The Nacra F17 was designed for single handed speed. It was first developed in 2000 as the Inter 17. The main and spinnaker make both upwind and downwind exciting. Designers at Performance Catamarans Inc., continued to listen to sailors making small improvements for the class. New F17's include a captive mast, canted hulls, optional carbon mast and snuffer system. The class offers two spinnaker sizes that have different minimum crew weights. The main and spinnaker are similar in size and are balanced to allows for singlehanded sailing. The attendance at National events ranged from 9-15 boats. Most boats are in the midwest, with small clusters in Canada, Florida and on the East Coast.