Based on where we're at with the age of the N20 sail plan:
1) Sail design improvement over what we have for a 2 to 5% (heck, maybe even 7% in some conditions) gain may well be a simple push-button science for sailmakers with the right equipment and experience.
2) Sail design for the last 1 to 2% of the speed potential is an art form and requires an influx of resources on an ever increasing exponential curve.
3) I have this sneaky suspicion that deep down you guys are eaten up with this "must beat the F18" mantra. I believe that there are some incorrect conclusions that are feeding this emotion and I think it's a bit of a short sited view. First; the one time the F18 has shown a strong advantage is last year's Tybee 500 on the several days of tight spinnaker reaching. There's no doubt that the N20 has an achilles heal here with the very full kite and main and the gobs of sail area. However, around the cans, the F18 (the boat) is still not beating the N20 (the boat) in most conditions. Granted, it's been about 1.5 years since I dialed up on a start line against one, but it wasn't that long ago that Nigel on his F18 was following me and my rookie crew around the race course for too many laps on more than one occasion and one event (I used to stink at getting the course number...now I can't count laps damnit).
Let's make sure we all have the right reasons in mind here for this sail change. If you want to do it to beat the F18, you guys can have all of that on your own. Just open up the sail plans and be done with it - it's an exercise that will serve to fracture a class that has survived to this point based on a very different philosophy. If you want the sail change to increase the class's marketability with an outward appearnce of a gently and thoughtfully "refreshed" sail plan that makes the boat a little more manageable on the race course then I'm all with you. Keep in mind that if you make some huge leap, you're obsoleting all legacy boats and sailors who don't have the jack for $3200 worth of new sails. You know that phrase they use in Texas about that famous fort that fell during the Texas Revolution? Well... "Remember the 6.0".
Pt.3) As a whole, I agree with you,but... The Tybee was not the first recognition of F18/N20, the Great Texas 300 saw it before that, it's not an anomaly. If we are finally getting the sailplan updated after 12 years, rather it be SMOD or open lofts, why not go for all the cookies. A mediocre upgrade totally defeats the purpose. It ISN"T as complicated as everyone is trying to make it sound. Like Philip said "It ain't rocket science" but , if we are going through the trouble now and may have to wait another decade for another chance (SMOD route)let's get the best we can. On a side note there has been a small resurgence of 6.0 sailors who modded their boats with sq. tops and flatter jibs and kites. They seemed to have gained some traction, so PC cali. comes out with a new ruleset for the 6.0 after they had abandoned them. Apparently the 6.0 sailors laughed it off.
And speaking of being abandoned the NACRA 20 is not on the pricelist as a current class boat. That's how it died for the P19, Nacra 5.8 and Nacra 6.0. So think about that when your blindly putting your trust in the factory for sail innovation.Seems to me with the success of the Infusion,the introduction of the new F20,and the fact that PC is now European owned, where there is no Nacra20 class to speak of, that their incentive to help us is pretty small, even when it comes to the sale of new sails.
"I said, now, I said ,pay attention boy!"
The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea Isak Dinesen If a man is to be obsessed by something.... I suppose a boat is as good as anything... perhaps a bit better than most. E. B. White
