Wow, I managed to get into the Shearwater site (not easy) and I must say Jalani is right; the Shearwater describes itself as a restricted class. I'ts very unusual to have a boat with a set set of lines (with tolerances) and rig dimensions to describe itelf in that way, all the other restricted classes (MR, NS, MG, N12 etc) have no set hull shape but merely a box, and ODs like Mosquitoes, 505s, FDs, Tornadoes* etc that have similar freedom to the Shearwater are still One designs! All very strange.
However, the Shearwater may have been a bad example so we'll have to chuck in the Dart 18 - 30 years old, strict OD but still claiming the biggest fleet in the UK. Not dead! That's all I was ever saying (yeah the OD classes can evolve like the Yvonne - that doesn't mean they die!)
Bob, I fully agree that mass-media publicity is important for the sport to grow once more. I just don't see how that can't happen in a one design context - the Dart 18 nationals are being televised this year, the Volvo X40 cats are one design, the televised ProSail cats were one design, the televised 18 foot Skiff circuit went towards one design.
A few things - if you have a one-design class that has no restrictions on manufacturers, then tolerances are needed for the hulls and other bits because the chance of one builder getting it exactly like another is nill. This sometimes allows for some playing around by the builders - they may find they can alter the hull shape a bit, still be in tolerance, and get a slightly faster hull. Also, in these cases, there may be specs as to how the foils attach to the hulls, but no reqruirement that the casting be exactly the same between builders. Does this mean it's not OD? No.
Again, there is a difference between one design and one design one manufacturer. In regular one design the class can decide what and what does not fit what they consider to be the design, can decide what the tolerances are, can decide whether it's time to update the design/rig to reflect modern times.
My point before about the long running OD classes having updated was not meant to say they were not OD or that they had invalidated the concept - rather it was meant to illustrate that these classes are still around as OD because they evolved from time to time keep things fresh. This is different from the OD as monolithic never to be changed ideal model.
There are classes that have not changed at all that are still around, sure. There are more classes that have died off, especially in the face of other more updated designs. I think in the one manufacturer one design classes the usual mode is to claim one design and then never ever meaningfully update. The claim is that this is done to keep costs down, but given that serious OD racers are constantly buying new sails and the like that seems odd. If every couple of years a change was made, I doubt the financial impact would kill people, and it just may help the class continue due to renewed enthusiasm. Just don't wait until the class is almost dead anyway to try it (P-19MX).
Also - the Prosail 40s were not one-design in the sense you say. At one point there was trimaran in the mix.
If I understand right, the Tornado was built as a B class boat first, and then became a defacto one-design. But its history underscores the keep the design fresh to keep the design alive idea. These changes may be minor (new downhaul systems on Lasers, extreme mast rake on the H-16) or major - adding square top, spin, and non-overlapping jib to the Tornado.
