"For now, it's nothing more than an idea," Francis Marx, Chairman of the German Micro Class Association, told YACHT online. He would like to bring together as many boats as possible between five and six metres hull length in joint regattas in Germany. The model is the French Intersérie der Croiseurs Légers, an inland series for "light cruisers", which culminates in an inland championship with 60 to 70 boats competing in regional regattas.
"Our micro class association has been stuck at around 20 to 25 boats for years, and other class associations such as Seascape or Varianta 18 have not progressed beyond the development stage either," says Marx. The result is class regattas with seven to eight boats. "We are all sailors first and foremost and want to sail and train in large regattas," says Marx.
These fields are to be made up of boats such as Microcupper, Varianta18/Dehler18, Seascape 18, FarEast18, I550, Sailart 19, Jumper 19, Zagle 500, Sympathy600 or Sixfor4 (a list of boat types is available on the new Website) and will be summarised under the term Open 5. To make the start easier, the existing Microcupper regatta calendar will be opened up. According to Marx, the Varianta18 class is already co-operating, while other class associations are still taking a wait-and-see approach.
At the regattas, there should be an overall ranking according to yardstick and class winners of the individual types/classes. They should be sailed in a common field with a common start, so that there will be interesting competitions. Depending on the area, not only the usual regatta courses should be sailed, but also circuits should enrich the regattas.
The aim is also to lower the entry barriers as much as possible. Anyone can join if their boat has a cabin with berths, is self-righting and is the right length. Neither a measurement certificate nor class association membership is necessary. Sailing without a spinnaker/gnaker with a corresponding yardstick allowance is also possible to enable recreational crews to sail. The use of trapeze devices is prohibited.
At Easter 2016, the first Open5 regatta will take place at Tegeler See in Berlin, opening up an existing Varianta18 regatta. Varianta18 and Microcupper crews have already announced their attendance (Tender).
More information: www.open5.de
The boat characteristics for participation:
- Monohull
- Length: 5.00-6.00 m (hull length without appendages/rudder and gennaker pole)
- Büa: 1.80-2.50 m
- Ballast keel(s) or centreboard(s) or inboard ballast that guarantee a righting moment at 90° without crew on the keel
- Lockable cabin with at least one straight surface that can be used as a berth
- Team size: min. 2
- Riding harnesses permitted, but no harness, no riding frames or attachments protruding beyond the hull
- A maximum of two movable underwater attachments in addition to the keel/sword
- Known or assessable yardstick value
Lars Bolle
Chief Editor Digital
