The point is that a large majority voted down the changes and vowed their continued support for the classic setup only to prove that they were totally incapable of keeping the classic Tornado alive as a class, not even for 18 months.

Let me repeat this "a LARGE majority" ... "vowed continued support for classic design" ... "couldn't keep the classic design active as a class" ... "not even for 18 months"


I'm sorry to be so confrontational on this issue, BUT there is a very valuable point to be learned here.

Such majorities don't mean a thing, because when the point comes to show their strength and resolve by actually putting bodies on the water and running an organisation like a catamaran class; they are nowhere to be found. And I think we all agree that those two points are actually the only ones that matter. Ergo any threads "to leave the class" by such a majority are meaningless. They will leave the class anyway when the group of truly active members have moved on.

Hence my point, keep the active members on boards not matter what. Introduce changes if that is what keeps them on board and ignore the conservative "majority" if you have too. From my perspective it looks like the adding of the spi to the mossie is actually doing that. And therefor it is a wise path to persue. It certain did so in South Africa, if I'm not mistaken, and it is back on the growth path as a result.


No I don't sail a mossie and I have never even seen one in the flesh. I do sail a modified Taipan (to F16) so I don't really care what direction the Mossie class chooses. I'm just writing down my experience in building up and growing a catamaran class in todays market; especially in competitive markets like Europe. I say learn from it, but you should also feel totally free to ignore anything I wrote.

Ohh, before I forget. The Taipan 4.9 class decided to go conservative and hence the F16 class split off. (just like the Taipan class split of the mosquito class back then). Look at the (international)standing of the Taipans to seen what you can expect when choosing this route.

Wouter