the interesting thing is .... It seems to take as much money to keep at the pointy end of a SMOD fleet as it does a open or boxed rules fleet..

SMOD hulls get old and soft and slow.. Thus every few years the gun skippers seem to have new hulls whether it is a smod class or a formula... I recall in lazers the best skippers always seem to purchase a hull from on particular factory and one colour as it was stiffer and lighter...

As for high tech... Apart from this new material.. what new materials have been used in boat hulls in the last 30 years?
Kevlar? nope.. was being used in skiffs in the 80s.. Carbon nope ditto... epoxy? 70s.. nomex 80s..

Stewart