In the end ISAF will choose whatever they like, regardless the tests, submissions, participants, etc.
Sadly I have to agree.
eh... that is not a fair critique... the test pilots and the sailing tests can really only contribute information about the boat's performance on the water. There are only two new boats in the trials and only one boat looks or tries to be special (N17).
What don't people know about a Hobie 16 with spin, a Tiger, a Viper, or the Spitfire.?
These multihull trials are pretty dull... After the Nacra 17 (how fast is this boat with the curved foils and 100 lbs lighter then an F18) ... It becomes a choice... It's like choosing between chocolate and vanilla ice cream. choose one... it is really not a decision based on the boats merits..
Take a look at the invitation. This has always been a political judgement on what equipment would be the most widely adopted. Of course ISAF has to make that call... ISAF is the political organization for all of the MNA's that go Olympic racing.
Why do you think Hobie paid to trial a H16 with spin? If ISAF primarily wants an established boat world wide... ISAF will make a decision on the basis of the established world wide factor. The test pilots don't have the authority to decide.
Let us suppose that you are right. In this case, why waste time and money in submissions, test pilots travel expenses, overseers expenses, secretarys expenses, committe members expenses, trials, commitee meetings, written conclusions, other commitee meetings in another country, etc.? ISAF could and should spend this time and money in useful things. In the end the old guys in the council do whatever they want, so why bother with all this? I guess we all know the answer: money.
It goes like this:
I would ask the local sailing federation to pay my sailing vocations in Spain, eeeeer, Olympic equipment trials in Spain then... politics!! Too bad the commodore knows the king, sails a SC15 and is first in line...
This is how ISAF, US Sailing and other federations work. And this is why I refuse to do anything but sailing. I don't like sailing "politics", just sailing.
BTW, this was just an example, our country isn't sending anyone to "trials", "commitees" and the like.
Take care,
