Steve..

Im a totally confused by your logic...



Why bring the I14 into the equaltion? The history of I14 and 14teen foot skiffs are separate.. The Au 14 is over 104(?) years old.. The International 14 was developed in Europe and the US completely separately only 75 years ago or so.. The specs where only similar in that they both were 14 foot long.. The Au 14 was wider 6' as opposed to 5'6.. Both classes had differnet hull restrictions ie keel step height allowances minimum and maximium chine widths and sheer restrictions.. The AU 14 had 220 ft2 sail plan as opposed to 160 ft2.. Twin trap as opposed to single.. Kite size was also weighed in the 14teen footers case by 100+ ft2.. The 14teen had a mast head kit the I14 had a kite height restricted 800 mm (from memory) above the hounds ohh and mast heights were also different.. The 14 had different hull rstrictions (rise of floor, min. chine width measurements ect).. If you have a Spenser designed "Javelin" around your area they are basically an old rules International 14... Fact is an "international" 14 could almost but not quite measure as a 14.. They needed hull modifications to measure within the rules... However the quickest 14 could not have measured inside the I14 rules.. When the classes amalgamated a decade ago they compromised dropping the old I14 weight but raising the 14teen weight.. They also amalgamated the I14 and 14 hull restriction but closer to the I14 than the 14 restrictions.. Keeping the 14 rig, trap arrangement..

With the F16.. What similarities to this situation (I14) do you see?



Yes T4.9s are bigger in Au than other F16 classes.. BUT not where I come from.. Fact is no T4.9s are here..

Fact is Im also not allowed to build a foam T4.9..

Ok so you wont wish to have two rigs.. I can understand that.. Having five on the 18teen.. But a new F16 rig would have less sail power than the standard (with kite) T4.9.. Are you seriouly willing to sacrifice available your grandfathered edge in power????



As for making tip weights restrictions.. lead is cheaper than carbon..

How would you measure the "tip" weight? Or are you just weighing up the mast and adding weight because its too light?

In the situation your arguing for .. your more likely to see masts with lead weights in exactly the wrong spot for both safety and mast breakages.. Perhaps better would be a single mast rule.. Ok go build carbon/boron mast.. But if you break your out of the regatta..With an additional maximum number of sticks in a season (2?).. ie one registered stick for the season and one allowed, requested in writing to the association, if the first is replaced..Tends to make one more conservative in stick choice I have found..