Formula 18

The Formula 18 class, abbreviated F18, is a non-foiling, restricted development,[1] formula-design sport catamaran class. It was started in the early 1990s and quickly grew getting class recognition by World Sailing, with large racing fleets all over the globe.

F18
Development
Designervarious
Year1994
DesignBox Rule
Brandvarious
Builder(s)various
Boat
Crew2 person
Boat weight180 kg (400 lb)
Draft1.40 m (4 ft 7 in) (upwind)
Trapezehelm and crew
Hull
Typecatamaran
LOH5.52 m (18 ft 1 in)
Beam2.60 m (8 ft 6 in)
Hull appendages
Keel/board typeoptional: daggerboards / centerboards
Rig
Mast length9.10 m (29 ft 10 in) (maximum)
Sails
Mainsail area17 m2 (180 sq ft) (mainsail and mast combined area)
Jib/genoa area4.3 m2 (46 sq ft)
Gennaker area21 m2 (230 sq ft)
Upwind sail area21.3 m2 (229 sq ft)
Downwind sail area42.3 m2 (455 sq ft)
Racing
Class associationInternational Formula 18 Class Association
Starting line during 2015 F18 Worlds in Kiel

Design goals

The overall objective of the class is to offer popular, safe, exciting and fair racing in 18-foot catamarans.

The F18 class is a "box rule[2]" class, which means that any boat that adheres to the limited set of general design specifications may participate in all F18 races. This has led to a score of homebuilders and professional builders to design their own F18 boats and race them in this class. However, it is the mainstream production F18 designs that have dominated the top of the class. The presence of multiple boat builders and sailmakers in the class stimulates innovation and helps to limit costs to sailors.

The F18 box rule allows limited development, striking a balance between the class remaining close to the front edge of multihull design and preserving capital invested in the fleet. Since its introduction, the F18 has seen a steady evolution in both hull and sail shapes, which has led to remarkably improved performance in terms of both handling and speed. The latest innovation adoption was the introduction of the mainsail "decksweeper" at the 2017 Worlds. Crewed by experienced teams F18s can reach speeds of over 13 knots upwind and more than 20 knots downwind.

The relatively high boat weight facilitates robust construction and limits the benefits from fragile advanced construction techniques, keeping costs down and increasing longevity. It also supports adding interchangeable parts to the platform, for example for use of the platform as a foiling catamaran outside F18 racing. Moreover, the relatively high boat weight reduces the sensitivity of performance to crew weight.

The F18 class also uses an equalizing system, with crew extra weights, to offer competitive racing for a larger crew weight range.

Class development

Formula 18 catamaran

The Formula 18 was created in 1994 by Olivier Bovyn and Pierre-Charles Barraud to introduce first across the line / elapsed time (versus handicap / corrected time) competition to the sport catamaran sailing community at an affordable cost. The concept became popular very quickly and due to its fast growth, the F18 attained ISAF Recognised Class status already in 1996, within 18 months after its inception.

Mainly a Europe-based class at the beginning, class membership eventually spread to Australia and the Americas and the F18 class currently has full racing circuits in many places around the globe. Several thousand boats have been sold over the years. The F18 attracts both female and male as well as mixed crews and it is particularly popular among teams with combined crew weights of approximately 140-170 kg.

Its design and popularity has led the F18 to be the boat of choice for long-distance raid events such as the Stockholm Archipelago Raid and the Worrell 1000.

The boats are equipped with double trapezes and gennakers, and as a result, they require a skilled and physically fit crew to be competitive. However, many crews also use this catamaran for purely recreational sailing.

Over time the class has seen many talented sailors who also made their appearances in Olympic sailing classes, the America’s Cup, Jules Verne Trophy and Volvo Ocean Race, including Carolijn Brouwer, Glenn Ashby, Darren Bundock, Jimmy Spithill, Mitch Booth and Franck Cammas.

The Formula 18 class is governed by the International Formula 18 Class Association[3] and is recognized as a World Sailing Multihull Class.

The early success of the F18 class during the 1990s inspired the founding of the Formula 16 class. In addition, a number of Formula 18 designs have gone on to have competitive one-design racing including the Hobie Tiger, Hobie Wildcat and Nacra Infusion.

