Indeed a good Phill, Jon we need to think of something to safeguard against inequality.
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<br>The mast height and mainsail area are made equal from design to design by having a efficiency formula calculate the real sailforce produced and fix the last. The formula use the luff length of the mainsail area to calculate it's aspect ratio and thus have a measure (empirical formula ?) of effeciency.
<br>We know this works for it is at the basis of both the Texel, FFV and ISAF small cat measurement handicap systems.
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<br>By deregulating the genaker luff length a similar setup must be implemented to keep the downwind performance equal.
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<br>I.E. Smaller mast (less luff length) more genaker area and visa versa.
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<br>This approach can well be to complicated in the beginning.
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<br>I have no perfect answer myself on this one Only right one I can think of right now is too rule that :
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<br>The genaker head must be halve way between the masthead and hounds. And fix the maximum genaker size.
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<br>This too venturi the same percentage of mainsail on all cats.
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<br>Still, I need a few days to think about this. But I'm quite sure that not regulating the luff length is a equality breaker.
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<br>Reagrds,
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<br>Wouter
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