Hi Wouter,
I did not know that the record being discussed was previously held by a SC20 for 22 years. It was my understanding that the low ET record was held by a Tornado with spinnaker. The sailors of any boat deserve the credit for excellence, not the boat. The only Texel Race record that I know the details of are the Texel record that I set sailing a SC20 during a real race in extreme conditions. I'm sure that record has been broken long ago.
I know none of the details you are talking about relative to the old SC20 record and August and shortcuts etc. As I remember on the shallow end of the island, there were bouys to go around which kept us away from the sandy shallows and shoreline on that end of the island. Records are set to be broken so, as equipment improves and sailors try harder, records do get broken. That is real life. Here in the US distance sailing records for beach cats are set during races. Attempting to brake a race record at anytime other than during a race is a foreign concept here. I would not think of attempting to sail the Miami to Key Largo Race or the Mug Race or the RTI Race or the Hogsbreath on a non race day for the purpose of setting a new low ET record.
In the Olympics where the contest is athlete vs athlete vs the elements and no machine is used, certainly the way to measure record times is to the small fraction of a second and fractions count.
On the other hand where an athlete operates a vehicle, like a race car driver, some records for top speed, for example, have to be broken by a small margin to be declared a new official World Record.
As to ET records for crossing the Atlantic Ocean all I can say is " a beach cat is no Platstation".
Wouter, what I have said above is what I am familiar with; it is the way we do it here in the US. The way youall do it in Europe and the Netherlands is different to me and my experience so it seems strange.
Cheers,
Bill