A-Class Catamaran Worlds - Still more innovation from the top sailors

by Gordon Upton - Forward Sailing UK on 9 Sep 2015 The A-Class world community has assembled at the Italian camping resort of Punta Ala in Tuscany. Top sailors from 18 nations are competing in the sailing equivalent of Formula One. Some 173 competitors entered, making it by far the largest A cat event ever, and one of the largest cat events in the world this year.

The multiple World Champ and ETNZ skipper Glenn Ashby will be trying to retain his title. Those attempting to deprive him of it include the 2012 World Champ Mischa Heemskerk, former World Champions Stevie Brewin and Andrew Landenberger. Also Aussies Jason Waterhouse and Scott Anderson, Spanish Champion Manuel Calavia, Americans Bruce Mahoney and Lars Guck, British Champions Sam Newton and Chris Field and German aces Helmut Stumhofer and Bob Baier.

The American fleet though, has been depleted by the Italian customs refusing to release a container of boats after error in paperwork concerning US custom stamps, or absence thereof. And, up until Tuesday, they are still in the port.

However, the due to the generosity of the A Class world, and in particular the Polish Exploder company, Ben Hall was offered a boat but chose to pass it to Lars Guck as he was a higher US ranked sailor.

Always a class for innovation, the A class being a development class boat, has this year seen the development of the ‘Deck Sweeper’ sails and is being seen for the first time in a major competition after their unveiling at the Dutch Nats last month.

The sail is proving fast in the hands of the few top sailors who have them, but is thought to be the sail shape for the future. Looking similar to a windsurf sail, it has a curved boom fastening about three foot up the mast, and the sail extends down to the deck to create an efficient end plate effect. Also, as the total area of 150sq ft must remain the same, the sail shape has a lower centre of effort and is therefore considered better for the new breed of foiling A Cats. Less side force higher up, more power lower down.

Trampolines have also received attention. Lower drag is the trend now. Double skinned with the control ropes passing between the two layers and leaving the underside smooth and drag free. Even the holes are taped over and the sides are sealed to the hull, allowing these drum-skin tight tramps to have a tunnel hull effect. ‘Aggregation of Small Gains’ it is know as, and to quote Sir Chris Hoy when the French asked him why he was so fast at cycling he replied ‘Our wheels are just very very round!’

The winds at Punta Ala are expected to be variable to say the least. From drifty six knot affairs, to full on 25+ kt blasts.

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