Sailing superstars Carolijn Brouwer and Glenn Ashby have both confirmed their attendence at the 2016 Worlds.   For further details see http://acatworlds2016.nl 

There is now a dedicated IACA YouTube channel, the A Class Catamaran Channel, where you can view a selection of videos related to the A Cat world.  If anyone has any video they would like us to put up on there, please let us know.

With the new year, and the Aussie Nationals behind us, many are now turning their attention to training for 2016 and particularly for the 2016 Worlds at Medemblik in June.  It is recomended that you get your entries in earlier rather than later as this would greatly help the organisers plan the event.  Please register here 

Whilst much of the Northern Hemisphere sits by the fire with the central heating turned up, we must all spare a thought for those in sunnier climes.  Bill Vinning has a quick report from Coconut Grove, Islamorada, Florida. 

Separate ranking announced for non-foiling boats at the A-Class Worlds in Medemblik 2016

The Organisers announcement is -

With the support of the IACA, we have decided that we will have a separate score sheet for ‘non-foiling’ boats   

• Daily prize giving, 3 additional prizes for ‘non-foilers’ 
• Overall prize giving, 5 additional prizes for ‘non-foilers’ 

This in addition to the junior, master, grandmaster, great grandmaster and female prizes.

A quick check around the boat park at the Australian Nationals revealed that, decksweeper sails aside, design has as ever, been going into improving foils and particularly rudders.  

Bob Griffits Wraps Up the A-Class Catamaran 2016 Australian Championships.

The 2016 Australian Championships has now come and gone. The record shows that Steve Brewin dominated the regatta, and won his fourth Australian Championship in the A Class Catamaran.

Steven has been at the top of the class for many years, and previously won the World Championship in Aarhus, Denmark, in 2011.

Steve Brewin became the Australian Champion for the 3rd time today at their 2016 Nationals at South Lake Macquarie Amateur Sailing Club. Finishing the last race in a close fought 2nd place, just pipping Nathan Outteridge after Darren Bundock had got the bullet. This was the 7th race of a series plagued by poor weather of both high and low wind and much heavy rain at the club in Sunshine (!), NSW.

After a day off due to torrential downpours, a window of opportunity opens for the race officers to squeeze a few races in.  Bob Griffits reports

Day 4 International A Class Catamaran Australian Championships.

 Racing resumed today on Lake Macquarie, after the disruption to the racing schedule, by strong winds, which had resulted in the cancellation of racing during the past two days.

It's time we repigeoned the Cattery

Arguably, the four most chilling words a man can hear are ‘We need to talk...’

But that is what we must do to ensure the future of the A-Class Cat, to ensure it does not get itself into an evolutionary dead end after 50+ years of innovative development.