I already posted this on the Open Forum, but I didn't get any reply so far. Now I repeat it on this Forum hoping for a better luck.

I just read on Ashby Sails' website that the new Ashby A-cat is finally on sale (it seems that the refining work on the prototype's completed).

The new boat named ASG3 differs from the prototype for the foils (new rudderblades and curved boards) but I wonder if the other anticipated changes

- Rig and front beam back 300mm
- Rear beam back 100mm
- Foot shorter by 200mm
- Head bigger by 200mm
- Forestays back 250mm
- Sidestays back 300mm
- Centreboards back 150mm
- Transom bigger at waterline by 25mm
- Transom higher by 12mm
- Deck at bow narrower by 30mm
- Freeboard in bow lowered by 80mm

are confirmed or not.

Is there anyone who knows?

The photos certainly look intriguing...I'd also like to hear some analysis.

I think the dimensions are correct and our best guess is the motivation for the revisions are to improve the light air performance. We believe Glenn was quite impressed with the performance of the A3's at the 2007 WC in Islamorada. The Flyer design series has always been a great boat in breeze but the A2/A3 has had a lot of success against it in lighter air (Melvin 2005 WC, Guck 2007 WC, and also Pease Glaser dominating the lightest air race at the 2007 WC). The beam locations are similar to the A3 and the additional volume in the aft sections and the smaller bows make the boats more similar. The big question mark will be the curved foils.

Several of us, myself included, have six on order for delivery in October to the US.

Dear Acat 230
I am not sure that the location of the beams in the A3 is similar to the ASG3 (i.e. front beam 300 mm or 12' aft and rear beam 100 mm or 4'' aft) and hence that the A3's mainsail is similar to the ASG3's (i.e. head 200 mm wider and foot around 200 mm narrower).
May you confirm/detail yr statement?
Besides according to me the BIG question mark is not the curved foils but the totally different mainsail required by the new location of the beams.
So far, at least until the 2009 European Championship, standard head mainsails proved to be faster than BIG head mainsails.

Catfan,

My comments were based on what Ashby and Gel Tek are doing conceptually in the evolution of the current ASG2 to the ASG3 as compared to the design changes applied to the A2 as it became the A3. I have both 2006 and late 2007 Glaser mainsails. Both were made when my current boat was an A2. The boat was converted to an A3 in the fall of 2008 and both mainsails work fine without any changes to the foot lengths (but I did shorten the boom and change the mainsheet attachment point). With the ASG3, I believe Glenn is basically trying to maintain the maximum sail area allowable as he shortens the foot due to the distance decreasing between the front and rear beams. There are a number of ways to re-distribute the area taken out of the bottom of the sail including making the head bigger and adding some roach to the leech sections. I think the new "standard" Ashby mainsail for the ASG3 will reflect a combination of these two without making the sail strictly a BIG head design.

The curved foils will still be fun and sexy to look at for sure!