Hi, Matt, Claus ... and others.
Well!
It still seems true (as F.D. Roosevelt nearly said) that you can criticize a man’s wife all you like - but not his dog! (..or boat, in this instance.)
I don’t think anyone is seriously suggesting that the BR20 is anything less than a damn fine boat (..and well spec.’ed in standard form) but it is a relatively new design.
If users and designer had NO dialogue about ways of improving the boat you could perhaps say that it was because Matt had designed it perfectly in the first place. Even if that were the case, (said he, tottering on the brink of annoying all concerned) I don’t know of any owner of any boat that hasn’t made some modification from standard to suit them better and improve the boat. This is, surely, a Good Thing for the development of any class of boat and of sailing in general. Particularly as in the case of Swallow Boats you can pick up the ‘phone and discuss your ideas with the designer and thus avoid any bad mistakes.
Anyone like to suggest that Matt is not approachable in this respect?
Thought not!
Its this communication between designers and owners that moves things forward and Woe Betide any grey-suited EU Administrator that thinks that the RCD could EVER do a better job of keeping people safe. (Are you concerned, Jeremy, to think that the RCD and your insurance validity might be considered in the future to be more of an issue if you are caught out in a blow than your knowledge and seamanship in dealing with or avoiding those conditions in the first place?)
Claus is right. (Although he did make the Morbehan sound a bit hairy in his original post!)
If you need a jib boom strong enough to fend off a frigate, why not have one? Unless you actually want a super-light out and out racing machine for the Americas Cup ,(scary video, that) I can see very good reasons for making every part as strong as possible, both (as he says) for safety in extreme conditions and for the longevity of the boat.
Damage limitation with weak links is all very well but NO damage from strong winds (which are not exactly a rare event these days) is even better.
Collisions with icebergs, submerged shipping containers - or elements of the French Navy – (they are all out their waiting for us, it seems)are always a possibility and, RCD or no RCD, we will never be totally safe at sea - but If you actually want to fly a light-airs asymmetric in a gusty F6 instead of reefing down hard and checking the availability of spare underwear, like me and all other right thinking cowards, doesn’t it makes sense to beef things up a bit first?
Where’s the argument in that?