No mess there: clarification of rule, and this particular one is confirmed by ISAF.
By the way, that is one item beyond many.

Check there that the rules is regularly in evolution: http://www.sailing.org/2129.php

Some years ago the textile trapeze were not allowed. Now they are. The rule change, with one year delay notice. Performance impact ? I don't think so, except when the line broke ;-).

As sales manager of a F18 brand you can ask to be part of the TC. You can see on last TC report (http://tinyurl.com/7u5gmhy) that all pro are not sharing your point of view.

More important for me is that F18 members should control the rules. This thread is an illustration for Don Findlay words:

"Many of the requests for change have come from commercial interests and not from National Class Associations".