Hello Andi,

Allow me to reply to your post in an argumentive way, this is however not at all linked to your person. I just happen to strongly disagree with the counter example you provided.




Neither did you say that after 4 hours and 11 minutes and 49 seconds the first sloop boat finished, only 75 seconds behind the first M20 and 61 seconds behind the second M20. The first Tornado finished 4 min and 18 second behind the first M20 and the first F18 did so only 5 min 56 seconds.

The Tornado was definately sailed by a capable crew but not a crew of the likes Bundock, Booth, Hagara, or Figuroa. The F18's did see their usual go fast crews, although Booth was on a Fox.


I dare claim that the shy 6 minutes the F18 lost over 4 hours of sailing can be totally attributed to them being a good 50 kg's heavier and the M20 having a 20 % larger spi, NOT because they sacrifized some mainsail area into a jib. Also note that the F18's and M20's are sharing as good as the same upwind sailarea. The M20 spi is however 20% larger as said earlier.

It stands to reason to claim that an F18 at 53 less kg weight can be expected to have closed the gap of 6 minutes over 4 hours sailing. The Texel rating difference in this suggests about 10 minutes to be gained that way.

Lets face; this was about as perfect Round of Texel for the M20's as it ever was going to get.

Winds around mixed single and double trapped (10 knots) with the two long legs being downwind and upwind and 8 M20's were entered. If the M20's couldn't dominate now then they never will.

It certain lead to their best result ever. After a shy 7 years of trying.

If anything it is clear that the uni-rig concept has failed to proof significant superiority over a broad range of racing conditions. Yes, in whisper winds it is very fast in anything other is it is only a more efficient hole to sink your money into. The A-cats are proving this now as well.

We are not even basing this discussion on handicaps, if we would then the picture will be more depressing.

We must not forget the M20 being a 32.000 a Euro boat ex shipping. That is a whole lot of money to gain a 6/(4*60+10) = 6/250 = 2.4 % speed advantage over a 18.000 F18 and a 14.000 F16. A thing a M20 at the Alter Cup qualifer found as well. Carla Schiefer raced a M20 in the 2006 Texel race as well and came 21th on elapsed time, behind 7 F18's. Through this connection the comparison between M20's and the Blade F16 is now founded.


Yes, you are right, these uni-rig can't make their handicaps as these are easily rated 5 to 9 % faster then the F18, mostly becuase these uni-rig weight so little as well. And that is exactly my point. Make a F18 at 130 kg and watch the uni-rig eat humble pie. 50 kg is alot of weight and it certainly seem to make a whole lot more difference to performance then putting all the sail area in the mainsail.

We must of course also not forget that the M20, F18ht and A-cats have carbon mast while their main competition is still sailing with alu. Another difference that if it means anything favours the uni-rigs in this comparison.


This is actually a perfect case of how little expensive stuff improves performance and how much skilled engineering does.


Now I fully respect the M20 and F18ht and A-cats and their owners. Love to have them on the water and fully respect them as classes. My points are not that there is anything wrong with them. My points are that the uni-rig revolution is over by vrtue of not showing sufficient gains, if any. And in some cases we can also put the "all-carbon" revolution to bed. None of such boats (CFR 20, M20, M18, Eagle 20's, F18HT, Fox special project, etc) made an significant impact with the possible exception of the A-cats.

Designs based on much more modest but agressively developped materials and concepts were extremely succesful at keeping the difference negligiably small. I mean if a All carbon hobie Fox special project boat with Booth/Dercksen on it can only stay 38 secons ahead of a Capricorn F18 sailed by Kenbeek/Brouwer after 4 hours then the carbon boat has a REALLY serious problem.


Also note how the M20 is now almost exactly the same as the F18HT's. In the past the M20's used to be both lighter and carry more sailarea.

F18HT
130 kg
20 sq. mtr. mainsail
10.30 mtr. luff length

M20
127 kg (first versio : 108 kg)
20.71 sq. mtr. mainsail (first version about 23 sq.mtr. if I remember correctly)
10.25 mtr. luff Length

I gether they found the need to depower the boat (M20).


Wouter