Re: CB ARGUMENT.PDF

["Greg Ryan" <gregoryrryan@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I agree with Bram that for a few diehards there could be a newc-u-lar arms 
race,  with longer and longer Dubya M Dees, um, I mean boards, (there may or 
may not be Dubya M Dees's). I dont think it would affect me much I'm not 
good enough to catch "Ol' Bram" anywho. :-) I would just use the longest 
practical board for the venue out of my quiver of boards and have the secret 
service attach submarine cables to all the other boats :-). I dont think 
I'll be inverting my vang but it sounds like fun.

Its not so unusual for there to be rules on blades. Some classes have very 
strict rules, ours does not. I think the consensus is shaping up to an 
agreement that there could be a limit but that there should only be a limit 
on length and most everyone seems happy with no limits on shape and 
planform. We already have achieved the lightest cheapest, easiest to produce 
and likely the strongest (pound for pound) centerboards in the skiff or high 
performance world. Not bad, but that goes with the Swift, its really a 
Porsche with all its carbon and Kevlar compared to the  V-dubya solo 
production skiffs to use a Teutonic metaphor.

I think the rules on rudders might also be a little unclean and un 
necessarily complicated. Obviously there was a fear that the first crop of 
boats would have extreme rudders that only an Olympian could use and would 
scare off the less experienced and end up giving the skiff a "hard to sail" 
Monika like the Musto. Well we have proved to ourselves that even the very 
inexperienced do very well in a couple of days with the Swift. There will be 
no argument about that. Gee even I can sail the boat.

So why dont we find language that limits both these foils only in their 
maximum vertical depth. (excluding wings of course). Taking a degree of 
freedom and giving another one back. Simplifying the rules and allowing 
plenty of leeway for experimentation. The center case size limits the CB 
maximum area at a very generous level.   Likely in a few years both boards 
will approach the max depth at an area or chord that has been honed to a 
fast but responsive compromise. Continuous monitoring and a sharp chainsaw 
will ensure adherence to the new resolutions. Most of the boats in the fleet 
will start congregating around these consensus shapes and the world will be 
a happier place with the exercise of the additional freedom.  Tweaks will 
become incrementally more meaningless like myself as time goes on and that's 
as it should be. This approach preserves the option for all of us slowpokes 
to blame our not-so-up-to-date-equipment for any appalling performances :-) 
and keeps us busy with building something useful and shiny for the next 
march DeSoto regatta if we feel the need. My wife and I will be there with 
bells on, well my wife not me.. .. (using the stare that make 50% of people 
think there is nothing going on inside).

Just a final comment. I am really heartened that people even from outside 
the class feel that they can insert their piece of wisdom for us to chew 
over. We really have assembled a great class atmosphere, it is beginning to 
show in the thoughtfulness and the world wide interest in this skiff and I 
welcome everyone's comments and opinions. Thank you all, ladies and 
gentlemen.
Boy,  did I make a great decision to build a Swift Solo. (Big smile!)
The Prez.



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