All,
Here's the rules. Let's go play!!!
I will be keeping a printed record of suggestions/recommendations throughout the year for next years' revisions. These are very exciting times for multihull sailing!
Bob
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FORMULA 14 ASSOCIATION RULES
Mission Statement: “Promote fun sailing for all ages!!”
Safety: Wearing a life jacket/PFD is recommended. Any type of righting device, anti-turtleling device is legal. It is the responsibility of the skipper to conform to all national safety rules.
Rules
1. Maximums:
Boat Length: 14’ 3”.
Beam: Open.
Mast Length: 24’.
Sail Area (main/ jib/ reacher/ spinnaker): 300sqft in any configuration.
2. Boat Components: Open.
Hulls, sails, mast, beams, rudder system, sails, rigging,
sheeting systems, trampolines, battens, booms, boomless sails, downhaul,
outhaul, mast rotation systems, tiller extensions are open and can be made of any material. Components, including sails, can be hand built or purchased from any manufacturer.
3. Sails: Pinhead, elliptical, or squaretop mainsails. Headsails/jibs may be
rollerfurled. Headsails/jibs may be mounted on short/long bridles, foils, or
on pole systems.
4. Single trapeze or hiking rack system is legal.
5. Crew: 1 or more crew.
The intent of these rules is to be a work in progress. As the class grows, additional refinements to these rules and sub-classes may become necessary.
Annual review date: February 10, 2005.
Bob Curry
Congrates all on this F-14 class ,-numerous interested knowledable sailors raring to race F-14s of their own creation and choosing .-Thanks to Bob for proposing rules -organizing the vote , and having the patience and courage to get it started with a broad general open set of F-14 class-rules and boat desciption outline and specification,--wweeaaayyy !applause -cheers -confetti -more applause and cheers ,-standing ovation .
Good disclaimer at the bottom of rules -
on the ability of future changes per vote of class members and the future possible addition of a second sub category in F-14 class.
The only limits set currently are L of 14.3 --Sail area 300 sq ft -any configuration sail plan --and mast height 24 ft--
all open -beyond -
The design possibilities are wide open .-
Several will build 150 LB -scaled down A Class type 14 ft cats w spin ,- http:/
A 14,3 -14 ft beam trimaran with 300 sq ft carried upwind and down may be built ,-via mini 60 tri w forward foils to carry sail ar . http://www.multiplast-yachts.com/eng/record/realisation.htm
A 14 ft wide 2 masted cat configuration two 24 ft hi aspect mainsails could be built ,-via Parliear cat design -
http:/
A foiler design --see A Class foiler--could be built - http://www.foils.org/gallery/carlson.htm
An A frame rig on 14 ft beam could be built with masts set aft towards stern with multiple headsails --this increases relative distance and effective volume from CE on the sail to bows , balance then achieved by oversized rudder/ board combination--forward foils can also be used for an extended lifting spin option .
you get the picture --open rules will allow ingenious ways to design faster sailing craft ,14s or in any L class category.
This will be great fun ,-A number of 14 sailors have expressed interest in building such F-14 category sailing craft ,----evan better if the rules were wide open on mast height and sail area --only a 14,3 L --but only for the Open category F-14s .
In antisipation of a second production class F-14 category
with a min weight of 230 per Mystere 4.3 type ,with some others much higher,like H-14 or N 450 at 280 Lbs it may be good to go ahead and propose a modified production class rules outline based on existing boat weight and design measurements .
A production boat comparison chart provided by Dav in a previous thread for review- http:/
A typical box rule--- having 4 measured sides -Length Beam Weight and Sail area -
To reasonably accomodate numerous existing production 14s a more standard defined box form rule will be required to insure a category within F-14 of good fair reasonably equal boats racing .
Clearly this needs to occur ,-per numerous posts on weight to sail area -speed differences ,-by several very expert interested sailors in previous threads.
The Category 2 modified production 14 rules added may look something like -
Length 14.3
Beam 8,
Weight 230 min.
Sail area 150 main and jib
150 max spin = 300 total
Mast height 24
Some production boats will weigh more than the min. 230 --
H-14 at 250 - or 280Lbs per N 450. Other Formula clases allow jib and spin size increases that corespond with added weight as compensation for it -
Some adjust spin and jib sizes for crew weight ,-
but this becomes very complex ,particularly if used with boat weight variable .
A total boat and crew weight is another option ,
but again very complex ,-its best if crew size matches the boat ,--if not then innovate in the open category with sail plan concepts carried upwind and down providing advantage with added ballast-- { beer gut} 
A simple spin size increase for production category boats over 260 Lb to 170 sq ft spin may be considered, or left out .
Others Formula rules 18s 16s etc per examples define each componant in detail as to materials allowed and measurements --sails -mast- spin pole -boards rudders -tramp-tillers hardware-trap gear
etc etc .-
KEEPING THESE OPEN AND RULES SIMPLE is important .
these may be added if needed , though many of these are self limiting for practical reasons.
Hope this 2nd modified production category F-14 is not immediately needed ,-but may be best to have this intent ready as questions will surely be asked in great detail on class rules and boat modifications and the equal fair racing aspect,--
If production type owners know little is needed to compete ,
more will be interested.
Offered this as a starting point for 2nd category production F-14s --others may have added concepts -
Hope this is helpfull .
If you want a true "formula 14" class, and you want to stop all argument, then you make the rules as simple as possible.Every amature, professional, and armchair, sailor will always be convinced that "their" idea's are the ultimate, so then let them all have their way! make the rules just one - that all formula 14's shall be only a certain length ie define 14'! It could be argued that any cat that falls in the length of up to just under 15' could be called "a 14' cat" but then you would open the "class to the potentual of being called a 'formula 15'? To me a 14' cat, by everything that has preceeded over the last 40 odd years means a cat that is around the 4.3m mark, so why not make the maximum length no longer than 4.3 or 4.35 to allow a little latitude, BUT MAKE THAT THE ONLY RULE!!! If ALL formula 14's race at the same rating (across the line wins), over the shortest time all the extreme design ideas that are tried that don't work will go the way of the DoDo, and we would be left with competetive cats/tri's, whatever, that are competitive with each other. Let everyone have the option of experimenting with their own ideas, if they are legitimate in their design ideas, and not just debating for the sake of hearing their own voices, they will get out there and try, if not then they should let some one actually get on with getting this "class" off the ground and formalised
Hey Bob,
1st, thanks for taking the time to do this!!
My question is: Is there going to be a Min Weight?
I see all the Maximums?
I might have to consider a home build if there is no Min. 
Thanks,
CraigO
Hey, Bob. Already there is a big problem with the boat rules as published. You list the "boat length" as 14' 3". That SHOULD read "HULL LENGTH" 14' 3". Big difference. Boat length counts rudders and spinnaker poles and every other part of the boat. Agreed? I believe everyone understood that we were voting on a max hull length but that is not what we have right now.
One other note. WOW, eleven people constitute "masses"!
Mike
Yea, What he Said!! 
Not a problem. Everyone, it is HULL length. That was the intention. I apologize for not catching that myself!
Bob
Craig,
No min weight. Have fun!
Bob
Oh NO!!!!
STOP PRESS
9% OF THE ELECTORATE WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THEIR VOTE!!!
I've just realized that in my self serving way, the beam vote is all wrong!
I'm 225 and way taller than everyone else, so it serves me to sail nasty, tippy boats of maximum beam zero.
Bob, please change that to zero. Thanks.Ha Ha.
Who knows?? Maybe a 3" beam would be fast!! HeHeHe...
Bob