by International A-Division Catamaran Association.

Photo by Gordon Upton

Dear Jean Pierre,
I have read your letter with great interest. It shows you have given detailed thought and consideration to the current situation in our class which is a constant evolution of changes during this time. I would however like to point out some details surrounding my letter to the class which you have referenced in your response.

Firstly my letter was completely my personal opinion, even as president of the class I do not have the power or authority to change the rules. This is a constitutional process which is governed by the members. My letter was intended to prompt the National associations to address the issues and put forward some possible solutions. Just for the record, there was a great number of responses to that letter but no formal submission for changes to our rules has been submitted to the class. The one outcome which has been widespread across many counties has been the introduction of a second score sheet for non foiling boats. I think this is where much of the confusion has been created.
The A class catamaran remains just one class. We have not separated in any way at all. Unofficially many countries have recognised the « classic » fleet with a separate score sheet and divisional prizes. The open a class competition however remains between all boats, foiling and non foiling. There is no separate foiling division.

My letter to the class was motivated by the discussions around our open world championships. To explain further, the A class traditionally limited the entries of the world championships to 100 boats. In the past few years we have experimented with opening the worlds to unlimited entry numbers. In the past few championships we have seen entry levels exceed 160 boats. My suggestions to split the class were based around the situation of these types of numbers, not 20-25.

We are currently racing up to 120 boats in one fleet and make not distinction if they foil, semi foil, float, or just make their way around the course any way they can.

My letter was very clearly addressing the performance differences in the boats which was potentially going to effect our participation numbers in future events so my suggestions were aimed at maximising entry levels at future world championships.
My understanding was that The French A class association voted to support the classic A class with separate score sheet, not split the fleet or race as separate divisions. At the time I thought this was very forward thinking and hoped other nations would follow. I don’t believe any of us expected this discussion you are now having in France which appears to alienate the latest designs which clearly will be the future of our class in the coming years.
I understand your major concern is safety, but please consider these points. Foiling boats have been racing amongst non foiling boats since 2014 worlds in NZ. To my knowledge there has not been one accident between the two types of boats. This is possibly because the speed difference between the two types of boats is not so great as it was in the Moth class for example. Also the different angle the boats sail downwind once foiling tends to separate them quite quickly.

From a performance perspective the classic A class is still a very fast boat and in lighter winds is still a faster boat around the course than the foiling A class. This currently makes racing very interesting and heavily wind dependant. Many of the non foiling members really enjoy being faster than the Foilers in these conditions and this has strengthened the arguments to continue the open fleet competition.

I hope this clarifies the class situation at this point and you will give further consideration to how the French championships will the conducted. France is a major part of the international A class association and this outcome could have major ramifications on our class internationally.

Kind regards

Andrew Landenberger
IACA President

by International A-Division Catamaran Association.

A-CAT WORLDS 2015 – CATSAILINGNEWS.COM

On February 18, in an meeting with the Vice -President of the French national sailing regulator, the FFV, Jean-Pierre Churet, French A Class Association President  Thierry Boisbouvier and Vice President Jacques Piallat  said that the FFV conceders the A-Class to be a flying boat and as such, two possibilities were offered to them:

1. To separate the flying (Open) and non-flying (Classic) on different courses;
2. To limit the number of boats (flying and non-flying together) starting together in one race to about 25, and thus to have several fleets if there are more than 25 entered.

Whether if either of these rules are to be applied, this could well lead to the cancelling of French National Championship in 2016 at Quiberon on the grounds of safety.

What is at stake?

Safety is only an excuse.  The real reason is that, in the case of accident, the FFV is afraid of ending up in court being accused of having run boats that are supposedly incompatible with each other, regardless of the fact that they all measure as ‘A’ Class Catamarans legally within the World Sailing affiliated international association (IACA).

Faced with this dogmatic position, no rational argument based on reality or facts seems admissible.

What to do ?

Five major options are available to the AFCCA.

1. Proposed “consensus” of the FFV

For larger gatherings 20-25 mixing vessels of both ‘Flying’ and ‘Classic’, the FFV offers to cut the fleet in as many packets of 20-25 boats as necessary and provide starts on the same course every 10mins. After each race, the fleet is remixed for everyone to race all their competitors. In the end, it comes back to the double classification.

This solution seems complicated to implement, will pose problems for validating championships in the difficult and variable weather, multiply the potential ‘dangerous’ crossovers on the course and take away a lot of sporting interest at large gatherings.

However, it is viable for regional regattas and TTs that rarely exceed 25 ‘A’ Class boats.

2.  Separate Open and Classic Fleets

Bowing to the diktats of FFV to save the Nationals only for 2016 and a separation is imposed between Open and Classic, with separate starts and separate results.

But remembering that any final changes such as this cannot be made that the AG and AFCCA, who by definition, must follow the rules of the IACA.

3. Hold it abroad.

In 2016, as a result of the intransigence of the FFV, the AFCCA organizes a foreign based National Championships, possibly by joining in with a regatta already organised. This will give them a year to find a solution.

4. Cancellation the 2016 Nationals.

The AFCCA simply cancel the 2016 nationals at Quiberon and still waiting to find a solution.

This can only be done in agreement with the club that has done them the honor of agreeing to host the event and suffer possible penalties in doing so.

5. Conduct a legal and media battle with the FFV.

Thierri has consulted an attorney who looked into an account of the light of the facts of reality, accidents between ‘A’ class boats, considering international practices, and it appears that the safety argument is devoid of any serious grounds.

This leaves them with Media actions and possible other remedies provided that members of the AFCCA would want this.

“The survival of the class, as we know it, is at stake and its fate seems sealed already’ says an exasperated Boisbouvier. ‘If the survival of the class is not really in question, this development of the championships could be broken by the FFV, depriving France of international sailors. Then France becomes a terra non grata for foreigners. We cannot expect the 2016 Nationals at Quiberon to decide.”

The AFCCA wants a vote (reserved for it’s members in 2015 or 2016) with a suggestion to 3 choices for each item:
– Yes (I fully endorse this proposal)
– No (I totally refuse this proposal)
– Acceptable (to break the deadlock, I am prepared to accept)

This piece has been translated and edited from the AFCCA Website http://www.afcca.org

These guys need our support.