18SX north americans?

Has anybody raced a 18SX at a hobie 18 north americans? or do the magnums and SXs not get a north americans? only way I can think of doing it would be through a handicap but that sorta makes a one design competition pointless.
thanks in advance

You have asked the proverbal question there ... this discussion has been going on for years. The biggest issue is not really the "wings' but the fact that the SX mast is approximently 18" taller then a standard H-18 mast and it has a vertical cut mainsail. I believe both the SX mainsail and jib have a greater sail area then their standard conterparts.

So while you can remove the wings easily, the "taller" problem will remain unless you find a "Standard" rig to put on the boat w/ sails and rigging.

Personally ... I have yet to be beaten by a H18SX ANYTIME I have raced against one w/ my H18mag. I just don't know what "HobieCat" was thinking when they introduced the H18SX as all it seemed to do was split the class. (but I would like to be able to race a "Vertical Cut" Dacron Mainsail as the "Horizontal Cut" is 1960's technology)

Good luck ... welcome to the world of "Open Class/Portsmouth" I'll see you there w/ my P-19mx ... or maybe w/ a "square-top" mainsail on an all-alumunum mast on my H18mag.

Harry

Harry

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HarryMurphey
H-18 mag/ #9458
Fleet 54 Div 11

I don't think a SX with SE rig complies either. Not to mention the cost to de-power the SX. The SX is minimally faster than an SE. Harry must be comparing to rookie skippers on a SX if he wasn't passed. The SX can also run a spin with no penalty.

>>I don't think a SX with SE rig complies either.

As far as I know, the differences between SX and SE are the bigger rig, the wings, and any spinnaker hardware. So if you ditch the wings and swap out a standard mast, sails, and standing rigging, you should be good. All other components are stock SE parts.

sm

the sx also is a heavier boat. I believe the minimum boat weight was increased. due to aded reinforcement in the hulls.

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Rich Vilvens
F-18 5150
[email protected]
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/f-185150sailing/

A few years back I beat a SX boat for boat. Team Bulk weighed in at 400+ lbs. (And I'm not that great of a sailor).

_________________
1989 Hobie 18 Worlds Boat, Magnum Wings & Spinnaker
1987 Hobie Holder 20 #273

dale.vanlopik"at"att"dot"net

Yes, there maybe several /many reasons that I haven't been beaten when I have raced against a H18SX.

I could be HUMBLE and claim it was my superior sailing skills ... But in reality it was most likely a combination of things : having "tuned-up against other well sailed H-18s, the lone H18SX does not have the benefit of a equally as fast tuning partner ... all of the "Captains on the H18SX's I have raced against did not have my experience or skills at the time we raced (doesn't mean they wouldn't beat me today) ... there is no tuning quide for the H18SX Rig and if you use Phil Berman's excellent H-18 Performance Manual you are tuning the mast incorrectly for the H18SX sail in my opiniun ... or I could have been just lucky ....

I quess I have always been alittle MAD about the fact that the H18SX was introduced just 6 months AFTER all of us in Div11 had cut our masts and had COMPTIPS installed ... And once you cut a mast too short, no-matter how many times you re-cut the mast it will still be too short!!! I still hold that GRUDGE against "Hobie Cat management".

Harry

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HarryMurphey
H-18 mag/ #9458
Fleet 54 Div 11

just an FYI I asked the organizers of the 2008 north americans about racing a 18SX. 5 boats would be needed to get their own start. If anybody has a 18SX and is thinking about coming up it would be great to have our own start.

That would be great!!!! Go for it!!!!

This is what we need .... is more individuals taking the lead and trying to "make things happen" for their class/fleet of boats.

I hope you are not offended if I keep on not letting H18SX's beat me on my H18mag (standard rig). Remember what I said about mindset and "open" class racing: I pick a slightly faster boat and then try and whip their A_s! It makes me sail slightly above my "best game"!

The better the racing competition is, the better sailor/racer it will make you.

Harry

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HarryMurphey
H-18 mag/ #9458
Fleet 54 Div 11

it would be great. But we need 5 boats to make it happen and as far as I know there has been no interest. I'm gonna start looking for a new ride hopefully on something as fast just in case nothing happens.

The easiest and maybe cheapest is to look for a cheap used H18 (Standard) that you can swap the "rig over to your SX platform. I know of several people who have done this, but ussually because their old H18 hulls were worn out for racing and the newest hulls they could find for the $$$$ was a SX. They swapped the rig over and continued to do "one-design" racing.

Note: I know of no-one who will protest you if your hulls are heavy ... Hobie manufactured hulls w/ boats wieght for the H18 that range from 390lbs to 440lbs! There is no difference in the "Metal" parts and the daggerboards so the varience has to be largely in the hulls. I think the SX 'MAYBY' slightly heavier by a couple of lbs if in fact they added some extra reinforcement in the construction of the hulls .... I don't think they did.

And IF your boat is several pounds heavy, the easiest way to remove the wieght is for YOU to lose it ... or make the wieght work for you, be very conscious of "Boat Attitude" ie: angle of pitch fore/aft, angle of heel. Simply in lite air: Run her on her nose/bow down as much as possible (crew at the bridle wires) , keep the windward hull as lite as possible (if neccessary steer from the leeward side/wild thing)

Good Luck
Harry

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HarryMurphey
H-18 mag/ #9458
Fleet 54 Div 11