Kiteforum.com

- Min number of equipment produced: 50

please explain to me how will check the custom board?

It will keep people building personal customs out of that class. What is the actual price delta with a custom and a production board? More important is the 3 kite restriction. This is tottaly wrong! Yes for a single venue 3 kites is enough to cover the wind range. For a high wind area again 3 kites and it's covered. I can build a 4 kite quiver that would be optimal for any wind range. I can't however build a quiver that is just right for any range that only uses 3 kites at a time. For that I need to own 5 kites minimum 6 optimaly. The 3 kite requirement gives an advantage to sponsored riders, rich guys or people sailing in the same conditions they live in. It does #$@% all to reduce cost to be competitive. This only makes it look less expensive when pitching it to the IOC. Same problem with 1 board restriction. If you own 3 boards you can pick one that will work best for the likely prevailing conditions simpler then if you own 2 and have to pick one. On the plus side I figure most events will just be unlimited anyway.

Not sure I get you point. If you need that many kites, you need to switch brands for sure! With Cabrinha you can do the 8, 12, and 16 combo for any wind condition. In truth, you could actually do a 16, 13, and 9 just the same. I'll probably get heat for saying that a 9 is the smallest kite needed, but it is 100% true if you are using the proper lines and fins. Even at the worlds in TX last year, I switched to a 7 for 2 races in around 35 with the worst chop you can imagine. I'll never do it again. The 9 was much better with shorter lines. Damo ususally rides 1 size smaller than me at this weight (i'm 175 he is probably 155), and he was able to stay with the 9 and do very well in the breeze.

I do agree on the point that I would rather check in a set of 3 sizes for the entire year and not per event, but this is hard to control with damage, etc. I however will only be owning 3 kites for racing this season. I'm still working out the sizes, but that's the deal.

The point with the boards it that you can stick with a production board and you won't (can't) change boards several times during the season when the next greatest comes out. I think the rules are a step in a good direction.

Forget all that crap, race on the cheapest equipment available- still fast as... And all ride exactly the same kit. Unless your into kit development what exactly are u going to prove in a race all riding different kit.. Nothing- maybe biggest wallet... Someone will take the lead on my idea and stop the wankfest of top level racing which i think shows little in the way of who has the best skills.

True I can build a nice 3 kite quiver and it will cover any range I would like for free style no problem. The wind isn't the same all day long and it isn't always consistant all over the coarse. As to board development and selection equipment selection and development is an important sailing skill. I like unlimited dev classes and I like one design classes and box rule classes. I'm not convinced that this will decrease cost at the highest levels or as a barier to entrance.

Just to make it clear to some of you guys.

3 kites means: 3 kites must be registered for the event. You can still have you quiver of 8 kites, but you will be forced to choose the 3 kites you will use for the comp.

This forces you to plan ahead and look at forecasts before, and make tactical choices.

This brings some planning and tactics into the game, and levels the playing field a bit.

--
Gunnar

I would prefere, an open class with no restrictions, and a class with rules and ..restrictions.

This open class will keep the R&D going, the other class could compete for ..let's say, the best overall quiver after 4 years will be the quiver that will go to the Olympics.

This will juice the R&D on the "production possible olympic" equipment by their manufacturers.
They will spend money into it, and the battle will be great, also the riders will get easier equipment once they qualifiy themselves as the real possible omlympic competition girls and boys.

The open class will be the breading room, for all the new equipment, it will propably have a small crew of riders, the ones that can afford it and the ones that like to have the latest devellopments in their sportgear, but not limited to brand riders only, they will have to take in all the riders that want to write themselves into the regatta, this will bring forward how well the "regular equipment" does it against the newest one.
In the end there will be an overall result a open class result and the non openclass participants result.

Frank

As far as I can see it, development will still continue... but in a more affordable way for the riders. It is not a one-design class as all the other stupid sailing classes but a box-rule, and this box rule seems to have much wider limits than any current equipment... so I am sure we have not seen the end yet by far

I guess it depends if the cab race series will be run under the IKA rules or if they will modify it with the SI (sailing instructions). The registration page looks like they wont have any non production boards for 2012 or later. At non world ranked events you can modify the instructions as needed.