Het was weer een prachtige seizoensopening met de sunfish races, traditioneel niet met te veel het mes op tafel om het seizoen mee te beginnen! Aan de top niets nieuws, 1,2 en 3 zijn altijd de top drie, alleen de onderlinge volgorde kan weleens wisselen. Wel nieuw was de drone die de start bewaakte en en die meedogenloos laat zien wie het recht van de weg had en wie dat niet had.
Een paar jaar geleden is de Laser klasse hernoemd in “ILCA”. Iets soortgelijks is nu de Sunfish overkomen als gevolg van de aanhoudende issues tussen de International Sunfish Class Association (ISCA) en Laser Performance (LP). De ISCA heeft dus besloten om voortaan in een “nieuwe” klasse door te varen, de “ISCA”.
Het hele gedoe is al jaren gaande, lees dit verhaal uit 2017 (!).
De ISCA wordt gemaakt door Zim Sailing (zie nieuws item). Dit is de zgn ‘Class legal boat’. Vanaf nu krijgen alleen deze boten een World Sailing plaquette.
World Sailing is tamelijk duidelijk: “World Sailing kan niet accepteren dat er een rivaliserende internationale klassenvereniging wordt opgericht zonder de toestemming van de huidige klasse. Dit ondermijnt fundamenteel het lidmaatschap van de klasse van World Sailing en het doel van World Sailing Classes. (…) Het is bijna ondenkbaar dat World Sailing ISCO [International Sunfish Class Organisation] zou kunnen toelaten tot het lidmaatschap van de World Sailing Class (zonder de toestemming van ISCA), aangezien dit het recht en de plicht van ISCA onder onze grondwet om de ontwerpkenmerken van hun klasse te beschermen zou ondermijnen.”
De Sunfish wordt vanaf nu gemaakt door Sero Innovation (zie nieuws item). Met zo’n boot kan je recreatief zeilen; er is geen (wedstrijd-)klasse.
Deelname aan een officiele ISCA wedstrijd is niet mogelijk met een Sero Sunfish of LP boot vanaf een zeker bouwjaar (ik weet nog niet welk). Op WK’s zien we vanaf nu dus de “ISCA”.
Alle bij elkaar is dit verhaal alleen van belang voor wie wil wedstrijdzeilen. Vanaf nu doe je dat dus in een “ISCA”.
Het bekende Sunfish logo is eigendom van LP en de ISCA mag die niet meer gebruiken. Ik ben daarom ook bezig met een grootscheepse verbouwing van “sunfishworlds.org”, want dat is dus voortaan de “iscaworlds.org”.
[Zodra meer bekend, vul ik dit verhaal aan]
SERO Innovation is een aantal jaren geleden gestart met de bouw van een Sunfish kloon, de “SOL”. Meer info lees je in https://seroinnovation.com/is-the-sol-sailboat-a-sunfish-lets-set-the-record-straight/
Inmiddels is Sero de officiele bouwer van de Sunfish geworden: (https://www.sail-world.com/news/283549/SERO-is-designated-builder-of-Sunfish-Sailboats
As previously announced, ISCA has appointed Zim Sailing to be the new builder and sole provider of ISCA-legal new boats, parts and sails.
While the Sunfish® boat remains available, ISCA does not intend to approve any builder other than Zim Sailing as an ISCA class legal supplier of boats or parts. It is important to note that all Sunfish built prior to December 31, 2024 will always be ISCA class legal as long as these boats comply with the ISCA class rules (including display of a valid World Sailing plaque as specified.)
While it may be initially confusing for new Sunfish to not be legal for class events, ISCA will work with its members, fleets and Zim’s strong dealer network to minimize any confusion.
ISCA is extremely pleased to have Zim Sailing as the new class builder. After conducting a competitive and detailed review of potential new builders for ISCA-legal boats, the class association found Zim Sailing to be incredibly qualified. Zim Sailing has a long history of producing top quality, durable, small fiberglass sailboats, and we are pleased they will bring their expertise and enthusiasm for one-design racing to the ISCA class. Zim Sailing’s communication with the class, commitment to collaboration and transparency has been refreshing. Zim Sailing is far along in development, and we are eager to see their first boats hit the water this spring.
The ISCA class could not be more excited about our partnership with Zim Sailing and the future of our class, worldwide.
ISCA Leadership
Foto: Pieter Holtes
The International Sunfish Class Association™ (ISCA) is proud to announce the selection of Zim Sailing as the new builder and supplier of class approved boats and parts. Our beloved boat will soon be built in Rhode Island by a team that includes former workers from Vanguard, a previous manufacturer. Class leadership vetted several potential builders via a detailed and lengthy review process and is pleased to appoint Zim Sailing. World Sailing approved class rules changes to allow us to appoint a new builder, and also approved a new World Sailing agreement ensuring that we retain our International status.
