Friday 7 February 2014

Absence of proper class management is hurting the class

The cassetes are declared legal by the measurers and Mischa had to move his toestrap which was mounted on the transom, in the opinion of the measurer it elongated the boat. This is sick and not in the interest of us sailors as mounting it partially on the transom is stronger and easier. The lack of measurement guidelines and a decent pre-ambule are hurting the class yet again  and might even endanger it if the coming AGM does no take any corrective actions.
Now the cassettes are declared legal it is best to abolish all limiting rules and go back to a clean box rule, just as Martin Fisher proposes in the interview with him by Martin Vanzulli on the blog Catsailingnews today.
No put in from the top, no distance between the tips, just back to the original A-class box rule.

Both Martin and Racingcats will start developing an open foiling A-cat, whatever the AGM will decide. Foling is the future. It is fun and fast and it widens the window in which the boat can be sailed. With open rules a new A-class will emerge than can foil both downwind and upwind in 5-25 kts of breeze. This is not based on speculation as we have already made the boat foil upwind in some conditions. (ask Mischa)

Sales have already collapsed. No boats have been sold  sold since November. There is a wide and renewed interest in the class but all potential buyers are waiting till the  rules are set. The current situation causes too much uncertainty and is not handled very well by the class. No specific persons can or should be blamed though. The IACA consitution does not give any power to an executive board and is so twentieth century.
The small mindedness of some measurers is a recurring problem. The toe-strap issue is not so different from the no flap over the  boom ruling in Cesenatico some years ago. Just a measurer who wants to show his teeth while missing the point completely (just my opinion).

It would not have been necessary. Glenn is flying downwind on his J-board and his longer rudders with wider winglets and not skimming as Martin suggested. Glenn is sailing the boat constantly 20 cms above the water and you can clearly look under the boat. Mischa did outsail the pack (with the short rudders) and Glenn was outsailing Mischa with his long rudders.

Some people might consider me biased as I was partner in racingcats.com. People should realize though that this firm was purely set-up to make boats available for our friends and not because its business case was so healthy. We did and still do it for the love of the sport in general and specific for this nice boat.
Let's create a bright new future now and let us not demolish this great class. Local class presidents, do your job in the coming AGM and let's make life easy again.



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