Musto Skiff Class to launch its 2023 Annual Survey
by Musto Skiff Class Association 15 Dec 2023 05:22 PST
ACO 12th Musto Skiff World Championship 2023 © Natalie Hilton
The Musto Skiff Class Association (MSCA) is set to launch its 20th Annual Survey this week, which is an opportunity for its class members and the wider sailing community to share feedback on the activities of the class.
This year, class members can also vote on a proposal to adopt a new smaller mainsail as of the 2024 season.
The survey is free to participate in and is open to current Musto Skiff boat owners in all countries. Sailors from other classes are also invited to share feedback on areas such as how the class can attract new sailors and what is stopping other sailors from sailing a Musto Skiff.
Each year, the survey includes a dedicated class member only section, which acts as an online International AGM for the election of committee members and for gathering class member votes on international class matters. This additional section will include proposal details and a voting option for the adoption of the new small mainsail for the existing class.
Planning for the small mainsail launch in 2024
Whilst a lot of lighter weighted sailors are keen to sail the Musto Skiff, some are finding that the rig is too powerful when learning to sail the boat. Some have also expressed concern that they may not be as competitive due to their weight in the boat. It is hoped that a smaller mainsail will make it easier for a wider range of sailors to learn the boat and join the class.
Over the last 12 months, official class boat builder, Ovington Boats has been testing a new small mainsail to meet this objective. After successful trials, a smaller mainsail (that is compatible with the existing rig and can be used alongside the standard mainsail) has been developed. This has since gone into production and will be available via Ovington Boats Ltd or local dealers (where relevant) in early 2024.
The international class committee is now exploring the best way to adopt the smaller mainsail, and the survey is being used as an opportunity to share a proposal for this. As such, all class members are being invited to vote on this proposal, which includes running a 2-year adoption trial period (2024 - 2025) to enable the small mainsail to be raced alongside the standard mainsail for events, but with set conditions to support competitive racing across the fleet.
A preview of this voting question and the proposal is available on the class website here
How to participate in the MSCA 2023 Annual Survey
Whether you own a Musto Skiff, or you are simply a sailor that is interested in the class, all are encouraged to participate and share what they want to see from the class in 2024 and beyond.
The 2023 Annual Class Survey will be open from 9am (GMT) on Friday 15th December 2023 and typically takes no more than 10 minutes to complete, including the AGM section (which is for current class members only). To participate, visit here
The survey will close at 9pm (GMT) on Friday 26th January 2024. A report with key highlights will be shared by the class association in early 2024.
Previous MSCA Annual Survey reports can be found on the class website here