I've sailed the FX-one again in Greece.
Hobie FX-one righting, I couldn't do it at 6 foot 2 and 82 kg's (182 pound) clean. (weight without wet sailing gear, which I was wearing at the time) The boat was very unimpressed when I hung flat on the righting line. With a H16 I can move the mast up al little but the FX-one felt like a rock.
This was in light air with gusts.
Several others had the same problems. I wasn't really looking at the FX-one anymore as my new boat for I already decided upon another type but this righting behavious would have crossed out the FX-one permanently in my book.
I sailed the FX-one on race day and got in race one just behind one hobie Tiger and two hobie 16's. In race Two I got in just behind the same Hobie tiger and a laser 4000 (with instructor on board). Race three I made one lap to much and sailed myself out of the top places by this action. Race four was doing really well again behind the same hobie tiger and one different Hobie 16 but had to avoid a windsurfer which put my into irons and thus hit the mark so I had to do a 360 and got overtaking by a Hobie pacific and two hobie 16's
Race 1 and 2 were light air races and was last over the startline in race 1 and first together with the laser 4000 in race two. Race three was medium air and started just ahead of the middle of the pack. Race four was heavy air and I was first over the startline. Race 2 was my best race and I got 5 th in the standings on corrected.
FX-one UK PN handicap = 79
Hobie UK PN handicap = 85
I got wacked on handicap by several H16's as were nearly all other boats except that single Hobie tiger (More participated) and the laser 4000 which got a monster handicap too.
When I calculate equivilant Texel ratings from these UK PN I get
Hobie 16 116 (by definition)
FX-one 108 (when I assume 85 to the same as the 116 of H16)
Actual Texel ratings
H16 = 116
FX-one = 110
From experiences at this Greece sailing camp Three weeks in total this year and the Ducth hobie nationals I can say that I feel that the FX-one is correctly handicaped by 110 / 116 with respect to the hobie 16's if not slower. It is certainly not much faster.
All sloops have a definate advantage downwind. Beam reaches seemed to be equally fast.
In the light air the Laser 4000 (sloop with genaker) was very equal to me on the Hobie FX-one. In heavy air I had a definate advantage. The laser 4000 was sailed by one of the instructors with one of my holiday collegues. The instructor was sailing the 49-er last time I was there when they beat a world cup crew on the Hobie tiger in the light air.
I stayed in front or very near by a few tactical moves which put the laser in my bad air so he had to tack away a couple of times. I got better starts by diving below him at speed and pass him while I headed up. This worked perfectly in the second race and I got a good lead on everybody on the first lap, but all made up for it on the two following downwind legs. The hobie tiger was really behind in the second race but completely closed the gap using it's genaker. Again I stayed close by ramming it inside when we reached the c mark each time, so he got my bad air.
I couldn't use these tactics to the same effect in the last races due to the stronger winds. They just powered past me. And I couldn't get the boat to go, I still don't know why. Afterwards I remembered that I could have raised the boards a little because the boat was nervous and felt slow just like brobu experienced on his i-17.
Wouter
Couldn't get it up? Take some viagra. <img src="<>/smile.gif" alt="smile" title="smile" height="15" width="15" />
Wouter, Enjoyed your report on the FX-one. I doubt if the
FX-one will replace the Hobie 17, from the reports that have been posted. I am the same height and weight as you, and have no problems righting my H-17 under all conditions. Glad to hear your actual race report, similar to events we have all experienced. I still prefer one class racing. When the series is over, we all know the results immediately.
Last Friday I entered a Regatta that had a mix of 15 boats that included a Inter20, Stiletto 27, J-22's, J-105, Melges 24, J-30, Peterson 40-2, Santana 27, Sonic 30, etc. The Inter20 had the lowest elapsed time. With my Hobie 17, I had the fourth lowest elapsed time, but was first on corrected time. The Peterson 40-2 was second and the Inter20 third on corrected time.
We have a growing fleet of Hobie 17's in the Pacific Northwest. The H-17 is a rugged boat with a reasonable price for both new and used boats. I am still on my first one, a 1986 model.
Caleb Tarleton
Wouter
Thanks for your input into the
rightability
of the FX one it is something that in my mind is extremely important given that the spi option single handled gives a lot of opportunity to end up swimming!!! Maybe if they had placed a carbon mast on the industrial A-cat (dare I say that in public) it may have helped the issue somewhat, what do you think, but then this would not appeal to the beach market i feel.
The thought of capsizing in an onshore breeze waiting to be blown onto rocks crunch, crunch... is not appealing. With myself also falling into the same physique credentials Viagra and Steroids are not an option for weight management as I still like to go fast.
However, I will not hold my opinion in stone until I have actually tried the boat myself, Greece in the spring seems a tempting option!
Tot Straks
mark
A carbon mast would certainly help or a lighter alu wing mast maybe which another boat has. Sadly a FX-one with carbon mast will cost about NFL 30000,- (US 12500,-) or more expensive than all A-cats except Waterrat and Marstrom A, so why not go for a true A-cat than ?
By all means try yourself, Wildwind is FUN ! It won't be another year before I go back too. BTW : are you still going to rondje Tiengemeente ? I looks like It will be my last race of the season and maybe my last race on the P18 genaker.
I'm not sure wether Geert is still going.
Wouter
I too appreciated the FX-one report. looks like a jamming single hander. Nice to see Hobie with some modern hull designs. I'm looking to grow into a Nacra 5.5 next year after spring racing. However, at 165# I can't right myHobie 17SE/Sport solo without a righting pole.
Hobie 17
MISTER LUCKY
Mister Lucky: At 165 lbs, you are just the right weight for a
H-17. Most of the top ten finishers at the H-17 Continental Championship, in Vancouver, BC this year were right at this weight. Suggest you try the
Upright Solo Righting System
Hobie part 1265 for the H-17, which is a shroud extender. The Hobie 2001-2004 Class rules now allow this device to be used while racing. You just have to reset the shroud, prior to continuing racing. You will probably want to leave in the mast stepping pin, if you use this device. Most of us run with the pin out.
Caleb Tarleton
Wouter
I was not intending to race at Tiengemeente, (lack of crew again, the hockey seasons started!) but I was thinking of taking a look down there anyway.
I may see you around, there can't be too many p18's with Genakers about!
Mark
🙂