So I have a more interesting challenge to put my money: the price of any gel-coated F18 will be similar, as they are on the market.
Thanks to "FORMULA 18 CLASS RULES GUIDING PRINCIPLES:"
Being open to any manufacturer allows many builders and sail makers to compete and so keep costs to a minimum.
The Class remains aware to keeping development under control, maintaining a good balance between cost and performance."
The cost for gelcoated boats are similar because they are all built using cheap asian labour - different brands are even manufactured in the same factory.
How is that a good thing for F18 development?? What I do know is that in your perfectly gelcoated world a European or Australian manufacturer who wants to actually BUILD the boat themselves can no longer provide a boat at a similar price because the labour costs involved in gelcoating in those countries makes it unviable.
You say banning paint is a good thing for the class because some marketing material says it makes the boat go faster. Yet you are now eliminating manufacturers from entering the class unless they send their boats to the same factories in Thailand that the major builders use.
That's crazy talk.
Gelcoated vs painted boats - Please prove to me there's a performance advantage.
Otherwise it looks very much like a cynical attempt to force out one particular manufacturer to the detriment of others.
Hi Gav,
Painting and one factory in a low cost country are not the same issue.
The same factory is the provider of several F18 brand, for the hull, that is an industrial common case.
Builders make choice, for the sails how many real factory ? A few indeed.
But as far as I know, I do not see painted F18 with a real price (not list price but the price you're paying) 10 or 20% off a gel coated one.
There is no consensus in the Technical Comittee about painting, I just add that double speech in marketing material did not help. Really faster, or not the painted boat ?
The paint issue is a clarification, not a new rule that's a key point.
Clarification voted by the last november World Council (10 nations representing 74% worldwide members).
ISAF confirmed that clarification and improve the wording last week (3 documents, not one).
And the rule can change. If you're involved in your National F18 Assocation, you can act for it !
F18 rules are ours, they are not belonging to anyone else that the F18 customers.
