Maybe the N20 class members have to consider where they want to position the class.

Its always going to be hard to keep up with a development class like the F18 in terms of performance, but does that make your boats any worse to sail?

You are still shitloads faster than a laser, less work and for sure more fun..

The 5.8 class in Australia has become a solid one design class in it's own right, they decided not to try and hold the top dog status and focus on what the boat was good at: even, fun, simple racing. Everybody is happy and they still sail with dacron sails and old school boats.

Make it more about the class than the boat and you are a long way to assuring longevity.