You may know the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) governs the sport of sailboat and sailboard racing. It is revised and published every four years by World Sailing, and RRS for 2021-24 just took effect on 1 January 2021.
Following repeated observations on Class visibility, IF18CA seized 2021 – 2024 World Sailing Racing Rules of Sailing publication as an opportunity to implement RRS Appendix G into Class Rules, for a better identification by displaying a large Class Insignia in the upper part of the mainsail, and this passed unanimously during last Annual Meeting held by Conference Call on 12 December 2020 (see proposals and voting results on Official F18 Website).
Clearly, this means any new mainsail presented for measurement shall from now on display the following:
- On starboard side only:
- A Class Insignia of 540 mm height by 630 length, (vectorial files downloadable on dedicated F18 webpage)
- On both sides and such that those on the starboard side are uppermost:
- National letters
- Sail numbers
- Please note:
- National letters shall be placed above the sail numbers on each side of the sail.
- The class insignia, national letters and sail numbers shall be between 25% and, if possible, 60% of the leech length, measured from aft head point to clew point, this aiming to reserve large spaces for both builders marks and personal advertising.
The 300 mm diameter clew emblem remains mandatory, and shall be affixed on starboard side within one meter radius from clew point.
Although amended Class Rules are still waiting for official World Sailing agreement, and although they will apply only to mainsails presented for measurement after implementation date, according to Class Rule G.2.1.(a), all F18 sailors are warmly invited to add Top Class Insignia to their current equipment!