It is winter time and that means that the design teams of all catamaran builders are busy working on new projects.
One of the newest is the Cirrus Evolution design.
![[Linked Image]](http://www.catsailor.com/bb_files/63013-Cirrus_Evolution_Paris_boatshow_2005_1.jpg)
http://www.wildthing.nl/importeur/energy.htmlThe accompanying text reads (translated) :
Evolution
This youngest offspring of the CIRRUS-product range was designed to beat all catamarans of 18 foot length and less.
This racemonster is especially suited to sailors who like to take up this challenge in the open class or F16 class.
The lightweight CIRRUS EVOLUTION (137 kg) is build with the most mondern material called HEREX.
The properties of HEREX are : Lightweight, stiff and durable.
This gives the CIRRUS EVOLUTION, together with its special hullshape, super fast performance.
Both the CIRRUS F18 as the EVOLUTION are
Specs :
Evolution Basic price € 14.450, - (Euro's)
5.10 mtr - Length
2.55 mtr - Width
137 kg - Weight
8.50 mtr - mast length
37.15 m² - total sailarea incl spinnaker.
Vinylester / Sandwich HEREX - Hull material
Carbon/Glassfibre/Epoxy - boards
Pentex mainsail (fibrefoam battens)
Pentex fully battened jib
Nylon spinnaker
Selftacking spinnaker
Twin trapeze, adjustable
Trampoline; coloured and tensioned between two steel cables on the sides
Carbon telescopic joystick (tiller extension)
mainsheet system ; Harken 1:7 purchase
Wildthing snuffer system
Options :
Rudders and.or boards 100 % carbon fibre
The Evolution Texel rating = 105 (Our F16 Texel rating = 102)
The Evolution ISAF rating = 104 (our F16 ISAF rating = 1.01 if the ISAF comittee ever comes round to correcting their current 1.02 quote)
Sadly the Evolution is not a fully compliant Formula 16 boat. It is too long (by 0.1 mtr), too wide (by 0.05 mtr, and it has too much sail area (by 0.95 sq. mtr. almost 1 sq. mtr.)
But due to its other specifications (mostly overall weight) its performance estimate by virtue of the TEXEL/ISAF ratings is slightly less than that of the F16's.
This means that under the Formula 16 rule 6.1, the grandfather claus, that this design can indeed step up to the challenge as a grandfathered boat. Just as the Hobie FX-one, Inter-17 and Spitfire can (and in some cases have done so already !)
So the Evolution can not become part of the full compliant fleet of F16, but is much welcomed to any F16 event short of a Worlds (if we have one) or any continental. We are pretty much only running "bring-what-you-got-and-race-us-on-elapsed-time" events.
Wouter
