Does anyone know where to get the F-20 class rules? I'd be interested to see the specs on this. The F-18 class rules are readily available, but the F-20 class rules are much harder to get a hold of. I've seen them before and I'm trying to dig them up again. Thanks.

Do you mean the european iF20 rules? the ones that the inter 20 and the hobie fox were designed around?
I have them on paper

Yes, that would be a start! Would you mind typing them up, citing where your information is from (sorry, I'm not trying to put a research paper on you) and posting them? If there are no rules available here in the States, then we will have to go with the European F2o rules and take it from there. For example, where did you acquire your copy of the F20 rules? We need a foundation for F20 in the U.S. Many thanks.

Its about 20 pages downloaded from the old iF20 association website, so i am not in a rush to type them out, but i might try and get them uploaded to the website when i find someone that can!

Pretty similar stuff to the F18 rules, just with different measurements that now won't fit any boat.

Your best bet is to take the up to date F18 rules and tweak them to fit what you want.

Thank you Paul. I didn't realize they were so long. Perhaps if you have access to a scanner, whenever you have time you could scan them and email them to me at mniggiljr@yahoo.com. I don't want you to spend time typing up 20 pages, especially if it's possible to send them another way. I'd also be willing to cover the cost of mailing a copy to me if need be. I am primarily looking for the specifications as to what makes up the F20 class. For example, what are the specs for maximum main sail area, spin area, etc...? Was there ever a maximum head length? Mast height? I can't seem to locate any official governing body for F20 in the United States, so I'd like to use the specs from Europe and go from there. Any help you are able to provide is greatly appreciated. Thanks again.

Hello

Many tried to get the foundations of a F 20 class going but the main problem was the Inter 20 in the US which was the predominant 20 for years was very different from the H Fox which was designed to the F 20 EURO based CLASS RULE .

The inter 20 had 15 more sq ft of sail area in a larger sq top main sail - was 30 to 40 lbs lighter --and had other minor advantages .

I think the new 20 ft cat by NACRA may be a better basis of basic sail area --beam --weight and length from which to establish a F 20 class of the future .

Many design based rules and classes are based on what is refered to as a basic BOX RULE --the sides of the box being basic class dimentions measurements and specifications of length --20 ft --beam ? --sail area ?--min weight ?.

Other tops and bottoms of the box can be added from there with fold overs added ;]

HERE IS SOME BASIC INFO ON THE NEW 20 FT CAT

Here is a link to the Texel ratings site:
http://www.waterspor...29&mid=&mnu=241
Then click on the link "complete list with all details."

Here is a link to the Schrs site:
http://www.schrs.com/ratings.php
To find out the specific rated measurements for a class click on the class name.

In Europe a ready to sail F20 C comes in at around €7,000(including tax) less than a ready to sail Marstrom Tornado!

http://www.nacra.co.uk/Nacra_UK_Home.html

I see the differences you point out in the Nacra 20 vs. the Fox. However, the Nacra 20 seems to be the predominant 20-foot catamaran competing in regattas in the United States and has been for the last decade. It doesn't look like that will change any time soon.

To establish United States Formula-20 Class specifications I am looking at simplicity. Let's start with sail area. I have seen several posts rating the Nacra 20’s sail area somewhere between 192-194 sq. ft. for the main sail (without mast), 53-57 sq. ft. for the jib, and 270 sq. ft. for the spinnaker. This appears to be an accurate perception based on what I’ve seen except for the jib, which I feel tends to be closer to 53 sq. ft. Is there anyone that would like to chime in on these specs for a proposed F-20 class in America?

Also, I found an old post of interest. It comes from a member named “Sail6000” in 2001. I thought it might provide some insight, although like I said I suggest we establish a sail area similar to what is described above and move on from there.

“-It has been recommended to base the class largely on existing Inter 20 specifications –of main sail 208 –jib 53sq ft. spin 270 sq. ft. as a guideline with more than 200 existing in the U S presently.

-SAIL AREA notes; -All designs may trade equal amounts of sail area from main to jib to allow sail plan design options and existing modification.
-All teams will be allowed one additional sail of each type.for any race or regatta as a replacement,.
-All sails to be labeled per size in 2 inch easily readable form at the tack next to the sail makers logo, all new sails to be listed and signed over the sq. ft 2 inch sq. ft. number per sail maker.
Roller furling sails and reef points for the main are allowed, as is the spin snuffer.”

Rationale: I have been looking around the Internet and have found, essentially, no discussion about the F-20 class pertaining to the United States. Yet there are many sailors of 20-ft. cats looking to join an F-20 class. The F-18 sailors have had much success at this, but the bigger guys (like myself) who enjoy cat sailing are limited. Why should such limitations exist? F-20 rules can and should apply much like F-18 rules.

