Mold is almost done on a 5.5 daggerboard.
I need some feedback on how many of these things might be needed, so that I can buy materials in quantity if needed.

Please email me and let me know who is/might be interested, and what price they ought to cost.

TheoAftonomos@bellsouth.net

Are they Legal for racing?

yea

Open class.

We don't have a 5.5 fleet around here, and I plan on doing a lot of distance racing, so I could care less about it being legal for a 5.5 "class". Open racing is "open racing"

However, They will be the same size, shape, etc.. (Made from a mold of a brand new dagger)
But technically no, they won't be legal for a 5.5 class race.

Doesn't look like it's going to happen at this point anyway, as I havn't recieved any emails regaurding them.

The whole idea was to have something stiffer, cheaper. Apparently no one is interested

I'm sure it's the class rules thing slowing you down.

what I don't understand....

How many 5.5 class races are there?

From my understanding, if you are racing ratings, and the item is the same size, foil, etc... then it makes no difference the manufacturer... am I correct?

Hi,

Unless it is a formula or developmental class (such as Formula 18, A-class, C-class, etc), if you plan on racing in an "open" class using published handicaps (such as USSA Portsmouth, Texel, etc), then your boat MUST conform to the class for which it was rated. This includes sails, boards, etc. You might be able to switch some hardware, such as mainsheet blocks, but you definitely cannot use different boards, rudders, etc. (even if they are firberglass). The following statement was taken from:
http://www.ussailing.org/portsmouth/tables03/tables03mh.htm

"Ratings are based on boats being rigged in accordance with one-design class rules and with class sails and equipment."

Good luck with your project.

Steve Bellavia

P.S. I plan to make a pair of lighter and shorter boards for my FX-1 for pleasure sailing. This will have the added benefit of preserving my manufacturer supplied class boards for racing.

Theo, Steven is right, the Portsmouth rules are clear that boats using a rating number of a "class" are supposed to race with equipment according to class rules. Some class rules are more restrictive than others. Theoretically, a class that does not allow main downhaul adjustment while racing in class, should not allow it when racing Portsmouth, unless an "adjustment" is made to the number - however small. Likewise, if class rules require daggerboards mfr'd by one mfr, then racing with boards made somewhere else would also require an adjustment of the PN number.

The NACRA class rules are posted at:
http://www.performancecat.com/classassociations.cfm
which takes you to :
http://members.tripod.com/UNI55/ncr.htm

There does not appear to be any verbiage to allow carbon boards, or rudders, except for sec 5.6 "All such equipment supplied by Nacra shall be considered class legal." So, if you can show that NACRA (or its licensed dealers) provided carbon boards, then they're OK - to buy from them. If they sell carbon rudders for that model, then carbon rudders are OK. I think carbon rudders are legal for NACRA5.5uni, but I'm not sure how you'd know for sure, without asking Performance Catamarans. The class rules don't state it outright.