Thank you.

I would like to ask everyone to consider not feeding the flames any longer. I understand that alot can still be said about what happened in the past but it will be pointless. There is nothing we can do to change the past. Getting angry at eachother will not help either side. I forcefully ask of everyone, and I'm very much included in that, to place our focus on the future and on what we can do to help eachother. To prevent similar conflicts from happening in the future. I'm sure there is alot of middle ground here. RC's want participation and crews want to participate, surely this is a good basis to meet eachother halve way.

Now, I propose everybody refrains from posting any more negative posts. I propose everybody that still feels the need to post something do so by posting a (positive mannered) suggestion of how the F16 class must progress out of this situation. I'm open to all idea's.

In addition, I do ask of both sides to accept the views of the other side. If it turns out that "individual class driven" regatta's and F16 sailors do not mix well then both sides must simply accept that. There are surely valid points to be made in either direction, there is no right of wrong side just different appreciations of the same situation. We must take care not to force our preference on the other side. (Yes, something I have trouble with myself as well, so I understand what I'm asking). We can agree to disagree and thus express that not participating next time or not changing the regatta setup next time is IN NO WAY a sign of personal disrespect of the other. It just signals that both arrange their wishes and priorities in a different order and choose the spend their free time differently. That is all.


With respect to the position of the F16 class, The class must represent the interest of the majority of her sailors. The vote is here to determine what that majority interest exactly is. It is NOT a vote on how individual sailors feel about the Tradewinds 2005 or the Tradewinds 2005 RC, far from it. I will not let the vote deteriorate in to that. If a sailor has something to say about the Tradewinds 2005 or its RC than the way to do it is in a private e-mail to Rick White and NOT via a public post on this F16 class forum. I expect everybody to keep a sharp eye on this split.

With respect to the core question of the vote. The F16 class was not created to fill the ranks of high PN fleets. It was (in part) created to allow relative small and lightweight crews to mix it up with the big boys. We are not doing that by sailing in the high PN fleet and as such we need to find a new way to achieve that goal. This is not in any way a judgement on the way any particular regatta is run. It is merely an effort in getting clarity about the format of a particular event before registering. Please note that any RC is entitled to make any choice concerning the format they desire, just as much as individual F16 sailors are entitled to choose to be part of that format or not.

Again, we can agree on the format or agree to disagree. All without disrespecting the other.

Thank you


Wouter Hijink

Formula 16 class chairman

Wouter