by GreenLake » Mon Dec 02, 2019 6:56 pm
My best read (and it's all third hand) is that the class association and the builder had a pissing match over the builder's decision to launch a modified DS (the DSIII).
As far as I understand, the hull lines are (somewhat) different and that presents a problem for pure "one-design" racing. I'm not convinced, personally, that it's been established that the DSIII has an actual inherent advantage (whether in any conditions, in average conditions, or in some conditions).
Now, I also understand that there's a widely held presumption that early DS1 models with keel-stepped masts are systematically more competitive than DSII's for example. In principle, that's a no-no for one-design racing as well, but curiously, not an issue.
Finally, I understand that the DSA membership and participation rates aren't exactly trending upwards and that across the sport in general participation in sailboat races of any kind is down compared to earlier decades.
Given these basic understandings, I find it difficult to understand the long-held position of the DSA members; but then, I'm not a competitive racer. I race my boat (DS1) in a no-handicap event where I'm perennially disadvantaged against inherently faster boats, but it gets me on the water, and in some company, which are the main motives for me. On the plus side, I get to skip all worries about having my boat measured, although I have not taken advantage of that freedom in terms of deviating wildly from a class legal setup. (Every once in a while, I'm tempted, though, to rig a large low-wind genoa . . . just to give a certain other boat a run for the money.)
Anyway, because I'm not a competitive racer, I haven't attended any class-sponsored events and its during those that the membership on site gets to vote.
I thought I'd read in the latest DS Quarterly, that they were going to add a race for out of competition (non measured) boats during the Nationals in Eugene, but I can't find my copy. If correct, that would seem to show in interest in growing participation.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~