Whilst I find the idea of someone in the UK protesting a Stealth R + F16 main unimaginable, I think the rules are clear: a Stealth R with an F16 main does not meet the requirements for a foundation boat, and therefore does not meet the requirements for the Formula 16 class.

However, it is within the constraints of the "Open Formula 16" class, which means that "the head of a local Formula 16 class organisation may give dispensation" to allow it to become part of the Open Formula 16 class. Now, I would have thought that it should require the local F16 association to give the dispensation, rather than just the head, but it doesn't, and I guess I'm the head, so: dispensation given (this gets reviewed yearly).

On this basis, I'm firmly of the opinion that we should run UK F16 events on the basis of the Open rules. I thought there was a rule that the Global Challenge needed to be run according to Formula 16 rather than Open Formula 16, but I can't find it so I think it's down to the organiser.

If you're really concerned, you could make a proposal to modify the rules to specifically allow a Stealth R + F16 main sailed 1-up to be considered a "foundation" boat. In my opinion is a perfectly reasonable suggestion: it allows the Stealth R platform to continue to feed the class.

Have you actually measured the boat? My understanding was that the very first Stealth F16 came out of the same mould, and I wasn't actually aware that the length changed when the new shape came out. A tape measure might reveal that this is all a non-issue.

Paul