“Sail6000” posted some notes about crew weight which I deleted from his post because, based on the development of the F-18 class, seem irrelevant in 2010. It’s up to the sailors to maintain their maximum efficiency sailing weight.

I would like to hear anyone’s thoughts on the suggested sail area specifications.

Mike
Team Poison Girl

I would consider narrowing my Supercat 20 to a 10' beam to fit a box rule but I would never drop it all the way down to 8' 6". The Tornado and the new Nacra 20 are both 10' wide.

There are enough 8' 6" wide boats out there. If you are going to have a F20, you really need to separate it from the crowd. Many have built tilt trailers to make transport easier and we are looking to build one in the near future.

So are you suggesting a beam specification of between 8'6" and 10' for the F-20 class? I can agree with that. Reason being that there are so many Nacra 20's out there, but the new Nacra F20 Carbon has the 10' beam and, like you said, there are the Tornado's to consider.

Let's talk sail area specs. I wrote "I have seen several posts rating the Nacra 20’s sail area somewhere between 192-194 sq. ft. for the main sail (without mast), 53-57 sq. ft. for the jib, and 270 sq. ft. for the spinnaker. This appears to be an accurate perception based on what I’ve seen except for the jib, which I feel tends to be closer to 53 sq. ft. Is there anyone that would like to chime in on these specs for a proposed F-20 class in America?"

Comments?

I am saying that 10' should be the beam. You should take into account that there are three major 20' boats with 10' beams":
- Tornados were once the olympic catamaran with lots out there
- Marstrom 20' not a lot out there but very fast
- Nacra F20 the latest 20' on the market

I would take the specs of these boat and use the largest numbers for the outside of your box. This way all these older and newer boats would be automatically eligible and they could be developed to the new specs over time.

Also if the Inter 20's and the Supercats etc... wanted to join the class, they could develop their boats as such. I think the Inner 20 would perform well with a 10' beam and I think my Supercat 20 would perform well with a 10' beam.

The NF20 is 10'6" wide

Thanks for the correction. Strange number, wonder why not 10' or 12'? They must not want to play with anybody. If you are going to go wider than 10' they should have gone to 12'.

Personally, I LOVE the 12' beam and would never go back to anything below 10'. I would love to see the 12' as the box rule. I stated the 10' because of the existing 10' beam boats.

F20 Link:
http://www.utahsailing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Nacra-F20-Carbon.jpg

That was my post from 2001 as sail6000 , I had raced 5 Worrell 1000s and two Tybee 500s at that time then added 3 or 4 more Tybee 500 races after that .

As you can see many of us tried to reach a concensis on Formula 20 rules but the 20 ft cats themselves were all over the board in basic specifications and variables in design .

I think you are on the right track and should just float a trial very basic set of formula 20 rules based on more updated newer designs being able to fit within it .

Ignore the negative feedback and naysayers and get a small group together that want to race Formula 20 and go for it ---others will follow if boats are readily available that can fit within the rule .

Good going in starting up the quest again for a F 20 class .

How about splitting the difference on the 12' and 10' beam and say 11' max. That would make the new F20 legal and the 12' beamers wouldn't give up that much righting moment.

Check out the 12' beam on a non race day. I can fit 8 adults comfortably. Racing it is great righting moment.
Supercat 20 cruisin' >>>

As per your quote, Carl, "I think you are on the right track and should just float a trial very basic set of formula 20 rules based on more updated newer designs being able to fit within it" I think you're right and that's the way to go.

It should be flexible enough to allow boats that are out there today. As a rule, we should go with an 11' beam (or is there a motion to make it 12'?) to allow the new F20 Carbon, but I noticed on the link sent by Cyberspeed that the sail area on the new Nacra F20 is 226 sq. ft. The sail area on my Inter-20 is about 192 sq. ft (without the mast), so is the 226 number on the F20 Carbon with or without the mast? Does anyone know?

I imagine the Carbon would blow the Inter 20 away for several reasons, including the additonal roughly 32 sf of spin area. But I'll propose that we worry about that when Carbons start showing up in the U.S. on a regular basis.

There's some Inter-20 sailors I know here in Texas who are unhappy with main sails coming from E/P these days, thus the movement to go to F-20. "Stay within the specs and get your sails where you want."

For me "Wider is Better" but my boat is 12' 6" right now and it will be just as easy to make it 11' as 12'. I think it is easier to make a boat wider than narrower.

I think we should get a list of people together and do a vote. I will be willing to go with the consenus. If we get 5 boats together to do some distance races we would have a fleet. Even the Tybee 500 will accept a fleet of 5 boats.

I'm not familiar with the beam on the Supercat 20. Are you saying it is 12'6" but it can shrink down to 11'?

No, my particular SC 20 has a 12' 6' beam. The telescoping beams were replaced with solid beams from another boat and the only way they the dolphin striker cable could clear the hulls were to add 3" each side. So I am taking a beam width hit for six inches on a 12' wide boat.