Great news.

I've had many inquiries here on the West Coast about the class and the boats due to their versatility, ease of handling, and giant-killer performance. The biggest obstacle for many people joining in is the exchange rate for the USD. When I got my Taipan it was an unbelievable value considering the boat. Now it's more expensive than the much heavier I17R, largely because of the currency issues. If the Aussie and UK F16 builders had a group of US buyers, perhaps they could cut a good deal for them to make the cost more feasible. But a US F16 builder circumvents the issue and will once again offer US sailors an incredible performance value in the F16 package.

On a side note, some folks are getting into the class by resurrecting older designs and modifying them. Obviously, the Cobras and Mossie are examples. These aren't seen much in the US but there are other good platforms that can be modified inexpensively. Our next regatta should include a "nacra F16"--a converted Nacra 5.0. The owner will be on the water with very minimal cost thanks to creativity, elbow grease, and some leg work. The class rule are set up to reward skill and creativity, not fat wallets.