With this new info we have :

-1- Chuck Harnden (1-up)
-2- Matt / Gina McDonald (2-up)
-3- Seth Stern / Kelly Gray (2-up)
-4- Hollis Caffee (1-up)
-5- Gordon Isco / Mike Hagan (2-up)
-6- Mystery crew on the G-cat F16 (probably 2-up)

Wouter

I'm 240 lbs!

240 lbs = 109 kg

Seriously ? If so, then you can forget about the A-cats altogether. I have to check but I seem to remember that the commercially available A-cats are only supplied with a warrenty up to 100 kg (220 lbs) crew weight. The hull designs are all pretty much optimized around 75 - 80 kg (165 - 175 lbs) crewweights. The F16's are of course designed around a much higher average crew weight as they are also used as doublehanders. It is always better to sail a boat underweight then overweight. In addition all the components on the F16 are designed to take much higher loads for the same reason; something your 240 lbs will almost excert on the boat by singlehanding alone. (pardon my frankness)

If you wanted to have a competitive singlehander A-cat then you will have to order a custom made A-cat, with most likely custom made hulls, and that will be very expensive.

In the past discussions I always assumed that the choice for the F16 or A-cat pretty much would be determined with what you wanted to do with it, but now I feel perfectly save to say that you have only one true option. The F16. I'm quite sure that you will get better performance out of that F16 then any commercially A-cat.

Pete when ordering that Blade (finalizing) make sure that you give the builder this body weight info and your dominant usage of the boat and have him foward this to the sailmaker who then can cut a mainsail to suit your weight. You'll will need that in order to get the best performance out of the boat.

Are you intending to mostly do singlehanding ; as in 85 % of the time ? If so then order a fully optimized singlehander cut mainsail.

If you plan to doublehand frequently as well then you will have to decide on the compromise design crewweight or order 2 seperate mainsails. If you will be doublehanding mostly with your kids then the standard Blade mainsail may well be a rather good compromise. You can easily make a 140 kg optimized standard mainsail work for your 109 kg solo weight and I don't expect your kids to be above 42 kg's yet and you can make the 140 kg standard sail work for 160 combined weight.

Lets discuss this Before you put in the final order; at time time you can tell adapt the order to suit your usage best without making extra costs.

Wouter

Seth, can you paint me a picture of where the GPYC is? I heard it's just over the Skyway bridge, (north side) but then is it east or west of the bridge? I saw the directions on the GPYC site, didn't say which side of the bridge it was, I'm trying to get a Google Map print out of it. Is it near the Gulfport Municipal Beach? Thanks.

Can anyone supply some links to beachfront hotels that are close? There are too many options for someone that does not know the area. I am going to pitch this as a mini-family vacation. It is a 10-11 hour drive for me.

Wouter:

Relax! I decided against the A cat some days ago. Getting back into beach cats was my wife's idea! She INSISTS that I do this for my health! I bounced around at 200-210 for years. Only ballooned up after parking the Hobie-17.

In fact, I'm DOWN to 240 in anticipation of the new boat. Over the next 12 months, I'm confident of weight loss of 1-3 lbs. per month. So, by the time I learn the boat, I'll be at least as competitive as I ever was.

btw- your right about the weight/warranty issue. Your numbers may be a little off, but not much.

Pete it is just awesome that another Floridian decided to go with a F16 boat. In our case the Blade.

You will have tons of fun.

Has anyone tried the stock sail? I believe it's dacron. The reason for asking, is that I might save a little money now, and get an optimized Pentex(?) sail after I get my weight down?

Whatch y'all think!

I think there is a Blade in VA with dacron sails.

If you are considering an upgrade later down the road, I dont see anything wrong with getting the DACRON to save some $$$. Once you learn the boat good and you drop some lbs then definatley get the pentax. OR who knows, maybe by then there may be a better material.

Sorry, I just wrote down the first thoughts that went through my head.




I can see the value of such an approach.

Wouter

And valuable thoughts they were, just like always!

It will take some time to digest your tactics, esp. regarding the spi. which will be brand new for me.

Thanks again,

Just about the only option you cannot rethink later is the kevlar hulls.....I guess we could peel the gelcoat away very delicately, replace the glass with kevlar and stick the gelcoat peel back on. Almost like peeling an apple in one strip.

I am still tyring to figure all the places I can stick a F16 logo (get your mind out of the gutter).

Take I275 to 22Ave S. Go West and make a left on 49th St.
Head south and make a left on Del Rio
Google Maps

St. Pete Beach is very close to Gulfport. If expense is no object, there's the Don Cesare Resort & Spa - the pink palace. The Siratta is also nice. Do a search for St. Pete Beach hotels and you'll be OK. There is also a nice little beach in Gulfport the family can hang out at while your on the water if they don't want to be out at the Gulf.

Thanks Lance!

Gulfport is a really cozy, comfortable, laid-back little sailing club. Attached is a picture of the clubhouse, and I will put a picture of the beach in the following post.

Here is the beach.

Thanks Mary.

Just spoke to Hans Geissler ; G-cat will at the GYC event

-1- Chuck Harnden (1-up) [color:"red"]Blade F16[/color]
-2- Matt / Gina McDonald (2-up) [color:"red"]Blade F16[/color]
-3- Seth Stern / Kelly Gray (2-up) [color:"blue"]Taipan F16[/color]
-4- Hollis Caffee (1-up) [color:"blue"] Taipan F16[/color]
-5- Gordon Isco / Mike Hagan (2-up) [color:"blue"]Taipan F16[/color]
-6- Mystery crew on the G-cat F16 (probably 2-up) [color:"red"]G-cat F16[/color]


A good mix of boats (designs) as well.

Pre-registration is now 6 : 6 = A-cats : F16's


I won't have the money for it this year or the next, but if the GYC invitational event is held in any following years then I will seriously consider flying in for a late winter sailing weekend. This event sounds like alot of fun.

Wouter

Maybe I can convince Rick to go with our Taipan 4.9 again this year. Maybe we could even sail together -- that might make for some fireworks on the course!