>>Thanks Wouter, I think? Great response.

Thank you in return.

>>Mate ... insight into promotion, such that I suspect you probably have special skills in that area.

Not really. I'm a control systems engineer and that is pretty far away from marketing and stuff. How ever it does build heavily on analysing skills. Maybe that is it. And I always have been interested in human behaviour and psychology.


>>There's no doubt that my 14ft project was a 'heart' thing and not a 'head' thing.

Well, consolation is that other designs are design almost identical 14's to yours. That means that you achieved a benchmark in 14 foot design. Some of us are working on 14's on the side and the things I've done indicate that your 430 is right on the cube-square law that puts its performance very high up the scale indeed. The other 14's are intended to come out right at these specs. Darryls 14 sounds like just the same. And three independent design can't be wrong can they.

I still believe that road to succes lies in heavy involvement in building a class but the design themselfs are no reason for possible failure.


>>...and in some cases people were demonstrably hostile toward the boat/concept.

Yep, that is what we encountered sometimes as well. Till the tide turned and the same people started realizing that they were going to miss the boat (so to say). We have 1 or 2 fanatics that rather than and accept being wrong but they are insignificant. The games is to a large extent about status quo and breaching it.


>>.... I needed help, I couldn't do it all on my own but alas, none was forthcoming.

That was the best thing we got going early on. We started out as a small group and most stayed and completed the long run of 3 years. We had great input from some very skilled persons. Otherwise I don't think we would have made it. Believe me we had some tough negociations behind the scenes; but always came out with a fair a balanced compromise that everybody felt comfortable about although not always jubilant.

Some people look at the rules and bitch about how some rules are a bit weird (although I disagree with that profoundly). What they don't see is the time and effort that went in to get thiss ruleset as it is. That sometimes we had to make a compromise (example : mast length limit) or risk failing altogether. We as a group are proud to have been able to keep any real limiting rules out of the rule set considering the attacks endured.

Point being; you have to work hard and compromise now and then to keep support and help forthcoming. Without it; the future of the class is in danger.


>>I still get great satisfaction winning the club championship and wupping all other 14's, most 15's and some 16's. Sailing a 14ft performance cat off the wire amongst a fleet of cats & monos is something to be experienced and I get to do it every Satdy.

Fair winds to you ! That IS the spirit I admire so much.

>>I am concerned however that notwithstanding the experience I have had, there are two more 14ft boats being built/designed here in Australia which will further fragment an already somewhat tragic over supply situation so I don't see things getting any better for manufacturers here in the near future. Oh well!

They only way out is by going formula and work actively at getting all three designers on board. There is potential.

Bern