We need to sail with some other F16's when we get it. Find out what to do to make it REALLY fast. <img src=
alt=
/> Anybody want to come visit Chattanooga this summer???
Another Kris. Had a false start racing at WRCRA with a Nacra 6.0 a couple of years ago before relocating it to VA Beach early in the season. Eventually replaced it with an F-18. Plan to keep the F-16 in Maryland and race it.
Kris,
Totally cool! Welcome back.
Keith,
Don't alert the natives! <img src=
alt=
/>
Well,,,,,,I come back from the weekend and I see we are off the goat trail and back on track with the subject at hand.
Wow,,,,,another F16 for tuesday night racing etc. Most excelent. Welcome back Kris.
I played hooky yesterday and John and I met the boats in Galesville around 1pm. Now I have to explain how I got a sunburn while I was out sick. Oh well, not the first time it's happened. John was like a junkie and needed his fix real bad. With George and Susan's help they got his boat put together and he was able to launch for the Tuesday night race. Conditions were much like what you guys had at the A Cup, gusting into the low 20s. John and Chip, both very experienced I-20 guys went out smokin. I think they were late for the start but first to A mark, I think. No capsizes and big grins upon return. John got his groove on. Pat Regan, our F-16 regional guy, drove an hour to set up his T4.9 and sail the race so that with him, John and our ever present Constantine there were three F-16s out there. Anyway we had a lot of good comments on the Blades and with the Glaser sails they really do look sharp. We will be tinkering with and sailing these boats all weekend as we had a regatta that was cancelled and we have our kitchen passes intact. Ed
Crewdog,
Apparent some of the mast trim can be improved for big wind as claimed by Matt McDonald in this thread :
http://www.catsailor.com/forums/sho...
That is if the boat is still setup with the Alter Cup spreader rake, spreader length and prebend (diamond wire tension).
Apparently the adviced setting provided by the sailmaker Glaser is also a little different from what was set up on the mast during the Alter Cup. Details are found in the thread above and I'm sure Matt can give you the tuning sheet when asked.
This may well be worth checking out.
Wouter
Not to worry Wouter. Matt being Matt, he sent me an email with all the details on what might be needed on these particular boats. Can't beat that kind of service. Ed
Ed- Can you forward me the stuff from Matt?? Thanks!
Just ask Matt. He is the most open, genuine sailor you'll meet (or else he's been feeding me BS, so he can beat me). Always wants to make EVERYONE go faster. Glaser is also putting specs on thier web site (I believe).
If you don't get the skinny from Matt, ask Gina - she'll give you the true low-down. You know who makes the REAL decisions. Haha.
Chesapeake Bay F16s - is Navarre Beach, FL too far for a long weekend in Sept?
Joanna - Sure, I will forward it to you.
Tom - Jax is 12 hrs from Naptown, GYC is 16 hrs. So Fl trips aren't easy for us but definately inviting.
Duck,
Turn it around on them there FL F16. Invite them to A to O in September. Imagine, all of us spotting D'broke 10 minutes and beating him to the line.
Maybe Spring Fever 2008 is the most central location to all of the F16's in the south-east USA ?
Certainly looks like about equidistant from alabama, florida and MD.
Wouter
Rick came from Toronto with his new Blade to Spring Fever this year. It is a great location, regatta with three days of racing and lots of boats. It would be wonderful to get at bunch of F16's there.
I'm hoping to make Spring Fever '08, but that's a long way off. The panhandle thing would be nice as well.
Wouter, make some room in your pm inbox. You'll get mail.
Trey,
I've made some room now, so fire away.
Wouter
CrewDog (Lucky Duck???),
How far is Duck, NC from you guys? I'll be vacationing in Nags Head, NC in the middle of June. Duck YC/OBXCC host a regatta on one of those weekends (June 9/10). It might be enough incentive to haul the boat up there this year....
http:/
Yep, aka Lucky Duck. I can't make the June 9/10 weekend. The Outer Banks are about 6 hrs south of us and I've done the event on the A Cat. Very good people there and one of the best sailing grounds around. The bay side (sound) is shallow in some areas but nice sand bottoim, great breeze (thats why the Wright Bro's were there) and flat water. This is one of the best places around to learn kiteboarding, windsurfing and hang gliding to name a few. If you take the Blade make contact with Jon beforehand to see whats what. Ed
You can also contact dbncsu. He's a native of the OBX.
Arent you doing Cinco De Nacra today?
Ed,
I would love to hear a personal comparison from you between the A and the Blade F16. After a couple of times sailing that is and then again after 1 or 2 seasons getting to know the Blade well.
I ask this of other A-cat to F16 sailors as well. I find this very interesting. One guy could only produce
They are totally uncomparable, in every aspect
, but couldn't elaborate.
I find it increasingly interesting to find out why two boat that are still quite close in specs can still be so far apart in one on one comparison. Not to say one is better then another but apparently the two are jsut so different in feel.
So when you have the time ...
Wouter
OK Wouter, I will take a stab at it. Upwind the boat sailed more like an A than any other boat I have sailed. Not quite as responsive, but we were able to get the same feeling of the boat squirting forward in the gusts and not just healing more. The balance was not as good and we were back at the rear beam, which produced rear beam slapping on occasion (upwind). That really stopped the boat, but we wanted to keep the bows up in those conditions. One race sailed in light conditions, which meant we were either on the boat, single, trapped, or double trapped. The boat came to life just when I would expect it too, as opposed to a Hobie Tiger that feels very underpowered in single trap and below conditions.
Downwind we were pushing the boat more than we should have and went over twice. Most teams were sailing low and safe. After we went to this mode we did better. On the A I would have felt more like I was racing/ pushing the boat to get an advantage. This was fast, but not quite the same gut feeling as when you are in the groove downwind on an A. I think there would be a wind range where F16 is more fun, possibly between 5 and 10. After that and the A is challenge (read fun for me) to go as fast as the boat is capable, and before that and there is not enough power in the spinnaker to make it worth the extra hassle of rigging and crew work.
Summery: For a two up boat there in no question this would be my first choice, if there were a fleet of good racers in my area. For single. I think I would stick with the A. For versatility, again no question..the F16 wins.
Ken Marshack
A Cat USA 192
Thank you Ken.
Wouter