F16 Crash course

Maybe you should ask the horse's opinion. He might have good reason for wanting you off his back.

BTW- I expect if Steve was towed in as claimed it was a precaution as the boat was a loaner. I understand that the damage to the boat was a broken cross arm.

I still think it bad Karma to ask for a

Crash Course

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I thought my comments would stir up the owner,Besides i think we have been sailing to-gether long enough now to know that mean no harm to himself or his boat.
However i still stand by the claim that the boat can't go out without capsizing
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Now i really am LMAO

Bah! If I don't get into double figures nowadays when going for a sail I know I have had a good day.

LOL, relax Wouter, it was a joy to sail. I have been a bit quiet lately because my girlfriend’s parents have been in town (from NZ) and I guess it would have been bad manners to ignore them to keep you up to date.

Initially, I was wondering how you cope around the cans setting, gybing and dropping the kite solo but jumped in and realised it is actually a piece of cake. Setting and dropping I just tucked the tiller extension between my calves and hamies whist on my knees and rocked side to side to make any necessary directional changes. This was minimal as the boat tracked very straight. Gybes, well picking up the lazy sheet , dropping the ex loaded one after the gybe and sheeting the new one was very quick. I also found all the sheet and halyard loads very light after stepping of the F18s and Tornadoes. Hardly surprising with smaller sail area, less weight and less load on the boat.

Before the race in about 8 to 10 knots I set the kite heading out to the start and went through a few gybes then a drop. Rounded up and headed upwind until I met up with Garry steaming down under kite, turned around and ran alongside on a few gybes.

Race 1, I left my start watch on the beach so ran with the fleet on the line. First race I was over with several others and a General is called. 2nd start and I get a good start half way down the line trying to avoid some of the fun and games people were playing at the boat end. Garry got smashed on the start at the boat end and left in irons as the fleet took off. Those who started down the line sailed into a filthy header whilst a few late starters on the boat end (including Garry) found themself on a healthy lift all the way to the top mark on a single tack.

The breeze at this stage started to gust up to 15 knots and swung a long way to the right. The reach across the top mark to the clearance mark turned into a square run with the downwind leg being too tight to hold all the way under kite for the solo F16s. I swam twice at the clearance mark as I set on the run across to the clearance mark, attempting to gybe immediately, before gathering enough boat speed to execute the gybe safely and got knocked down exiting the gybe. I quickly learned to go into the gybes aggressively with max boat speed to avoid this..... Not much weight to hold the boat down on a solo F16, especially when you are still fairly central on the tramp. On my second swim, Garry joined me in the drink after finding the bottom whilst strung out on a downwind. I guess he will tell you more. Course completed but finished down the back of the fleet.

Second race came in fresh with some big bullets coming down the course. I tacked of fairly soon to the right to take advantage of the lifts along the shore line and extra pressure. I found myself at the top end of the fleet and did not think twice about setting the kite. It was time for a bit of redemption. Some of the F18s and Garry elected not to fly the kite in this race which was probably a very good move. On the 3rd and final downwind, a big bullet hit and I stuck both bows in. I folded the kite but found this to be a bad move as the main without kite rounded the boat up and over I went. With thoughts of going through Phill’s main sail in mind, I jumped behind the main but managed to break the tiller cross bar in the process.

I kicked up one rudder and righted the boat but could not steer it into the wind and over it went again. I elected to play it safe and drop the main sail, right the boat and get towed in. Unfortunately after 3 swims and climbing onto the hulls about 8 times, my back started to give me some trouble. I went into the regatta recovering (and starting to look good) from a back injury which I have been suffering from for the last 6 months. I decided not to risk it any further and spend some time up there with my girlfriend and her parents. The rest of the regatta forecast looked spectacular and tailor made for the F16s with what looked like about 10 to 15 knots on Saturday.

I am yet to see the regatta results, but I know the Goodall’s on the Viper were really giving it to the top of the F18 fleet. On the A class, Steve Brewin was leading a healthy fleet of about 20 boats with some big names on board with 3 wins on Saturday.

In the end, I managed to experience the F16 in a range of conditions from 8 to 25 knots and really enjoyed it. The boat was fast, responsive, had very well laid out systems and was very manageable solo. I could very easily see myself on an F16 in the future and the search for my new boat will begin after I move down to Melbourne.

Stephen,

8 climbs back on board ! You are my hero !

Did you do some trapezing under spi as well (Not something I do regulary myself though)

Brilliant report, thanks

Best of luck and enjoyment,

Wouter

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Ha ha ha ! Good return !

I respect that !

Wouter

Hi all,

haven't you all been having fun while I have been driving and sailing (in almost equal quantities), all this stirring I have been missing out on, not fair. <img src=

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Wouldn't want to go off topic, so I will post a brief report on the Wildcat thread I started before the event. <img src=

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Mate, if you didn't do that, I would have to come back and kick your butt! <img src=

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Glad you enjoyed the rides!!..

Stop teasing and get your a$$ back over here and on the water...... Rather than in it as you seem to do a lot of now. <img src=

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A little war wound from the weekend. Guess if you are going to swim, you should really have something to show for it <img src=

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NICE, better than any of mine.

I reckon I used to end up more bashed in a mono.

Another good reason not to sail one.

Centeboard or sidestay!! <img src=

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Did not notice it until I got back to the motel.

Hey Kathleen, I think he's trying to beat your record on bruises! Does he sail with Gilo too?? <img src=

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Damn!
I know I can do better, but I won't show pics here.

Could be that he sailed with Gill. I sailed with another guy this weekend, on an Infusion (double cheating) so maybe Gill was in Australia in the mean time?

Holy S**** sailing a F16 single handed in 25knts with the kite up, that must have been pretty frantic in the gybes, hoists and drops no?

It's fun in a scary kind of way...

Haha, no the water aint too good to swim in, but it is warm.

Enjoying it in the sun and warmth and the palm trees.