I think you missed my point, Wouter. The original idea, I thought, but correct me if I'm wrong, because I am more often than not, was to introduce or design a 12ft cat, 13ft is around the 3.95m mark, etc..
It wasn't.
The idea was to have a really simple and inexpensive cat that kids and youths (like teenagers) could sail, thus providing an feeder class toward catamarans as the Laser and optimists are tp dinghies and skiffs. Later an extra was added after noticing that kids were more drawn to cats then mono's. Several posts by Phill and somebody else also refer to that.
The idea for a 12 footer was derived from the initial feeling that that would probably be a good length for such a goal.
Of course after doing numbers crunching one finds the initial parameters set for the project validated or not.
I think that is what happened to the 12.00 foot length with respect to the 12.78 foot length. The difference is still pretty small though. We're not talking about adding something like adding 2 feet. It is only 9 inches.
I don't think changing the length of the boat is the answer, if it doesn't suit your design, or the parameters you set for yourself earlier, such as sail area, etc..
What are you trying to say here ?
If I were to design a boat, then found it optimal at 4m would I be able to call it an f12?
There have been a surfboard brand that called itself F10, short for force 10 because that was when the real surfboarders went out. No way the boards were 10 feet long.
Maybe F12 stands for formula 12 as in ready made for 12 years and older. Give it some spin. anything will do for me. I'm just trying to get to be best design possible considering the goals. If that happens to be at 4.00 mtr then that is what I will go for personally. Sticking with 12 feet solely because that was our initial gamble at the hull length doesn't seem to be beneficial.
I'm not trying to be critical, but goal posts seem to be moving.
This is pretty normal when a design develops and may not be a bad thing at all. One gets more data on which to justify or disguard earlier assumptions.
Maybe after more info they move back again.
However my design goals really haven't changed much.
Maybe it is your expection of what they were that is now more clearly to be show to at odds with the goals.
I still don't really understand what the aussies around you (and yourself) want out off this design.
Maybe you can elaborate on that further and we can get to the bottom of this.
And I have seen a young woman, I would estimate to be 50-60 kg, sail an Arafura Cadet competitively (i.e national level) and the boat had no problem with her being on the wire, and boss's son and a friend who owned the same Impara at different times, were on the wire as much as any other class.
Can you provide me with the specs for the Arafura. As many as possible. I could find them on the net.
Regards
Wouter
