIFFER platform
I have attached an image: -orange hull displaces 68.68kg, has a surface area of 6.79sqm and a volume of .589cum -lavander hull displaces 53.22kg, has a surface area of 6.60sqm and a volume of .548cum
As a result the heavier hull has 3% more surface area that should account for the added hull weight. Assuming the extra 0,19sqm of surface of the heavier hull is made of an 8mm 90kg/cum foam core and lets say 400gsm of glass either side - the extra added weight should be 288grams, per hull. The extra added volume/displacement will only account for 19-25square centimeters of more laminate compared to another F16 like the Blade or Falcon or whatever. Assuming the extra 20kg are good for providing more stiffness we should see a deflection test, just like the one I remember Wouter posted some time ago, unless we see that test, the supposed more stiffness of a heavier boat is just BS. The other F16 closer or at class weight are lighter NOT because they have less volume or less stiffness, but because they are better engineered and better built. The numbers are clear, so please Macca , don't use the more volume argument again, or the more surface area of the hull of the VIPER as an example. UNLESS you or AHPC can provide clear evidence that the VIPER IS stiffer than other F16's built to class weight or close to class weight your arguements are totally unsubstantiated and thus the VIPER is just an overweight F16 that performs very well, just like the other F16's out there, and it's being overweight just because the builder chose heavier components for better profit margins, that only demonstrates the weight is NOT important in racing, but VERY important for ppl hauling their boats up and down.
Currently the big picture is : the F16 class boats (either DIY) or production , all perform very close to each other, since there are DIY options and production ones, cost should not detour sailors if they want a boat that performs well in the class. Bigger volume=heavier boat by 20kg is just smelly BS Heavier boat=much stiffer by ??? amount - please provide proof. Exotics=detouring sailors low on cash - BS, other F16 perform just as well.
