6 N20 owners met last weekend at Spring Fever to discuss class changes and updates. The biggest issue discussed was the sail plan:
1) Nacra has agreed to modify the sail plan following a written proposal, which the N20 class president has agreed to write.
2) This proposal states that a new spinnaker will be developed no later than Q1 2011, a new mainsail will be developed no later than Q1 2012, and a new jib will be developed no later than Q1 2013.
3) The owners at the meeting agreed to be active in the sail development. Effective immediately, this means the following:
a) Prototype spinnakers (2) will be acquired from Nacra. This will travel to regattas and rotate boats. The southeast fleet (NC through FL) will likely have them first, followed by the WRSC fleet and the west coast fleet.
b) The sailors agreed not to protest users of the new sails when they are under development, and rotate them amongst boats to better evaluate their performance.
c) The sailors present agreed to put a deposit down for a new spinnaker to help fund R&D costs.
At this point, little interest from Nacra Europe exists in the class. We need to take matters more into our own hands, however, changes won't happen without $$. The other driving force is class membership; if 50 boat owners sign up to be class members ($5, http://www.nacraclass.com/Nacra%20Class%20Member.pdf), we gain a controlling interest in the class and have ~ equal voting rights as the Nacra board of directors in the say of all things N20.
The other idea brought up at the meeting was a southeast points series, similar to the Harken points series run several years ago. 5 events will be selected, and the best score out of 3 of the events will have their name engraved on a perpetual trophy.
