Mike it was not conspiracy.... it was just arrogance followed by incompetence.

Why should anyone outside the olympic movement care?
Take a look at the existing and potential classes that are the future of cat racing.

Wave, Flying A class, Floating A class
or
Hobie 16, F16s, F18s, Nacra 17s, Flying Phantoms, Foiling Carbon 20s

What is the forecast for the future?.... Do we have small niche classes of the new designs... ... OR do we have sustainable classes that run for 40 plus years... Does a half baked N17 grow the sport or is it a missed opportunity?

I suspect that a well behaved foil assisted N17 would have a niche outside the Olympics. I hope they fix it as soon as possible for the good of the overall sport.

As for using Billy Beason... a top ten T sailor and now the top N17 sailor in the world to demonstrate the manners of the boat.... It is a great video... not very persuasive tho when others in the pro N17 fleet reliably get photographed popping a wheelie.

At the very least, The Olympics deserved a fully baked boat.... The Tornado class rules caused the best in the world to develop and refine the T to be a great boat over time... however this process also created fundamental issues with fairness of the competition...I admit this was a checkered history.... ISAF demanded an absolute requirement for a SMOD that they control..... So.... they had to get it right... Sadly, arrogance (the designer and builder can create a refined boat in less then two years )and incompetence, (ISAF will manage the process so that the boat is right and not cover their collective butts) is the result... So.. not a conspiracy... just your standard SNAFU. ISAF is happy because they are in total control and everyone has the same half baked boat but... they have fixed the integrity of the competition problem.

ps. since this is my personal pet peeve.... SOMETHING about the situation must bother so many people to comment. Hmm....