When the F18 class first showed up here in the USA, I was sailing a Nacra 5.5 Sloop. Since the boat met all the measurements, I figured I could race it with the F18's if I added the class size spinnaker. The US F18 class changed the International Rules to only allow boats that came from the factory as F18's, ie. only the Hobie Tiger and Nacra F18.

I asked what if I were to buy the Nacra F18 sails and put them on my 5.5, they said NO, You must buy a new boat from the factory! So I sold it.

It was a great boat but the class Mafia (mostly dealers) was about selling new boats, not allowing racing on modified older boats.

Since then I've owned the Bimare F18HT and the Inter 20. Both are great boats and very fast, both require excellent crew if you are to finish well in big wind.

Then I ruptured a disc in my back and had to have surgery. No sailing for 6 months. The doctor said "You had better re-evaluate what you have been doing to have caused this..." Well, that Inter 20 does weigh over 400lbs. and I was lifing it onto the trailer alone, pulling it up the beach alone, stuff like that, all the time.

When I can sail again, I'm thinking about something as light as possible, spinnaker of course, that has two traps for me and the kids, (we live on a lake) but that I can race alone...seems the F16 is the only boat that fits those requirements.

Lucky for me that Matt McDonald is only two hours away, now building the Blade in the US. I will try and get a test drive sometime this spring. Most of the people sailing F16 in Florida are actually sailing Tai Pan 4.9's...and they are fast. Matt and a couple others here will be sailing the Blade by this summer. Could be some good F16 racing comming soon.