Zim Sailing is North America’s largest manufacturer and distributor of small sailboats, currently producing ILCAs (formerly Lasers), Flying Juniors, and their 420E in a 40,000 sq. ft. facility in Bristol, Rhode Island. In addition to expertise in boat building, Zim Sailing also has a large dealer base, extensive event support capabilities, and a passionate team that is eager to support our boat.
“Zim Sailing is thrilled to take up this exciting opportunity to bring production of a classic sailboat back to Rhode Island. Countless sailors began their sailing careers with an ISCA, whether that was at the beach with their family or learning to race for the first time, and we’re excited to be a part of that experience for people. Our team is extremely excited and are already working hard to hit the ground running. We look forward to supporting the thousands of sailors already sailing ISCAs, and long term being good stewards of this historic class.” – George Yioulos, Zim Sailing CEO
The team at Zim Sailing is already hard at work preparing for 2025 and beyond. This includes preparing molds for production, ordering parts, and re energizing the entire supply chain. They expect to start producing boats in early 2025. Following the approval of the test boats by ISCA and World Sailing, full production should begin in time to have boats at dealers by the summer of 2025. Zim will ensure a plentiful supply of spare and replacement parts produced to strict one-design standards. While pricing is not finalized, it is expected that prices will be similar to current. Zim will support the class by providing charter boats at the annual World Championship and other events.
” The International Sunfish Class Association, at its recent World Council meeting held in Heath, TX, USA, approved ZIM as the manufacturer of the ISCA boat, and we are very happy to have a manufacturer like Zim as a new class builder. They will be producing a top-quality boat that will be competitive with our existing class-approved boats, which will help accelerate our current growth. And with manufacturing in the US, distribution to our core markets of North, Central and South American will be simpler, faster and more efficient.” – Guillermo “Willo” Cappelleti, ISCA President
ISCA and Zim are looking forward to a great working relationship. Zim will support the class by providing charter boats at the North Americans, Worlds, and other events. There will also be a certification fee paid on boats and equipment, which will be used to help grow the class.
Sunfish® is a registered trademark of Velum Limited
By Clara Getty. Photos by Regattashot.com Gustav Schmiege
Conner Blouin of Charleston, SC, captured the 2024 ISCA Worlds’ title, ending an impressive two-time Sunfish World Championship winning streak by Jean Paul De Trazegnies of Peru.
Blouin won with 44 points saying, “I just had to focus on not getting first every time but staying in the top ten – keeping my eyes out of the boat and, of course, had luck on my side.” Blouin is the Head Coach for the College of Charleston’s sailing team and an accomplished Laser and Wasp sailor.
Luke Ramsay fought his way into second with 64 points commenting that “conditions were challenging, it was a mix of everything, I had to bring it my all-focusing only on the shifts and ignoring the competitors.” Ramsay, a 2012 and 2016 Olympic sailor, fought his way to second place from 17th. Jean Paul De Trazegnies placed third with 79 points.
Maria Cucalon of Ecuador scored 112 points, winning the Women’s title and placing 7th over a male and female field of competitors from 14 different countries. Cucalon weighs only 120 pounds demonstrating how versatile and still competitive the Sunfish sailboat is for sailors of all sizes and ages when racing in the Sunfish One-Design Class.
One hundred boats competed in the five-day, 12-race regatta. Each competitor was permitted two throw-out races. The Sunfish Class scores the same as Olympic sailing on a low point basis. First place receiving one point, second gets two points, third three points and so on. The first day of racing was a harbinger for the regatta’s conditions. On day one sailors raced in sunny hot weather with shifty winds with the day starting at 18 mph and slowing down to 6 mph. The wind barely cooperated on the second day of racing with only one race sailed before the wind shut down as a cold front skulked in overnight. Day three kept the race committee busy with large wind shifts of nearly 60 degrees, limiting the day to three races. On the two final days of racing, Southeast winds predominated, allowing five more races.
Regatta Statistics: 14 Countries represented, largest is USA with 48 sailors; 17 women; average age 41; 18 sailors under the age of 19; Under age 30 – 32; 9 sailors had a 1st place finish with Greg Gust from RCYC [sailing a boat he got in 1976 when he was 12] (Great Grand Master) with a 1st in Race 7.
Bijna 40 jaar papieren geschiedenis (Greet: mega bedankt!) van de Sunfish Racing Class Nederland is nu beschikbaar op deze webstek!
– De gedetailleerde resultaten van alle (Open) NK’s
– De details van alle Sunfish Jaarprijzen
– Een lijst met alle SRCN besturen (en kas commissies)
– De resultaten van 88 regatta’s (1983-2004) die nog ontbraken in het uitslagarchief
– Er zijn 85 Nederlandse zeilers aan de database toegevoegd. Het totaal aantal zeilers dat deelnam aan een NL Sunfish regatta: 235.
Onze oudere leden zullen het nummer direct herkennen! Sunfish 148 = Geert van Leenders.