Events

World Championships


Year Gold Silver Bronze
2018 Sarasota  United States  Iordanis Paschalidis (GRE)
 Konstantinos Trigkonis (GRE)
 Michael Easton (USA)
 Tripp Burd (USA)
 Taylor Reiss (USA)
 Matthew Whitehead (USA)
2017 Vallensbæk  Denmark  Mischa Heemskerk (NED)
 Stephan Dekker (NED)
 Patrick Demesmaeker (BEL)
 Gilles Tas (BEL)
 Jolbert van Dijk (NED)
 Frank de Waard (NED)
2016 Buenos Aires  Argentina  Pablo Völker (ARG)
 Juan Martín Benitez (ARG)
 Cruz Gonzalez Smith (ARG)
 Mariano Heuser (ARG)
 Jason Hess (GUA)
 Nicolás Schargorodsky (GUA)
2015 Kiel  Germany  Gunnar Larsen (NED)
 Ferdinand van West (NED)
 Oscar Zeekant (NED)
 Karel Begemann (NED)
 Glenn Ashby (AUS)
 Brett Goodall (AUS)
2014 Bangor  Northern Ireland  Gunnar Larsen (NED)
 Ferdinand van West (NED)
 Gurvan Bontemps (FRA)
 Benjamin Amiot (FRA)
 Taylor Reiss (USA)
 Matthew Whitehead (USA)
2013 Grosseto  Italy  Billy Besson (FRA)
 Jeremie Lagarrigue (FRA)
 Hugh Styles (GBR)
 Richard Mason (GBR)
 Mitch Booth (ESP)
 Jordi Booth (ESP)
2012 Long Beach  United States  Olivier Backes (FRA)
 Matthieu Vandame (FRA)
 Oscar Zeekant (NED)
 Karel Begemann (NED)
 Billy Besson (FRA)
 Jeremie Laguarrigue (FRA)
2011 Balatonfüred  Hungary  Darren Bundock (AUS)
 Jeroen van Leeuwen (NED)
 Mischa Heemskerk (NED)
 Bastiaan Tentij (NED)
 Vittoro Bissaro (ITA)
 Lamberto Cesari (ITA)
2010 Erquy  France  Olivier Backes (FRA)
 Arnaud Jarlegan (FRA)
 Darren Bundock (AUS)
 William Howden (AUS)
 Hugh Styles (GBR)
 Ferdinand van West (NED)
2009 Knokke  Belgium  Coen de Koning (NED)
 Thijs Visser (NED)
 Rob Wilson (GBR)
 Marcus Lynch (GBR)
 Hugh Styles (GBR)
 Ferdinand van West (NED)
2008 Nigrán  Spain  Coen de Koning (NED)
 Jeroen van Leeuwen (NED)
 Franck Cammas (FRA)
 Jeremy Lagarrigue (FRA)
 Mischa Heemskerk (NED)
 Bastiaan Tentij (NED)
2007 Yeppoon  Australia  Darren Bundock (AUS)
 Glen Ashby (AUS)
 Mitch Booth (NED)
 Pim Nieuwenhuis (NED)
 Billy Besson (FRA)
 Arnaud Jarlegan (FRA)
2006 Hyères  France  Helge Sach (GER)
 Christian Sach (GER)
 Darren Bundock (AUS)
 Glen Ashby (AUS)
 Andrew Landenberger (AUS)
 Felix Egner (GER)
2005 Hoek van Holland  Netherlands  Darren Bundock (AUS)
 Glen Ashby (AUS)
 Mitch Booth (NED)
 Herbert Dercksen (NED)
 Helge Sach (GER)
 Christian Sach (GER)
2004 Punta Ala  Italy  Darren Bundock (AUS)
 Glen Ashby (AUS)
 Mitch Booth (NED)
 Herbert Dercksen (NED)
 Gavin Colby (AUS)
 Cory Camenisch (SUI)}
2003 Koksijde  Belgium  Emmanuel Boulogne (FRA)
 Vincent Boulogne (FRA)
 Gavin Colby (AUS)
 Cory Camenisch (SUI)
 Darren Bundock (AUS)
 Glen Ashby (AUS)
2002 Travemünde  Germany  Mitch Booth (NED)
 Herbert Dercksen (NED)
 Jean-Christophe Mourniac (FRA)
 Philippe Mourniac (FRA)
 Darren Bundock (AUS)
 Luca Remagnino (ITA)
2001 Parkstone  Great Britain  Mitch Booth (NED)
 Herbert Dercksen (NED)
 Jean-Christophe Mourniac (FRA)
 Philippe Mourniac (FRA)
 Billy Besson (FRA)
 Arnaud Jarlegan (FRA)
2000 Erquy  France  Mitch Booth (NED)
 Herbert Dercksen (NED)
 Jean-Christophe Mourniac (FRA)
 Philippe Mourniac (FRA)
 Andrew Landenberger (AUS)
 Philippe Neiras (FRA)

[4]

References

  1. "Constitution". Formula 18. 2018-12-15. Retrieved 2018-12-15.
  2. "Class Rules - Formula 18 Catamaran". sailing.org. Retrieved 2017-10-10.
  3. "Formula 18". Formula 18. Retrieved 2017-10-10.
  4. http://www.f18-international.org/hall-of-fame/
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