Hi Bob, I have been away skiing for the last week and am catching up on the forum - why is it that so much happens only when you are away?! I prefer the second attempt at the F-14 class rules over the first attempt. I am writing to suggest that the sail area have a limit. That limit should be equal to, or only a little more than the maximum of any existing 14' 3'' boat currently existing. You know that I have a Mystere 4.3 and that MAY have the highest sail area counting the spinnaker. Based on that, a limit of 150 sq. feet upwind (main only or w/ jib) and 150 sq. ft. headsail would be a limit that should allow any existing design to qualify and even allow sail area to be added if desired. I think that no limits allows too many crazy rigs (I've tried my share in the past) to be healthy for the class. For example, it would be easy and free for me to just pop my ($3500) carbon A class mast and sail on the 4.3 allowing me to be much faster than the other 4.3s and quickly killing their enthusiasm for this new class. Many others could try other rigs that would be heavier and impossible to right which would make the class unsafe and unwelcome to regatta organizers (I am one of those, too). So let's have a reasonable sail area limit (and rig length limit) like other box rules have so that all existing platforms can race as they are while still allowing for good speed. The 4.3 already beats Hobie 16s boat for boat around the buoys and is faster downwind than H-18s, so that proposed sail area allows for plenty of speed.
I plan on attending the Spring Fever regatta where we will have a M-4.3 class. It would not take much effort to make that part of a larger F-14 class.

Mike Fahle
Toledo