| Taipan all the way
[Re: JeffLoSapio]
#10463 09/14/02 08:06 AM 09/14/02 08:06 AM |
Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 105 michael C
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 105 | These boats are incredible. Quality of production is better than any lightweight boats out there (other than maybe Marstrom and Waterrat A's, but they don't make F16's). The BIM is not a true single/double hander, but rather a singlehander. When BIM revisits the F16 concept, I bet their boat winds up closer to the Taipan and Stealth. Please e-mail me at fastcatmichael@hotmail.com and I'll fill you in on some other stuff. Good luck - any F16 will be a blast. Michael Coffman Taipan 4.9 #32 | | | Re: Need advice --- Taipan 4.9 v. BIM 16 ???
[Re: JeffLoSapio]
#10464 09/15/02 06:40 AM 09/15/02 06:40 AM |
Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 170 Australia (Queensland) Berthos
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 170 Australia (Queensland) | Jeff, I have been a Taipan sailor for only a few months. I sail my boat single handed only. I absolutely love it, it is a dream. I've never sailed a BIM so can't compare but if its a better boat than a Taipan I'd be gobsmacked. It's hard to beat perfection. The Taipan has beautiful fair hulls and a very stiff platform. They are also a very beautiful boat to look at. The look as good as they sail. If you want more information on Taipans (or to just drool over some photos) see my website: http://www.taipan.asn.auor the manufacturer's website: http://www.ahpc.com.auI hope you make the right choice. Rob Wilson Taipan 4.9 AUS175 | | | A little counterweight to the Taipan guys.
[Re: JeffLoSapio]
#10468 09/16/02 01:29 PM 09/16/02 01:29 PM |
Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 9,582 North-West Europe Wouter
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 9,582 North-West Europe |
Although I was very impressed by the Taipan myself I'm very anxious for spring 2003 to come and see the announced Bim Javelin-16. In tradition with the new Bimare designs it is sure to be a wavepiercer design. (a little counter weight to the Taipan guys)
And this is as far as I can go as the chairman of this class; Impartiality.
But to more general stuff.
With regard to singlehanding, I can assure you that the rig was described as powerfull but very controllable by sailors sailing different kinds of F16's. Micheal Coffman (135 lbs) decribed it as better controllable than his earlier boat which was a nacra 5,2 with custom squaretop main. He indicated that the rig was very depowerable, which implicetly means that you can power up again when the wind drops.
Anyways what I'm getting at is this; Micheal both sails solo and with crew and has a sloop mainsail optimized for doublehanded sailing. A trick communicated to me by the Aussies doing both the solo and doublehanded sailing thing is to have a extra set of stiffer top three battens and use those to optimize the mainsail to both roles. The F16 rules allow this without remeasuring the mainsail. It is a extra present to singlehanded sailors and the cheapest way to get good dual role performance from one mainsail.
I'm sure that this trick can be used on any of the mainsails of the F16 boats.
Wouter
Wouter Hijink Formula 16 NED 243 (one-off; homebuild) The Netherlands
| | | Re: Need advice --- Taipan 4.9 v. BIM 16 ???
[Re: 49er]
#10470 09/17/02 08:05 AM 09/17/02 08:05 AM |
Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 344 Arkansas, USA Kirt
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 344 Arkansas, USA | I just want to comment on the BIM and Taipan Portsmouth numbers. I own a 4.9 and have seen and sailed against the BIM singlehanded. The PN number is a "gift" for the BIM IMO since the BIM uni with spinnaker is rated slower than the Taipan uni W/O spinnaker! The BIM is fast, especially upwind; and downwind, with the spinnaker, it is no contest vs the 4.9 (w/o spinnaker) but both sailed uni (w/o spinnaker) downwind the 4.9 has an advantage. To my knowledge no one has sailed a uni setup (w/ uni specific cut mainsail) 4.9 w/ spinnaker against a BIM w/ spinnaker (and I and Mark are the only ones to have sailed with each other on the same course at the same time uni only that I know of).
It's also worthwhile mentioning that a 4.9 can be retrofitted under F16HP rules with a different mast/mainsail including one similar to that found on the BIM 16 and the BIM can be fitted with a larger spi (presuming the mast would handle it) than the one that was being used on it in the past (although there is debate still about the merits of larger spinnakers on these lightweight boats and we are all still trying to find out what the "hot ticket" is- the 4.9 with the big- 21 sqm- spi does have helm "issues" but they are less with the 17 sqm spi- the F16HP size and I'm not sure what they would be with the small BIM spi so sort of comparing apples and oranges there).
In my mind, if you are talking going uni only, then the "big" advantage of the Taipan over the BIM is largely negated. Whether you go with the Taipan or the BIM 16 you will end up with a great boat that will be as fast or faster than your current boat on the water and MUCH easier to setup/trailer/move about/right/etc.
Welcome to the class!
Kirt
Kirt Simmons
Taipan #159, "A" cat US 48
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