There was interesting background chatter at the Datchet Club on Sunday about the Rules Ballot. Relative to when we first discussed weight reduction about five years ago, there was quiet acceptance that this seems the right thing to do. There were plenty of questions of the practicalkl issues – what would the regular club owner actually do to take weight out? Does it need a measurer on site to reweigh everyone? Is our fleet measurer empowered to do this? Can I just take my lead out and saw 5Kg off it? How do you cut lead? “Where is my lead?”, was a recurring favourite on the older boats.
Then we came to the jib. I would say there was quiet acceptance that it would be good to have another additional option for lighter crews. However, I would say the general belief was that the proposed design was the one we all tested five years ago…. But Justin was very quick to point out that the new proposal is NOT at all that design we all saw. Comments I gathered on the jib in our last two race sessions were:
- that doesn’t look as modern as the one we tested (do they mean it doesn’t look “skiffy”?)
- the clew looks too high
- “will it change the genoa car and track requirements in my boat?”
- it makes the boat look less distinctive than it is now
- our class is famous for its good looks, this takes some of the distinctiveness away and makes it look ordinary. The genoa on a flying dutchman (btw, our commodore has one in addition to two FFs!), and on a Dragon for that matter, defines what they are. Is it the same in the Flying Fifteen?
- why haven’t FFI communicated more?
What do you think?
The Flying Fifteen Blog 
It suddenly acquires a mini-Etchells feel.
I don’t see thhe point. As everything was equal to everyone why fix what isn’t broken? I know that there are arguments for but i think that the biggest argument against has to be expense. How many Classic and Silver boats will have these jibs? This could just change the fleets too much. Leave it alone i say. I for one won’t buy one if I am forced to eventually I will leave the fleet. Tradition is more important than this.
Why are we doing this ? Yes there is a gap between the head of the Genoa and the mast. Look at another dinghy designed by a genius and still popular today, The 505, and what do we see, a similar gap! This gap I believe helps with the slot between mainsail and jib, thereby improving helm balance.
At this time when funds are somewhat limited for most of us, surely our class association would be better off, promoting grass roots 15 sailing, than this.
Greg’s excellent promotional, talks about bringing back the importance of sheet trim. This has been taken away by modern sail cut with built in flow and stable sailcloth, more than the plan of the sail. (PS I have made a few)
If we want to make more space for the crew, how about permitting GNAV’s, and may be loosing the Tea tray in the middle of the boat !