Im not sure it would undermine the F18 class. What it could do is make the class that is chosen NOT the choice of F18 sailors. Eg over the last 10 years or so we have seen the Inter 18 develop into the Nacra 18 and now the Infusion. With the boat becoming Olympic that development would stop. On the flip side of this the Tiger has basically not changed...but if it were not allowed to by being constrained to being one design would it still be competitive in an F18 fleet in say 5 years time. However IMHO the Tornado at the moment fits the bill...now if it could be made cheaper more countries would race it. I honestly feel that the perceived expence of a Tornado is what puts many countries off camapigning them.
But WHY? Why couldn't F18, as it stands today, become an Olympic class? The racing is very very close as it is ... isn't that the point?
But that is the point it would as they are TODAY...the class chosen would have to stagnate...unless they left it open...but as Wouter says this NOT what the powers in ISAF want. They want an off the shelf boat eg Laser
I am NOT disputing the racing is close...the racing is close in the Tornado fleet too. However what is looked at IMHO is the perceived cost of a Tornado over an F18. I say perceived cost because once again IMHO the relative costs of a FULL olympic campaign in a Tornado and F18 are very similar...although I conceed the initial cost of starting a campaign is less.
