I think I'm pretty much forced to post a reply to Ricks post. I will let most comments as they are but I will react to the following statements :





Anybody who cares to check up on the 2004 race results will see that next to Jennifer and Kelly the Taipan sailors Seth Stern, Gordon Isco, Hollis Caffee as well as Chuck and Mavis Harnden regulary attend races in Florida. That is more than I can say for a score of classes.

In addition all of these were at the Alter Cup qualifier for Area D south (florida etc) and raced in doublehanded F16 format as the second largest segment, together with F18's, both with 3 entries. The US I-20's were biggest with a staggering 6 entries. Supposedly huge racing classes like Hobie 16 and Hobie 18 proved their worth in Florida terms with 2 entries each. The single nacra 5.5 uni completed the listing. All other classes were not even represented. Among its racing peers F16's ended up at 1st, 6th and 15th position in this 17 boat open class fleet. This is the second win of the Area D qualifier series (covering also Florida) by a Taipan, Kirt Simmons from Alabama of course being the first. I think for the young and small class that we arguably are (exchange rates really didn't help us in the last 2 years), we are making a mark beyond our size.

I'm not going to quote all race results or provide an attendence list of F16 crews over the last year. But I will provide as second counterproof that F16 class has succeeded in creating a totally NEW builder of catamarans in the USA and one with a seriously promising product as well. When was the last time that happened ? I trust that these two examples alone show that the quotes given earlier are not really supported by facts.


Now I respect Rick personal opinion and I do realize that everybody may have a different take on the same situation. It is not the intend of this posting to argue otherwise. It is the intend of this post to show the casual reader that other appreciations are very much possible.

Of course that is when only looking at the South East of the the USA. We have additional action going on in for example California as well as 4 other continents in the world. The next F16 event being in Singapore on 12 and 13 Feb 2005. Something not even the dominant class in Florida, the US I-20 class can claim.

I think I will leave it at that.

Regards,

Wouter