Why is there so much resistance to even making the spin an option in the US? And why the allegation that HCEurope has fought a 'subversive' campaign to make spins legal? What's subversive? What are they trying to subvert? I'm not trying to provoke a sh!t storm, I'm trying to understand the reasoning .....
John, I'll give you the short story:
We (meaning the US) have learned our lesson with the 14/Turbo and the 18/Magnum/SX/Formula. By introducing variants to existing classes, you only split the class.
There is no net gain. You want to race with a spin? Great! Get an F16, F18 or any number of other classes. You want to race one-design in big fleets with a lot of tough competition? Get a Hobie 16.
HCE first tried to make the spinnaker class legal in 2003, at the IHCA AGM in Singapore (Tiger Worlds). They succeeded in getting the spec included in the class rules, but to be used only for "special youth events". This was primarily in response to ISAF's desire to have a spinnaker catamaran for the Youth Worlds. Every IHCA AGM since 2003 they try for a little more. They have stretched the envelope whenever they could - the ISAF Worlds event that Pat mentioned is one example. Another - the H-16 spin was spec'd in the NOR for the IHCA women's worlds in 2005 and we called them out on it. I call that subversive.
Less than 3 years ago, we conducted a survey in the North American region -
over 80% of Hobie 16 racers did not want the spinnaker. That's a pretty significant mandate.
