Martin Hartley
This post is just to clarify the position of the Class and the Isaf rules standard. As you know ISAF in their wisdom have decided that in order for various classes including the Sonata to maintain their National status we have to conform to the new class rules standards. In the mailing members will have received it is obvious that there is some confusion.
From the outset, the Sonata Class has always intended to conform and thus retain National status. This was made clear to the technical dept. at the RYA. Both the Class Chairman and myself have received letters from the RYA questioning our intentions and I have had to remind the RYA that we wish to conform. The RYA have apologised for not noting the fact properly.
The situation at present is that I have submitted the Class rules, hopefully satisfying the new requirements to the RYA and these have been acknowledged. The RYA will soon be employing persons to individually check each and every class for compliance, but this process will take place ‘some time in the new year’ according to the RYA. This situation is not unresolved as the circulation with the AGM minutes suggests but is ongoing. The new rules are complete and will be scrutinized this year we hope. In the mean time, our existing rules (which were never lacking anyway) will remain current. Any points of view will be welcome. Discussions with the full membership were not deemed necessary since I and the commitee considered that no Sonata owner would want to lose National status and no harm has been done to those that don’t think it important. The rules themselves remain unchanged, only the order in which they are presented and in some cases the wording has changed. The Sonata class rules turned out to be fairly compliant having been updated a few years ago.
Martin Hartley
Tech. Rep.