The International Etchells Class continues down a path of self-destruction with an apparently International Class Association condoned, if not approved, vote to allow what is known as Mould 11 boats that do not presently hold valid measurement certificates to race in Australia at national and state level in the next year.
So, the battle lines are clear, owners of Mould 9 boats which have measurement certificates voting to otherwise make their boats near worthless and the Mould 11 owners voting to at least retain some value in their boats for another year.
Over the last decade, the International Class Association and the Australian Class Associations have been at war over Mould 11.
The first salvos were fired as far back June 2010 in respect to the production of the plug for Mould 11, with the most recent being last month with the International Class Association proposing possible rectification of the Mould 11 hulls.
So, while the Australian Class Association is holding the ballot, it seems nobody is too keen to release documents relevant to the vote.
While there has been much correspondence as to the certification of the Mould 11 and lots of tit for tat with the International Class Association as to process, it seems there is reluctance on all sides to confront the primary underlying issue.
The Australian Class Association has never released any document to its membership which explains why what is known as the CAD Solid hull scan which had the endorsement of the International Class Association back in 2010 is so different to hull scans of the Mould 11 boats.
Equally, the Australian Class Association has not voluntarily disclosed to its membership later hull scans commissioned by it in 2021 which appear to be consistent with the 2011 hull scans but not the CAD Solid, yet the purpose of the ballot is to let the Mould 11 boats race at National level as equal boats.
Further, at least some Mould 9 owners are unhappy with the lack of disclosure of relevant material by the Australian Class Association and the short voting period of 7 days in the absence of such material.
In any event, the correspondence is flying thick and fast, but when you have a 2010 scan being the CAD Solid, that at least at the time everyone was happy with, and you have a 2020 hull scan of a recent Mould 11 boat one would think that you put both on the one page and you would have your answer as to whether it is fair for the Mould 11 boats to race without measurement certificates.
Guess nobody wants the answer. Have a comment?
