Kirby Torch Class Membership Could Defeat ILCA Rule Change

The Kirby Torch Class now has enough members to have defeated ILCA’s Fundamental Rule Change. It was perhaps not widely understood at the time of the vote but the Rule Change, pushed through by ILCA and then recently approved by ISAF, attempted to eliminate the requirement that builders of the Laser must have an agreement with designer Bruce Kirby. This violates the 1983 Agreement which established the Laser as an International Class, the basis on which ISAF plaques are issued to builders of the Laser, and on which the Laser was chosen as equipment for use in the Olympics.

The Kirby Torch class preserves the original basis on which the Kirby Sailboat obtained international status from ISAF.