Hi Marc
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<br>For years and years, the builders and classes have set minimum weights in the 300 lb range. They simply tried to grab racers from other classes who wanted more performance or competition and hoped to get them onto their boat and create a dominate one design class. The end result was lots of small classes or regional classes.
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<br>For 2002, growth will be in spinaker equiped boats. The question is how do you organize them. If you use the old model of let the marketplace and fleet structure rule you will get the same result.... lots of small fragmented regional classes.
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<br>We should market a vision for growth to the existing core of cat racers AND to mono hull racers who might look into racing a catamaran.
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<br>F16 HP a spin equiped boat for small teams 330 lbs and under who might also want to race solo on occasion. Will compete boat for boat with F18 's Several import builders have bought into this rule by making minor modifications to their boat.
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<br>NA F18 with an optimium crew weight of 330+ lbs. this boat has at least three NA builders plus any european imports to choose from. The flexible sail plan EXTENDS the competitive weight range from 250 to 350 lbs. There is no 2 man one design class out there that can match this range. The sheet loads are quite moderate compared to Inter 20's or Tornado's The boat should appeal to the average couple team and others. (It is by design a heavy boat relative to the High performance boats)
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<br>the naF20 class is, by design, way overpowered. The optimium weight for the US I20 boat seems to be about 350 lbs. The Hobie fox minium was initially set around 350 (if memory is correct) We should set this minimum... allow teams to add weight to meet the minimum if that is what they want OR... suggest that an F18 is really their boat of choice.
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<br>Yes... we are trying to push sailors into weight appropriate classes by setting minimum weights. We should not try to have boat builders and one design classes compete for the same pool of racers. We have tried this in the past and it proves to be a zero sum game or worse. Will the 20 fleet be larger then the 18 fleet? Don't really know.
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<br>The key to success will be getting appropriate levels of competition in each class. The size of the class is irrelevent so long as in aggregate more people are sailing in each of the three classes and each class is healthy. If you pit the f18 and the f20 classes against one another for membership I think you will spiral downwards once again. You seem to argue that the f20 class will be decimated if the weight is increased...I would argue that I already know of several teams who are moving down to f18 so they can compete at an appropriae weight/strength level. It will happen... We should look at the big picture and work towards a comprehensive solution.
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<br>btw I sail a Tornado... I don't think that you can argue that the Tornado has ever been the dominant class in the US. It has succeded because it offers the best competition in the world. It maintains that niche because of its Olympic status. Weight is a HUGE issue for the class... EVERYTHING but the sailors are weighed and documented. Crew weight at the world level seemed to be 320 to 330 You know this coming into the class. They tell you the lightest teams are 280 and the heaviest are 340. Setting a minimum weight of 280 or 350 would be silly the boat is not overpowered. There is ONLY one builder of Tornado's now, the class is essentially one design, I agree with you about the class rules. I do think formula rules try to keep inovation in the class much like the tornado rules do.
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<br>Take Care
<br>Mark Schneider<br><br>