Hello Steve-



I own a 22 [thats for sale] and of course I want this class to get started. I definitely feel that this class be should open to all modifications that fall under the stated set of parameters...ie if you want a main thats 360 sqft go for it. If you want a gennaker instead of spin or no jib or jib and hooter do it...Whatever innovation that can be used should be allowed. Yes an unmodifeied 22 should be alowed to compete as well. I feel that as long as you up show and you fall into the parameters then you qualify.



I don't know who these designers/builders are that are quoting this 325-350 lb range but my 22 has carbon hulls,boards,rudders, and hiking stick and aluminum mast/beams and weighs 467lbs. The hulls weigh 100 & 100.5lbs. with racing paint not gel coat. My spin pole is carbon [2 5/8OD] as well. The aluminum mast wiehs around 85lbs and the mian sail thats kevlar weighs 36lbs with battens whiile the jib weighs about 10lbs. These boats develop tremendous power [main sheet is 12:1] and if strength is sacrificed for weight savings then someone will pay the price!



Just remember the 22 was designed for winds under 20mph!!! I have a set of smaller sails about 270sq ft. I took out a potential buyer for this boat on a clear day. Of course when we were the farthest point on the lake from where we put in the wind came up. Its stared blowing about 15-25mph with gusts above 30mph. We had just come about when it hit. We pointed into the wind and accelerated to about 27mph. The reason I know is that a boat mechanic I know [tuning a Cigarrette on the water] followed us all the way back. The rigging was so loud we couldn't hear each other's screams. When we tacked under the lee side of the dam the boat tacked before my crew could get to the other side. We went through two cuts and finally back to the beach. The mechanic that followed us all the way back said we broke 28mph several times. All this with a sail plan thats approximately 100 sq feet less than the stock 22 sail plan. I don't know if the speeds quoted by the mechanic are accurate but I do know that if we were out there with the full 360sqft we would have been turtled for certain in those gusts.



I have included a link that shows my 22 in the last 10 pics I think.



fair winds,



Thom

ARC22 #2234

FMS SC20 #57



http://home.att.net/~t.r.merrill/wsb/html/view.cgi-home.html-.html