I disagree, especially in the case of the F18 where the weight limit is very high and the construction technique is low tech. The manufacturers know the weight limits of the class, so I think as a consumer it is reasonable for me to want my $25,000 toy to be on weight. The good news with a formula class is that there are options (Nacra, AHPC, Cirrus, PSA, Hobie, Edge, Phantom for the 18) and if one manufacturer fails to meet the standard of the class then racers will vote with their checkbooks, and they should!

Does a couple pounds on a 400 pound boat make a performance difference? Maybe not, but if the manufacturer can't get that right it doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in the boat's build quality. If you start letting quality slide because the manufacturer is doing a service to us sailors by building boats, it seems like a slippery slope to a poor product (maybe a Laser Performance built Laser or V15 is a good example).