Mary here are the registered and incorporated class rules for the F14 in Australia (the International F14 catamaran association -I.F.C.A-)
The “Box rule” governing an F14 catamaran is
The craft must be a catamaran, having two identical hulls of equal volume, with the rudders attached at/to the transom/s, i.e. not extended out from the stern of the craft so as to effectively “extend” the waterline length of the hull/s.
1. Length Over All.
L.O.A. of the hulls (excluding only “T foils, rudders, all rudder fittings, and spinnaker pole with fittings) 14’ 1 1/4” 4.3 metres
2. Maximum Beam (Overall)
8’ 2 1/4” 2.46 metres
3. Mast Height
Mast height is unrestricted, although the mast can only form a percentage of the mainsail area of no more than 15%, albeit that the circumference of the mast shall not exceed 400mm, i.e. no “solid” wing mast/sail (articulated or not).
The sail(s) shall be of a single “laminate” fabric.
4. Maximum Sail Area
The sail(s), including half the area of the mast bounded by the luff length of the main sail without having any wrinkles or folds, shall not exceed 296 sq feet. 27.50 sqm
Albeit that the maximum allowable area of a spinnaker/reacher shall be no more than
148 sq feet 13.75 sqm
and the combined “working sail(s)” including half the area of the mast bounded by the luff length of the main sail shall not exceed 148 sq feet 13.75 sqm
The maximum total area includes the combination of the areas of ALL sails plus half the area of the mast bounded by the luff length of the main sail. The measurements of all the sails shall be by the calculation of the “actual” sail area.
5. Construction
Materials are unrestricted
6. Minimum Weight
All up sailing weight, excluding only the crew. 165.35 lb (imp) 75Kg
7. “T” foils
(As opposed to “hydrofoils”) used only for the stablelization of pitch, and only of a symmetrical profile, without having any adjustment to the angle of “attack” of the foils whilst sailing (i.e. not independent of the movement of the hulls), and only if attached to, or forming part of the rudders, or attached to the underside of the hull(s) within 300mm 0f the transom(s), are
allowed. No foil(s) shall protrude to any point wider than the maximum allowable beam of the class (i.e. 2.46 metres).
“Hydrofoils” that are used to “lift” the hull(s) due to the forward movement through the water of the catamaran, (i.e. these foils are of an asymmetric profile, designed to generate
upwards lift by the action of their movement through the water), are not allowed.
8. Built in buoyancy
Closed cell foam is required to be fixed internally in the hulls, sufficient to maintain the vessel, and its crew, in the upright position, with the hulls at, or above the surface of the water, when one or both hulls are completely full of water. (Safety rule)
9. Centre/Dagger boards, Rudders and Hulls.
The centre/dagger boards shall be set at 90 degrees side to side of the hulls (but not necessarily fore and aft) to a line projected across the catamaran between the centre of the centre/dagger board cases and only be movable in the vertical plane, either up and down in a straight line or “swung” aft and upwards as in pivoting centre boards I.E. sides way cantered or sides way outwardly raked foils are not allowed. The same applies to the rudders I.E. the rudders shall only be set vertical to the hull(s) and the hulls shall also, not be “angled”, but be parallel to each other in the vertical plane.
10. Number and weight of crew
Weight and number of crew is unrestricted, (with reference to “Crew and Crew Weight” in the preceding section of the class rules)
11. Spinnaker pole
Any spinnaker pole and/or fittings shall not protrude further forward of the forward most point of the bows (measured at 90 degrees from the centre of a line connecting the two most forward parts of the bows of each hull), by more than one metre.
12. From time to time
By an agreed vote by the executive of the F14 catamaran association, those catamarans that do not fit within the preceding “box rule” definitions (from item no 1. through to item 11. inclusive) may be allowed inclusion to sail/compete with and against all those catamarans that comply to the afore mentioned items, 1. through to and including item 11, by being afforded an appropriate handicap/rating, designed to keep all racing results fair and equitable between the different “classes” of catamarans so competing.
