From a performance point of view I consider the mid girth rule SILLY.
Most likely it was introduced by the founders of the F18 class.
That is not true. This mid girth rule was already present in the measurement based rating systems like Texel and SCHRS (and FFV predessor) when the F18 class was founded. Basically, it is there to distinguish between a (normal) jib and an asymmetric spinnaker. Without this rule there is no fundamental difference between the two. Of course a measurement based rating system has to distinguish between the two to arrive at acceptably accurate rating numbers.
But even under this condition, no rating systems bans code-0's explicetly. They only state that when a headsail has a mid girth of less then 75% that then the headsail area is to be included in the total upwind sailarea (as as such is effectively regarded as a normal jib). Obviously this is the correct way of looking at the situation as the code-0's can indeed be carried upwind.
The trick where everything falls down is that the code-0 is in basis a very limited upwind sail. It is mainly a reacher and can go somewhat upwind in rather light winds. Allow such a sail in your class will simply kill it off in direct handicapped comparisons to other boats. This is a promotional nightmare for a fledgeling catamaran class as we all do so much handicapped racing in the first few years. I know this was the consideration in the F16 class to copy the 75% rule in its ruleset, I dare say it is exactly the same for the F18 and F20 classes. The latter does not refer to the "original" F20 class (Bim, Ventilo, Mattia) apparently.
Since all we catsailors love to go faster and faster, I would let all the catamaran classes to test these new code Os.
Personally, I would love to see any crew bring a code-0 (hooter, screacher) to an F16 regatta on a experimental waver and show its potential over a range of conditions. In my time as a chairman there was an outstanding invitation to any crew to do so. Nobody took us up on this offer and I think the invitation has effectively been withdraw by the new F16 leadership. I still think this sail is much less then a "new wapon"; even Booth didn't dare "bring it on" in Athenes 2004 because even he says it is a risky option when the conditions can not accurately be predicted to be light in advance.
And what is the point of a faster sail in really light winds when you'll get trashed in anything above 8 knots by normal gear ? I'm not at all convinced it is a "faster" sail altogether, especially not when 2-up crews are already double trapping in 10 knots of wind and have to shed power. So I'm hoping that this olympiad has a few normal wind days as well. Then we can see what a code-0, hooter, screacher really does.
Wouter
