Hi Barry
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<br>-The largest criticism of F Class is extreme weight !!
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<br> Believe we can keep many of the existing rules outlined basically the same , the weight -sail area proposal adds a way to update the class and include existing designs .
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<br>-Seems your descibing all the things wrong with existing Formula in your post ,-
<br> We do not have to start slow and build an entirely new F specific class of only 420 pound 193 mainsail area inc mast cats . WHY ,-because Europe did , or it is seemingly easier , an easier sell .
<br>-We do need ISAF or Texel as a common rating system , but we do not have to follow the errors you have pointed out in existing F rules.
<br>-Including potentially a thousand more 20 ft. racing cats existing around the country is not looking back ,-It is simply including them in the class , evan the East Coast N -6/0 S with large chutes will fit in , difficult to understand why this would not be welcomed by any avid racer .
<br> Allowing only 420 pound cats is looking back and ignoring the many existing lightweight catamarans available , not to mention the numerous existing racing 20 ft cats , and the inevetable lighterweight future with continueously improving building techniques and materials available once thought of as exotic or expensive and now the norm .
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<br>-We have numerous excellent builders {look at the A s }including the builders you mentioned very capable of producing excellent high quality lightweight hi performance catamarans , they can easily convert these to proposed rules and hopefully build them 50 or 70 lbs lighter .
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<br>-The Tornado has survived because of it's excellent original design and mainly due to the fact that it has been allowed to be modified and built LIGHTER with improved quality over the years .
<br>-Existing F-Classes will have to face this eventually , as lighter more high performance cats speed past them .-They will eventually ,-just as the Tornado has ,have to allow modification and lighter weight , the only way to accomplish this without making the existing fleet obsolete is a similar sail area to weight rule as described.-We are simply acknowledging this up front with potential class members .
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<br>-I would like to see Supercat and many other excellent boat builders produce a 20 , If they will build one to the min. weight allowed in the class I will order mine NOW !!
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<br> aLL THE BEST -
<br> Carl<br><br>