Photo Credit:St Bart Cata Cup 2018 Round the Weather Mark
Photo Credit: St Bart Cata Cup 2018 Start
Photo Credit: St Bart Cata Cup 2018
About Formula 18 (F18)
The F18 class aims to provide fair boat for boat racing without handicaps on catamarans from various manufacturers and different designs within a “box” formula rule and for crews of various weights. Competition between boat manufacturers and sail makers keep costs very competitive and the competition is very close. Racing with upwind speeds of 11-13 knots and downwind speeds of 18-20 kts makes the racing very exciting. Allowing mixed and all female teams to compete on an equal basis fleets makes entering the class more accessible for every sailor. The Formula 18 class keeps offering popular, exciting, safe and fair racing, and also keeps on growing and evolving. The boat was designed for both distance “raid” racing and standard around the buoy multiple race events. There are major continental and world championships annually often with 100 to 160 catamarans entered.
Design
Boats Produced: 500
Class boat builder(s):
Cirrus (France), Falcon (USA), Goodall (Australia), Nacra (Netherlands), Scorpion (Poland), Windrush (Australia)
Approximately how many boats are in the USA/North America? 200
Where is your One-Design class typically sailed in the USA? List regions of the country:
Arizona – Phoenix; California – Long Beach, San Diego, Santa Cruz, San Francisco; Florida – Clearwater, Sarasota, Key Largo; Hawaii – Oahu; Maryland; Massachusetts – Boston, Michigan; Rhode Island – Newport, Utah – Salt Lake City, Wisconsin, Washington – Seattle;
Does this class have a spinnaker or gennaker? Yes
Ideal combined weight of range of crew: 300-380 lbs; minimum combined crew weight 330 lbs (150 kg) otherwise carry 1/2 pound lead for each pound underweight
Boat Designed in 1995
Beam: 8’5″
Weight of rigged boat without sails: 396 lbs (180 kg) minimum required weight with sails
Draft: Approximately 5 ft but varies by type of F18. Boat has two daggerboards which can be raised when in shallow water.
Mast Height: 30′