International 14 Mailing List
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From: Alan Smith (alans@arcom.com.au)
Date: Wed 06 Feb 2002 - 23:32:11 GMT
My turn
Peter you comments are correct, it is the responsibility of the office
bearers of the class to make judgements that best achieve the attributes
stated set out in your email of 06/02.02. I believe that the vast majority
of restricted class sailer know that "one design" is not the right solution.
The Int 14 problem today is, as it has always has been "how do we best
manage innovations". I think Tom Vaughan could find (I almost said dig up)
someone that remembers the uproar when Peter Scott broke out (from streamers
wrapped around his shrouds) the first trapeze to be used in competition and
won the 1939 Price of Wales Trophy.
Where would 14's and dinghy sailing in general be today without that
innovation. In 1939 the trapeze was just as revolutionary as David Lugg's
foil.
Today's decision makers do face a difficult call. I think they can again
considerable help by reviewing the history of previous decisions that both
let in and band innovation from the class.
My plea is "do not de-motivate the people prepared to commit considerable
effort to experimenting with new ideas, a large percentage of their ideas
are the future of the class"
<p>Alan Smith
14's forever
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Moor" <pfmoor@ozemail.com.au>
To: "'14list'" <14list@i14.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2002 3:48 PM
Subject: [I14] I 14 development.
<p>> 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.
>
>
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