Most of you (I hope all of you) are aware that there is a submission at the National Level to allow Aramid (Kevlar) jibs in time for the 2005 Nationals and 2005 BBS (9/1/2005). See the Owners Forum on the National web site under Proposed Rule Changes; Submission #10 for the full text of this submission and associated debate.
Per feedback from our 2004 AGM and subsequent discussion, Fleet #1 will be voting in the affirmative on Submission #10 when the 60 day notice period, required under the National fleet constitution, ends and the submission comes up for vote at the end of January. However, there has been a proposal within Fleet #1 for our fleet to preempt the National vote and move to Aramid on 1/1/2005 (or at least before the first championship race in March 2005).
After careful research and review, your excom has decided to reject the local proposal and will continue with Pentex for the foreseeable future. Our primary reasons are as follows:
(i) Not all sail makers are in a position to deliver Aramid jibs, in quantity, before March 2005.
(ii) Ullman has recently attempted to reopen the debate on allowing Carbon. (The National Technical committee excluded Carbon from Submission #10). I do not expect Ullman to prevail however I would like to see the debate continued to a conclusion.
(iii) Making such a material change on such short notice will disadvantage those members of the fleet who have recently purchased a Pentex jib.
A further comment regarding Submission #10. For better or worse National Submission #10 has been drafted in such a way that it combines BOTH the acceptance of Aramid AND the implementation date of 9/1/2005. Regardless of the ongoing discussion regarding the implementation date I intend, on your behalf, to vote for the acceptance of Submission #10. This will at least incorporate the use of Aramids (Kevlar). As a completely separate discussion we, as Fleet #1, can then determine if we wish to follow the National Rule and implement on 9/1/2005 or, as has alternatively been proposed, delay implementation to 1/1/2006.
As has been pointed out many times in this discussion, it is impossible to make everyone happy, however, I believe this decision to be in the best interest of the majority of Fleet #1.
Stuart Taylor
2005 Fleet Captain on behalf of the 2005 Fleet #1 Excom.