I would say; break open the distance racing scene with the F18's.

You and your F18 buddies must be able to do that. And when you succeed you may end up attracting top sailors from Europe to the TYBEE , Atlantic and other major distances race. These guys travel for their sport and builders/sponsors like to support top crews racing F18's because that is where the sales are. The sales are not in the I-20 on a large scale (meaning world wide) but they are in the F18 class. Also top sailors DO NOT cross train in to the I-20 or F20 classes they do in the F18 class.

As with all things, sometimes you need to be a real unpleasent person and push things through. That is how all changes get effectuated. How do you think F18 ever came to be, by playing nice for ever ? They broke open the cat sailing scene in Europe and pretty much destroyed strict OD racing in their path. Now the same OD zealots of old are all F18 zealots now. Seriously on the beach we now have alot less bickering. If you want to be something you race F18, that is where the action is. No contest between Nacra 5.5 or Hobie 18. The are dead. The only people sailing other types of boats are

The single handed guys ; scene here is trying to decide who becomes dominant and no A-cat is not fully dominant yet.
The really heavy guys : F20
The recreational group : the usual mix of all types of boats and the receivers of all good types of advice of the more experienced racers who ones sailed the same types.

Light weight sailor is a special group right now ; in the past they sailed H16's, Prindle 16's and Dart 18's. For long they had no serious alternative then the F18 class. This is going to be area that will show most growth over the next several years. Hopefully we can get a formula class going for these guys as well. With luck we can also link up with the solo sailors.

And I shall be very blunt about it; I'm going to do all in my power to make sure that F16 becomes the dominant class in both the light doublehanders and singlehanders scenes. I truly think we have a very good shot at it. Nacra and Hobie are only aiming for the A-cat wannabees, but that is only halve of the story. Besides A-cats are to expensive for most if the wannabees anyway. But I shall quit boring you guys here.

To Hobie and nacra officials, rest assured F16 class will continue to welcome the best 17 footers you can design to race first in wins. All in the idle hope that we can join forces in the way it was done in F18 and make this third area outside F18/F20 a major succes as well. It is plain to see that this convergence will be beneficial to both OD sailors are open class sailors as this tri-unity of formula classes will cater for 95 % of the individual wishes any sailor may have while garanteeing level racing in big fleets. Hell F16 can race F18 first in wins as well. If this doesn't beat handicap racing that what will ?

And yes ready to go designs are available for you guys. No need to do your own designing. AHPC, Phill Brander and Stealth marine will happily design a monster performer for you guys. All have indicated that to me in the past.

Am I being arrogant ? Maybe, but I have good reason to. A-cat is not going to do it for you guys. As Glenn Ashby says on that Sailing DVD. If you sail in the A-cat class you better be prepared to try new things continiously and tinker with your boat else you'll be left behind. It is a bad enviroment to offer a stable design (constant in time); simply because the class rules don't favour a stable design as much as Formula class rules do.

But then again as Sam Evans would say, what does a lone Dutch sailor without any major titles know !

Answer is : the market !


But in reply to your post Jake, break open the scene ! F18's can do distances races very; each year Round texel and other races proof this again and again.

Wouter