Rick-
Well, there are more Taipans and F16HP's in Florida than anywhere else and that's where they are growing the fastest so you are in the right state! I'm sure those folks would love to see you out! Are you going to compete in the upcoming F16HP uni race Jennifer is planning?

As for sails, I don't know why you would tell Dave the F16HP's or Taipans do not have "open" sails? Both the Taipan class rules and F16HP class rules allow any sailmaker or you can make your own. There are a number of different sailmakers in Australia supplying Taipan class sails such as Redhead sails or Ashby sails, etc. and you can order a boat without sails if desired. In the Taipan class in order to compete in National/International class events you do have to pay a slight fee and get an official "patch", but this is fairly common. As for the F16HP sail rules, anybody can make them and they just have to fit the class rules.
As for rudders- they have upgraded the old bent aluminum tube rudder boxes with carbon fiber boxes and newer rudder shapes (just like the Aussie Flyer rudders and boxes if you are familiar with those- Jennifer has these) but still use a rod although it is stiffer and stronger. HOWEVER, the Taipan and F16HP rules are pretty open on rudders so you can put (almost) any kind of rudder system on there you want. The "ideal" system IMO would be a takeoff on the old NACRA "remote" pull down system with bunji uphaul (you know- the one that used a cleat on the rear beam so you could kickup and then lock down your rudder from the other side of the boat- Murrays used to sell a kit to upgrade to this. I have used a similar system with the Clamcleat #CL257 "auto-release racing mini cleat" which is a selfcontained sort of version of the pivmatic clamp and the release tension is adjustable. The only "issue" I have with them is they are fairly expensive (~$22 USD) and hard to find but they work well. You could use your current rudder "hole" in the back top of the rudder for a bunji uphaul and drill a hole in the rudder and rig the downhaul line ala the Nacras and either use this cleat on the tiller arm or mount it on the front of the rear beam and run the remote line through the rear beam to it.
When we were doing the Worrell on the 5.7 we converted the rudder system (as I am sure you are aware since you had one of those boats!) to Nacra style for launching through the surf- Beware of trying to steer if the rudder is not fairly down in the rudder box or you will break a rudder.

Regards,
Kirt