Marvin, MHB, et al
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<br>The point that you all sail H20's is not lost on me as I too sail an H20. However, I endorse the 350lbs rule due to the fact that it levels ALL teams to that minimum. Marvin if you weigh 330-360 when you race on occasion you would have to add ballast to the boat to meet minimum. Is that fair? well, yess due to the fact that it closes the gap between ALL boats on the water. The weight range would in theory be between 350-390 or 40 lbs. At the last 20 continentals the weight was from 295-398 or 103 lbs. It is this difference that the F20 class is trying to close so that we can truly race "heads up" on different boat designs, with varying different sail plan layouts, and different venues. The thoughts are to make the rules inclusive for the "grandfather" boats (H20, P19, N6.0, I20 and the Fox --YES even the I20 and the FOX). The rules are trying to look forward to see what can be done in the future. THe only way to form a class that will revive the sport is the make it forward thinking enough to include new sailors, philosophies, future boat, designs and to create a "fair" venue. Will all the "grandfather boats" be fair everyday? No. simply by the fact that they are so fractionalized in designs and what they where "perfected" for. But, they will be equal everyday and each crew will have to find out what works for them in each race at every regatta.
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<br>What comes down the road over the next 10 years hopefully will be exciting and just like the A class have several quality boats on which on any day any sailor can be the fastest just by their own skill. We are trying to take the checkbook out of racing and make it more of a skill event. It may not look like it right now. But, if you look over all the data -- it becomes real clear, real fast that these proposals are good for the sport and each of us in the short and long of it.
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<br>Thanks
<br>Steve<br><br>