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F17 question


Groover

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Hi I have just bought one of these. I believe class rules are one up main and spin. two up main jib spin. From what I can tell the yardstick is the same one or two up - the same as a 5.8. First impressions are that they are a fantastic boat.

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I have a I17 which is very simular to the F17, made by BCC, I race mine 1 up and leave the self tacker jib on, coupla weeks ago Roscoe made a square top main for mine, still early days but I have a huge boost in power, there are plenty of u-tubes of Alex and me in our I17`s just type in Nacra I17, chocko has filmed heaps on lake tinaroo, with the right skipper 1 or 2 up these 17`s can keep up with F18`s and in the right conditions beat them, my yardstick is 72.5 atm but may change with the bigger main, unless its blowing over 20 knots and you are 1 up the 5.8 dosent stand a chance and you will easily smoke them, but as the wind increases the 17 is overpowered and becomes survival mode..I am hoping the bigger square top will help me to depower in the windier days, only just got it so not sure yet but looks promising

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Thanks for the reply, I've watched all chocko's vids. I particularly liked the almost pitch pole. I'd probably buy a 5.8 but I can't get my head around having to rely on a crew all the time. Plus the 17 just looks so nice. I'd probably need to sail one before I splash out on a new one though. Tell Chocko to keep the vids coming

Cheers Groover

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BCC have for sail a very cheap almost new F17 and Alex has just bought an A Class so his I17 is going cheap, mind you he gets a little sad on the downwind legs when my I17 smokes his A Class, different storey upwind though, better start using my harness, but I warn you the 17 is very overpowered, yet still controllable, and takes a lot to put the nose under, you have to keep the main sheet in your reach if you know what i mean, that vid of Aiden and me nearly pitch poling was due to fooling around, we knew it was coming...Alex is the one on the jet ski filming us. I will ask Chocko to get some tubes of my new square top in action...

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I bought the one at BCC.

I also own a 5.8 and a 16 sq. I am 80kg and my crew 70kg. I bought the F17 to replace the 16 sq. and to intro my crew (son 13 yrs old) to sailing with a spinnaker. Before I go any further can I say I am a committed 5.8 sailor, I bought my first one new in 1988 and have been sailing them off and on ever since. They are a fantastic boat which offers considerable power and great class racing. Equally the 16 sq is one of roscos best work, it is an extremely enjoyable boat to sail.

Having said that for my weight I find both boats a handful in winds over 15 knots and cannot depower them as much as I would like. This is primarily due to the design of the main.

The F17 i bought is a current euro spec boat. It has the 9.15m infusion F18 aluminium wing mask and a very narrow square top main. the main is 15.25m2 compared with the traditionally shaped 17.45m2 5.8 main The jib is self tacking and 3.8m2 compared with the 5.8 genoa/jib which is 4.8 m2.

I have raced the F17 twice now two up. My first impressions are this: 5 - 10 knots upwind the F17 is slightly slower than the 5.8 and feels a little underpowered, off wind they a fairly equal, but I think once we master the spinnaker it will be slightly faster. Over 10 knots things change considerably. The F17 is faster than a 5.8 upwind due to the square top on the main being able to depower and repower extremely efficiently, off wind the spinnaker gives it more pace and can easily out run a 5.8. Over 15 knots things get even better, the square top unloads and reloads fantastically - you kind of blast out of the gusts into the next lull, the boat is an absolute rocket with our crew weight- I have not gone to windward so fast for a very long time. Down wind and broad reaching are equally as good - it flies.

I recon the F17 is one of nacras better kept secrets, it gives you the flexibility to sail one or two up but has a modern design rig to give you a very enjoyable ride. It is surprising, and somewhat disappointing that there are not more of these boats out there.

The 5.8 will continue to be my primary boat for 2 up sailing as they are fantastic to sail and offer extremely strong class racing, my problem will be that the crew absolutely loves sailing the F17 and I may not be able to convince him of the merits of sailing the 5.8.!!!!

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Congrats on your purchase spike, I was really hoping that it would find its way up here as we have a fast growing cat fleet, and lake sailing is usually in lighter winds and smoother water so it suits the 17 perfectly, it would be a great choice for any H16 or 16sq sailer to upgrade to, and have the option to go 1 up if the crew is away, Im sure that there are plenty of heavier H16 and 16Sq guys out there who are struggling to get to the top of the ladder and just had enough of getting beaten, we all cant be winners but the F17 I believe, unlocks new doors...Keep us up dated on how you go please.. Devon.. Oh where do you sail from?

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Hi, we sailed wivenhoe and samsonvale last season on 5.8 and 16 sq. Will probably sail f17 somewhere on the bay next season or perhaps southport, will also sail it in some of the events of the traveler series. May bring it up to mission beach this year- time permitting

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Mission beach is a great event, lots of boats, good acess, van park right on the beach, white sand, and sail around dunk island is a must..I have done this before in my I17, there was a nice shot of us in the multihull magazine, didnt even know till some one recognized me, so went out and bought a stack lol...I could even be convinved to go again quite easily, another good event has just passed it is the tinaroo may day event, we usually get about 100 boats entering.

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Hi' date=' we sailed wivenhoe and samsonvale last season on 5.8 and 16 sq. Will probably sail f17 somewhere on the bay next season or perhaps southport, will also sail it in some of the events of the traveler series. May bring it up to mission beach this year- time permitting[/quote']

Hey Spike

If your looking at running on the Bay Cleveland have a regular fleet of 8-10 5.8's, three F18's, 5.0's, 16sq and a Mozzie with kite most of witch is windward / returns for the kite boats, over 55 races in the summer season alone if you wish to do them all.

Cheers

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi damo,

will definitely come to see you next season at Cleveland. Lex was the reason I got back into 5.8's- I was going to buy a Hobie 18 and he showed me the light (eternally thankful for him for doing so!) Hope that some of your nacras will join the nacra traveller series next season and visit some other clubs as well.

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Hi Spike

Good stuff look forward to meeting you down there. As for the traveler series i'm sure Cleveland would welcome one of the rounds if offered as i'm sure other Nacra supporting clubs would jump on board also. Keep us tuned any way, Lex was also a key factor in us purchasing a 5.8 also and had a ball it was a grait choice for us.Now we race an F18 out of Cleveland with spin cats of all shapes and sizes with courses to suit.

Cheers

Damo

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