The threat of a foil ban on Saxon waters was already looming just over a year ago, but the corresponding decree was confirmed at the end of May. Although no specific sports are banned, such as wingsurfing, windsurfing or kitesurfing - and certainly not sailing - in a statement from the Saxon Ministry of Economics, Labour and Transport to the YACHT sister magazine WING which had enquired specifically about wingsurfing, however:
"... does not, however, refer to systematic extensions to the wing-surfing sports equipment, such as motorised drives, lift-increasing on-board modifications or conversions. Such technical measures can significantly increase the achievable speeds and therefore the risk of danger."
The ministry is of the opinion that speeds of up to 30 km/h are okay, but the speeds of up to 50 km/h that are supposedly possible with foils are not.
However, this view is wrong. "Foils, even on surfboards, tend to be used in light winds in order to reach higher speeds earlier and to be able to ride through wind holes," says Manuel Vogel, wing expert at SURF and WING magazines. In strong winds, boards with fins tend to be used, with which you can be even faster than with foils.
What's it to me?
Sailors might think so now. However, dinghies or catamarans such as the Motte, The Foiling Dinghy or Nacra 17 are also affected by the regulation. This is because no distinction is made as to how high the speed potential of a water sports device is, but only whether there are foils or similar buoyancy-increasing attachments or conversions. This means that boats with a DSS foil, for example, would also be affected.
Watersports enthusiasts in Saxony also fear that other federal states could follow Saxony's example and foiling could soon be banned across the board. They are all the more incensed because the Saxon State Sailing Association and the Association of Windsurfing Schools were apparently not involved in the decision-making process. There is talk of backroom politics at the expense of water sports enthusiasts.
The vague justification of an "increased risk potential" when foiling causes a lack of understanding. However, there have been no proven accidents to date as a result of using foils.
Water sports enthusiasts fight back
Saxon water sports enthusiasts have now started a petition and hope to be able to overturn the ministry's decision with a large number of signatures ( Click here for the petition ). Some of their arguments are strong. The explanatory memorandum states, among other things:
- Olympic sailing disciplines such as iQ windsurfing and Nacra sailing can neither be trained nor organised as regattas in the region!
- The Free State of Saxony is threatened with enormous damage to its image as a result of the ban. How should Saxony be perceived throughout Germany? As the land of bans and limited opportunities?
- Windsurfing stands for freedom, foiling stands for innovation, technology and the future. Aren't these values that are important to us in the Free State of Saxony?
- The ban on foiling would also result in economic losses. Many surf shops already generate the majority of their turnover through the sale of wings and foils. The ban would result in a massive slump in turnover and insolvencies.
- If all Saxon foilers had to move to other federal states, it would also be an ecological disaster.
If you would like to continue reading here to the articles at WING (click)
