This is a proven design, this was an Alter Cup boat in 2007 and still sails strong today. Numerous successful regattas at Ocean Springs Yacht Club, Ocean Springs, MS as well as Gulfport, FL and the Alter Cup in Melbourne, FL. The F-16 is the PERFECT boat for one or two people up to about 350lbs... Great for husband/wife, father/son, or two teenagers for some serious intense and thrilling sailing... or just put the main sail up, no jib or spin and chill out "A-Cat" style solo.
The official spec of the Blade is 240lbs, but I've lightened a few pounds it by removing the pelican striker, switching to dyneema, eliminating lots of shackles, jib block pylons, swapped aluminum for some carbon, etc..
I'd estimate it at 230-235lbs.... A Hobie 16 is almost 100 pounds heavier... Makes a HUGE difference on the beach... and the Blade is far more nimble and fun. Ironically, it actually has about 1 square meter LESS main than the H-16, but not matter. It's a little rocket ship. If you want to learn the beautiful sensation of sailing downwind with a spinnaker on 1 hull, smoothly carving the waves...this is the ticket.
You can legally race singlehanded w/o the jib, or double handed with the jib. Very competitive w/all the common formula boats.
As it is a 2007 design, formula boats have continued to modernize and I've integrate those updates into this boat. Basically if it's on a new formula boat, it's on this one. Fully optimized with a focus on simplicity.
Features -
SNU snuffer
Rudders modified to lift FULLY up, great for backing the boat on to beaches and ensuring no one bumps or runs in to the rudders when the boat is on the beach. Rudders go up just like those of an F18HT.
Spliced dyneema on almost anything you can think of, lines, soft shackles, etc.
Super simple righting pole
SEADEK comfort grip and cushion on decks
Carbon rudders, daggerboards, tiller crossbar and tiller
internal downhaul, I use as 6:1 but cover to 12:1 instantly....
Internal jib sheet take-up
Mast rotation quick release and reset system
Eliminated pelican striker
Eliminated bulky jib block "pylons"... blocks fixed directly to crossbar
"Floating" jib traveler
Tack line take up system
Perfect spin sheet length, tramp is tidy
1 good set of Goodall Sails
1 fun set of Glaser Sails
1 nearly new Glaser spinnaker
1 fun spinnaker in LSU colors
Glossy gelcoat, HullKote applied 4x a year... (start of season, distance races, end of season)
Throughly freshwater rinsed after each sail
New complete, total, custom beach storage cover... w/skirts, etc and SNU/spin cover
Rudder covers too
Beach wheels w/cradles
Trailer, w/new spare, and trailer tire covers to block UV, seedeaters, etc
Cradles while trailering
Hull/bow covers while trailering
Large metal sailbox
Spare spin pole, spare boom
New diamond wires, 2016, updated SINGLE bolt tensioning system
New standing rigging, 2016
What does it need? Trailing edges of boards could use a mild refinish. Less than $100 job I'll probably get done soon. Minor scuff here and there, 10 year old boat, but thousands less than a newer boat and all the same fun, speed, etc.
Bottom line is this is an excellent boat, I've had a lot of fun sailing and caring/upgrading it... Selling b/c I'm moving to Europe this summer where THE catamaran is the F-16, so I will pickup a cool Italian F-16 one over there.