At the Summer 2021 and Winter 2022 class meetings various members expressed interest in exploring an update to the class rules that would allow mainsail materials other than woven ply of polyester. A survey of class voting members was recently conducted to gauge interest in the class on pursuing this topic further. The results of that survey are shown below, along with the information that was presented to voting members. The board will consider whether to pursue this topic further and the results of those considerations will be communicated to the class.
CURRENT
3.6.3 Sail Construction shall be single-ply sails except for permitted reinforcements, constructional seams, tablings, reefing and anti-chafe patches, camber lines, numbers, and repairs to damage. No sail shall have an elastic (shock) cord in the luff or foot.
a) Mainsail construction shall be of a woven ply of polyester. No other materials are allowed in the body of the sail.
b) Jib construction shall be laminated ply or woven ply of polyester, PEN, or aramid or carbon. Other materials including but not limited to UHMWPE/HMPE, and LCP are not permitted in the body of the sail.
c) The spinnaker shall be made of nylon.
POSSIBLE NEW
3.6.3 Sail Construction shall be single-ply sails except for permitted reinforcements, constructional seams, tablings, reefing and anti-chafe patches, camber lines, numbers, and repairs to damage. No sail shall have an elastic (shock) cord in the luff or foot.
a) Mainsail construction shall be laminated ply or woven ply of polyester, PEN, or aramid or carbon. Other materials including but not limited to UHMWPE/HMPE, and LCP are not permitted in the body of the sail.
b) Jib construction shall be laminated ply or woven ply of polyester, PEN, or aramid or carbon. Other materials including but not limited to UHMWPE/HMPE, and LCP are not permitted in the body of the sail.
c) The spinnaker shall be made of nylon.
Assumptions
• Cost increase of 55% to 70%
• Strictly material change, not design.
• Material allowance same as jib materials
• No change in the replacement rule.
• Assume two years of additional use at good material performance
• No change to batten lengths