I think you are absolutely right Steve. There has been NO serious thought or effort put into recruiting new blood into cat sailing for a very long time that I know of. The 14ftrs, are undoubtedly the best entry level class but it has been seriously neglected by cat entrepreneurs the world over. I've raced 14ftrs for the past 15 odd years and the technology is still 20-30years old. Except for my 430 there has been almost No development in 14ft cats over that time, a sad state of affairs. I agree it could be argued that there's been no input because there's been no interest but it could just as easily be argued that there's been no interest because there's been no development. The problem seems to be that organisers don't seem to appreciate the importance of providing for, or encouraging younger sailors. Rather, smaller boats here in Australia anyway, are generally seen as a bloody nuisance at open regattas.
My interest is in supporting the 14ft effort and encouraging young sailors wherever possible.

No I don't see the 'A' class ever adopting a spinnaker. Like formula 1 in motor racing, their whole philosophy is to extract maximum performance from a minimum energy source. There's definitely a valid place for formula 1 race cars as there is also a place for 125 GP race bikes but just not racing on the same circuit at the same time as the Moto GP bikes. Formula 1 will never race with 6 litre V8's.
I see 14ftrs as the 125's, and the A's as the formula 1's of sailing. We've just got to get the idea across that, like the 125's, 14ft cats have a valid and indispensible place in the cat world.
Bern

P.S. Wouter you're right in that even though my 430 is the fastes 14ft cat in the world by a street it's not attracting much interest but you think if I make even faster by fitting kite it will?