International 14 Mailing List
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From: Peter Moor (pfmoor@ozemail.com.au)
Date: Wed 06 Feb 2002 - 05:18:19 GMT
OK, My turn !
1. Foils in my book are an extension of the dynamic lifting surface of the
hull. They effectively increase the hull length. The boat is supposed to be
a 14 footer. Not 14' 3", 4'"or 6". If you want a bigger boat - there are
some to choose from.
2. Rack widths ? There are lots of rules that could be changed to make a
14' faster. If you want to go faster, sail a 49er, a 16 skiff, a Tornado,
an 18' skiff or get a powerboat.
3. In this day of escalating costs and commercial interest, rapid
development discourages newcomers. Our (Australian) young sailors are going
to one design boats, (yuk), like the 29er. Why ? because they think that
the boat they buy will be just like everybody elses. and they can race the
man not the boat. Poor misguided fools.
4. The I14 is still the best 2 man off the beach boat as it is ! Yes, some
of the rules are stupid and there is insufficient restriction for enhancing
popularity, eg., no sail ownership restrictions, no restriction on the
amount of weight correction - fundamental weakness that ultimately
discourages people and inflate costs. But we have a 100 + year history in
Australia, how many classes can beat that ?
5. The most important consideration should be not what you can change to
make you go faster than the other bloke, but having a viable fleet to sail
against. The Moths have developed to the stage where there numbers are such
that they are in danger of going extinct. What is the point of sailing
something which is truly radical if there are only 3 others to race
against. I thought the whole idea of sport was meeting people, having fun
and making friends around the world. If beating the other bloke is all that
counts I should encourage my kids to play something else.
6. The development of foils would surely lead to yet another class damaging
round of hull development. Please do not tell me that a boat with
successful foils requires the same hull shape as one without foils. I am a
bit of a cynic, but another round of development due to the introduction of
foils is only beneficial ultimately to boat designers and builders. Once we
all have new design boats you will have to introduce some new development
to beat the others.
7. The best thing that the class could do for its popularity is to put all
discussion about foils and wider racks off limits and seriously address the
issues of promoting the class world wide to which restrictions on the
number of sails used in a series and a limitation on weight correction
should top the list. Putting world championships where they are highly
visible and attractive to large entry numbers would help also. Bermuda ?
8. Quoting an email from Paul Bieker, 4/2/02, "I think the foils in the
configuration that I've been putting on the boats does not radically change
the nature of the boats - it just improves their performance
upwind." Really ? Maybe Paul, but this is just the beginning of the
development cycle. How is your crystal ball ? and if I really want to go
faster to windward I could sail a 49er.
Please dont bury me or should I just pull the pin on my email now.
<p>----------------------
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