I have read a post that says the Hobie 20 is class legal to race F18 if the right spinnaker is fitted. Is this true?
Regards
Chet
Not even close to true. The Hobie 20 is about 19.5 feet and the Formula 18 is maxed out at a hair over 18 feet. Even if you decided to cut the hulls down to size you would have all the sail measurements to deal with. There is a section in the rules that you have to have a solid aluminum mast as well. Too many considerations to make the Hobie 20 a Formula 18.
Maybe you are thinking about racing against the Formula 18s in a portsmouth handicap race? That can be done with or without a spinnaker. Caveat is that you are not sailing class setup boat so it does not work for all portsmouth sailing. I do not think that you can sail a Hobie 20 with a spinnaker at an Alter Cup Trials.
Here is another thought. If you have not already bought a spinnaker kit for the 20 consider the difference in what you can sell your boat for plus the cost of spin retrofit and see what you come up with? If it is not too much then realize that in the end you will have a boat that you can resell that is a Formula 18.
Later,
Dan