I go with what Phill says. I do not think you should have to be in a big event to be a F16 member. I do think you should own a F16. (not a sloop sailed Taipan) If you want to have a qualifier that to vote on F16 rules you have to have sailed in a race or two - that is fine with me. Though I doubt a sailor that hasn't raced once the whole year is going to worry about voting on racing issues. If it becomes a problem make it a rule next year.

On a different subject - I wish there was a seperate forum where all the verbal sparring could be conducted so that people interested in the boat could come here and only read threads about racing, performance, comparisons of F18 to F16, etc - but not have to sift through "why the class rules are different than other classes" - why our class spokesman was not elected, etc. To a newcomer these discussions comes off as negative and make people think twice whether this is an organization they wish to be part of.

Finally I don't think personal attacks should be tolerated. If a thread or message attacks a person instead of the issue, than it should be removed.

Catsailor.com (thanks Mary and Rick) is one of the first places people go to find information on catsailing and to catch the "stoke". To promote sailing we should make sure we keep our posts "above board". F16 is competing with F18, F18HT, A cats, etc for potential new sailors. I would really hate to lose a prospective new sailor because they got turned off by a discussion.

Chuck