mookiesurfs

It is a $100 radio, after all. The design brief is probably aimed at day sailors and day boaters, for whom the price and wall charger are perfect.

Those are great boats, and popular. Sounds like a good deal if there are sails and a trailer. I don't know about de-tuning one, though.

Amen

I like the Ericson. Would the 6.25' draft be an issue where you sail?

Sam, you have been a prince and an indispensable help while I learned the ins and outs of the 16s and 18s, and for that I am truly thankful. It will be good to meet you at a race somewhere. I like the 18. I am also lucky enough to have a wife who loves boats and sailing and likes to keep our boats. The primary goal is not to ruin that. So, we hopped on an 18 and we hopped on a 16. She liked one and not the other, and that's fine by me. There are a million boats out there, so there is no need to force her onto one she doesn't like. We'll find one we both like, and off we go. I agree with you entirely about the F-16 class. The market is too fractured between the 15, 16, 17 and 18, and the 16 does not have critical mass like the 18 nor as large a demographic to draw from. It seems like the 16 may be on it's last legs as a one design class in the US, but that wasn't a huge issue for us. And yes, we're at the upper end for a 16, but it all goes back to the previous paragraph. If I get an 18 I'll have some ugly, swarthy, sweaty bloke up there drinking all the beer.

Thanks John, Everyone's comments have been spot on so far, and have really helped clarify the picture. I've sailed both boats, but was having trouble figuring out why my gut wanted the Falcon. I have a much better idea now. Coming from the Taipan 4.9 with a kite, the F-16 handling is pretty sedate, imo. The 16 has a little more power, but it is more controlled, relatively speaking. It doesn't seem as close to the edge. And while racing, swimming, I have discovered, is slow. The Taipan solo with the kite is fun, but I have not had a chance to do that on a Falcon or Viper. As for reasons, two-up at 330 lbs we're too heavy for the Taipan, imo. Also, Bow loves the F-16 self-tackers and the fairly clean tramps. Plus, having everything built from the get-go for two-up with a spin would be really nice, despite doing our best to keep the current boat organised and up to speed. The racing here is predominantly mixed fleet Portsmouth, and I'm completely fine with that. We'll get a fair share of F-18s at big events and the occassional F-16, so those are fun. I was kinda leaning towards an F-18 initially, but after sailing one it didn't work for Bow and I as a crew. So, the -16 will be the family boat, while I begin long term maneuvering to add an A cat to the fleet. Don't tell Bow that last little bit, though.

oooooo, aaaaaaaahhhh! Boards? Insert from the top or bottom? Is it stable? upwind and down? Seriously, I think we'll be on a floater for an all-around second-hand fun boat. But, is the foiling Viper any faster around a course? As much as we multi-hull speed freaks would love more speed, it seems like development is at the point where consistent foiling requires substantial talent, and easy foiling or light wind foiling means slow foils. And, around a course, floating and foiling are a wash except for the most talented/experienced. Am I wrong?

Well that's interesting. Everyone up to now has poo-pooed the Nacra 16, for what seemed like valid reasons. Were these probably pre 2014 boats?

Can anyone do a comparison of these two F-16s? Both seem to be great boats, but I'd like to know the differences and pros and cons of each. I got Bow onto an F-16 and an F-18, and she is much happier on the -16. I'm much happier sailing with her, so that's where we're going. Just trying to pick the right boat. Probably couldn't go wrong with either one, but it would be nice to have some experienced input. Thanks.

Idk, I'll have to take Bow to see the movie. She will like it. Tahiti has your typical tropical rainy season with afternoon showers, and the capitol of Papeete is a crowded town, but outside of Papeete, French Polynesia is pretty idyllic, imo.

Yes, Tahiti is very much like Oahu, geographically and weather wise. It's about the same distance south of the equator as Hawaii is north, pretty much south of Hawaii, and part of an island group that contains Bora Bora. The islands of Moorea and Tahaa were our favorites. Sailed to a pearl farm and Bow picked out a black pearl and had it strung. Winner.

Cool, thanks. You just gave me two hours of my life back.

Does she rescue him as the trailer portrays? Or is that hallucinating? I think the story is best as it actually happened: she regains consciousness completely alone and must save herself in the face of incredible loss. Hopefully that's the movie. Anything else is a sop to the masses.

Yeah I'm not watching that. From the trailer she rescues him, unlike the true story. Why can't Hollywood let an independent girl have some sack all her own? Why does a guy always have to support her? Is it too threatening to the masses? Fuck Hollywood. And yes, life can be brutal. That's why some people believe in imaginary friends in the sky, and on the other hand, why I enjoy a dark sense of humor and good scotch.

I step our S2 7.9 mast solo. Takes awhile, but do-able.