The new boat does not have to be much faster.. just faster.
Is it the top guys or the top boats winning as it is a self fulfilling prophecy??... Not everyone can run out and spend 30K on a beach cat every two years so how do you encourage the new comer who knows his lower price buy in is not only tired but out dated as well?
In the end it seems to be the sail maker/designer with big sponsorship who cleans up most of these events at a World level.
My comment is not to say that either attitude is right or wrong, just that big fleets and World wide acceptance seem to go with classic one design boat fleet.. not those which change every year.
Perhaps, if the box rule is aggreed not to be changed that the companies have five years to perfect their desgins and settle on those molds.... Allows for some real gains in boat design and creates the possiblity of large fleets.