OK, since Jake said this would be a long post...maybe the holiday got in the way.

Is it so much design or is it manufacture method that may have "stalled" new cats? And I'm talking, from my perception, of the large builders (Hobie, AHPC, Performance). Other than minor tweaking of existing designs, no new complete platform.

Roto boats, from a durability standpoint, was a good move for the entry level. Living up to the speed and excitement of the cats before them, from a weight standpoint, they're a dissapointment.

Enter BIC, and O'pen. Read that this boat, and their kayaks, are made from thermoformed polyethylene using a "twin sheet" technology resulting in a stronger and lighter product than rotomolded. The polyethylene is etiher inherently or impregnated with UV resistance.

Their (BIC) propoganda states that the O'pen fills a junior sailing void between the Opti and Laser. Are they a cantidate for a F12? Freestanding rig available? check Boat building experience? check Potential funds for development? check

Probably wishfull thinking on my part, but would like to see something new, other than roto, at the entry level, that won't obselete existing boats and leads or feeds the Formula class/es. I'm guessing there's potential for lighter and faster beach cats to break away from "conventional" construction methods, but who has the money to develop it?