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News / Open Forum 2014 Minutes

21 April 2014

Fireball International Open Forum 2014, Thailand


Present
Joe Jospe CAN
Maja Suter SUI
David Laing RSA
Ben Schulz AUS
Tom Egli CAN
Andrew Davies GBR
Representatives from SUI, FRA, AUS, GBR, RSA.


Rear Commodore Arica


1.    Joe Jospe (JJ) introduced David Laing (DL) as the new Rear Commodore Africa. DL has taken over from Peter Colebank.


Future Championships


2. Andrew Davies (AD) reminded the meeting of the agreed diary.


2014 European Championship, 26th July / 1st August, Shetland.


2015 Pwllhelli, GBR 17th / 28th August


2016 Mossell Bay, RSA 4th / 16th December


2017 There is a general feeling in the class that there needs to be a sufficient gap between events in the WC schedule to avoid event fatigue and poor participation. In 2017, there will be no Worlds, but there would be a large European Championship.


2018 Barbados. April / May A return to this venue was requested by many and in Slovenia, Council decided to go there. It will be the 50th World Fireball Championship


3. The UKFA will officially launch the 2015 Championship over the Easter weekend DL spoke very positively about Mossell Bay and how good it is as a sailing venue and also as a safe holiday destination. DL is going to encourage people to come early / stay later to enjoy the surrounding area as it is a world class holiday destination.


4. DL will be putting information together soon in order to attract as many people as possible to attend the event.


5. Chris Payne (CP) ~ the Class needs to target an international shipping sponsor to assist NCA's sending containers to Championships.


Future European Championships


6. The following are currently proposed:-


2016 Lake Garda, suggestion from within the Class. AD to check availability.
2017 Roses Bay, AD has visited the area last October ~ a great venue although work needs to be done with the Spanish Federation as they focus mainly on Olympic Classes.


Election of Officers


7. JJ informed the meeting that elections of Flag Officers were due this year.


8. The constitution reads:
"7.2 Council shall call for nominations for Flag Officers not less than eight  months prior to the expiry of the current term of office. Nominations shall be  closed four months prior to the expiry of the current term of office.
7.3 The Commodore shall be nominated by a NCA and seconded by another  NCA. The Rear Commodores shall be nominated by a NCA in their region and  seconded by another NCA."


9. This time frame means nominations should be submitted from now on.


10. RC Europe, Maja Suter (MS) suggested a representative from CZE would be interesting. CZE is the fastest growing NCA in the world at this time and a new young person would be good for the FI Executive.


11. MS will continue to organize European containers.


Technical


12. Tom Egli (TE) explained there had been some good development work on containers and framing inside to allow 10 / 12 boats in 40' boxes. This should reduce the cost of shipping to major regattas. The cost of shipping a boat GBR / THA / GBR with 8 boats in the container was £800.


13. Sails: TE is waiting for more information from the sail makers.


14. Trailing: TE reported on the following trials of equipment:-


 Carbon Booms, Canada, Phil Locker. This will also mean loose footed
mainsails.


 Carbon Rudders, UKFA


15. The FRP spinnaker pole on TE's boat is now being sold commercially in the UK.  


16. The corrector weight of the boat will be reduced by 3kgs. This had been discussed in Slovenia and again at this meeting and has been met with general approval. The next step will be a formal vote.


17. There needed to be further house keeping with the class rules on sail measurement bringing FI more in line with ISAF and the ERS. This will include measurement procedure for jibs. However, unless ISAF provides a better jib measurement mechanism, FI may need to specify how Fireball jibs are measured.
18. There will be a data base developed for all NCA measurers. At this time FI does not know who every Class measurer is.


AOB


19. Various topics were discussed;
 Jack Fletcher AUS (JF) enquired about the use of short strand carbon and when was its use OK. TE reminded the meeting that short strand carbon was used in blocks. A general discussion took place where TE explained in some instances eg. Compass brackets he saw no problem with the material as it was in the market place as a standard fixture.


20. The discussion expanded;
 Nathan Bachelor, who works for Ovington Boats, said NO to Carbon boats and NO to pure Carbon spinnaker poles as it would make the pole too fragile.
 Face book, membership has risen from approx. 560 to 600 in the last two weeks.
 There had been reports written by Cormac Bradley that were appearing on Y&Y, ISAF webpage etc etc.
 AD put the idea of an international Class sponsor. This discussion developed into what a sponsor would get for their money / image. A media person was suggested whereby that person could promote and market an event by short videos, interviews, photographs, similar kind of idea to what Noah Perves-Smith did at the 2010 World Championship.
 Heather MacFarlane initiated a discussion about the "Oscar" 12 knot pumping rule. The feeling was to open the discussion to the Class as a whole.

 

A Davies
April 2014


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