The A-Class has been around since the '60s and has gone through a steady evolution in design and materials. Class rules for this single-handed trapeze cat are quite simple: maximum length is 18ft (5.49m), maximum beam is 7ft 6in (2.3m) and maximum sail area including the mast is 150sq ft (13.93sq m). Minimum all-up weight including sail is 165lb (75kg).  

Other than that anything goes - there's no restriction on materials, construction, hull and blade design, or rig height. Even with this 'open door', the class has flourished and is growing rapidly,  evidenced by the 100-boat fleet (and the entry was limited) at the 2000 Worlds in Cesenatico, Italy. 

A wide variety of designs currently compete on an amazingly equal basis. Builders Jim Boyer (Australia) and Lalo Petrucci (Italy) both produce economical, competitive boats that are the foundation of many fleets around the world. Easy to rig and sail, these lightweight speedsters top out at about 22 knots. 

Refinement over the years has produced a very potent sailing machine, which '97 world champ Pete Melvin calls the 'Ferrari of the sea'. A Cats sail effortlessly (and silently) through the water and literally sail circles around every high-performance dinghy and most production skiffs.

One key to the success of the class can be summed up in the following remarkable statement: 'At the 2000 worlds, in conditions that varied from six to 20 knots, the weights of the top 20 skippers varied from 145lb to 205lb, while their ages ranged from 21 to 57.'

SEE SEAHORSE JANUARY 2001 FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS ARTICLE