Is there any significant reason the organizers of any marquee race such as T-500 or GT-300 couldn't specify a particular platform (say, N20 or Tiger) and allow the sail plan to be open?

Other than additional manpower to measure the boats (which they do already?), would this allow for sailplan development on similar platforms to truely gauge performance increases?

If a particular sailplan was demonstrated to be better (from a statistically significant basis), it could then be phased in to the SMOD rules in the manner described earlier...

So, for instance, it is determined through testing and a race like the GT300 that a particular spin design offers the best performance over a wide range of conditions (good for bouys and distance, too), that design would then be incorporated into the fleet rules and phased in over a 3 year period (usually the efffective racing life of a spin, right?)...

As the T500 has already established, it is a good "testing ground" for sail construction, and I think this type of event could be utilized for R&D on sails and equipment for various platforms chosen for the event.

I agree on a few points made earlier:

The N20 isn't like the Getaway in that the majority of owners aren't going to leave them 'tied up' at the beach and take them out for an afternoon/sunset sail. Most owners are racing them in some form (local, regional, national, etc). So, it would lead one to think that most owners want the class to remain relatively current in terms of technology and performance, while still allowing a limit on the cost involved to race.

There isn't a 'replacement' to the N20 as of late that has gained a significant market share to threaten the future of the class.

There are many advantages to opening up the sail plan to other builders, but cost is definitely not one of them (because the class size is below the threshold of ROI for the lofts)

As I get older and fatter, I enjoy the 20 class more for its ease of use and better weight handling characteristcs. I could see a team at minimum weight having a better time on something smaller, but as we tip the scales closer to 400....