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ISCA Important News - November 12, 2024

11/12/2024 9:59 am

 

ISCA® Has Approved a New Builder

 

The International Sunfish Class Association™ (ISCA) is proud to announce the selection of Zim Sailing as the new builder and supplier of class approved boats and parts. Our beloved boat will soon be built in Rhode Island by a team that includes former workers from Vanguard, a previous manufacturer. Class leadership vetted several potential builders via a detailed and lengthy review process and is pleased to appoint Zim Sailing.  World Sailing approved class rules changes to allow us to appoint a new builder, and also approved a new World Sailing agreement ensuring that we retain our International status.  

 

Zim Sailing is North America’s largest manufacturer and distributor of small sailboats, currently producing ILCAs (formerly Laser®), Flying Juniors, and their 420E in a 40,000 sq. ft. facility in Bristol, Rhode Island. In addition to expertise in boat building, Zim Sailing also has a large dealer base, extensive event support capabilities, and a passionate team that is eager to support our boat.

 

 “Zim Sailing is thrilled to take up this exciting opportunity to bring production of a classic sailboat back to Rhode Island. Countless sailors began their sailing careers with an ISCA, whether that was at the beach with their family or learning to race for the first time, and we’re excited to be a part of that experience for people. Our team is extremely excited and are already working hard to hit the ground running. We look forward to supporting the thousands of sailors already sailing ISCAs, and long term being good stewards of this historic class.” - George Yioulos, Zim Sailing CEO

 

The team at Zim Sailing is already hard at work preparing for 2025 and beyond. This includes preparing molds for production, ordering parts, and reenergizing the entire supply chain. They expect to start producing boats in early 2025.  Following the approval of the test boats by ISCA and World Sailing, full production should begin in time to have boats at dealers by the summer of 2025.   Zim will ensure a plentiful supply of spare and replacement parts produced to strict one-design standards.   While pricing is not finalized, it is expected that prices will be similar to current.  Zim will support the class by providing charter boats at the annual World Championship and other events.  

 

” The International Sunfish Class Association, at its recent World Council meeting held in Heath, TX, USA, approved ZIM as the manufacturer of the ISCA boat, and we are very happy to have a manufacturer like Zim as a new class builder.   They will be producing a top-quality boat that will be competitive with our existing class-approved boats, which will help accelerate our current growth.  And with manufacturing in the US, distribution to our core markets of North, Central and South American will be simpler, faster and more efficient." – Guillermo “Willo” Cappelleti, ISCA President

 

ISCA and Zim are looking forward to a great working relationship. Zim will support the class by providing charter boats at the North Americans, Worlds, and other events. There will also be a certification fee paid on boats and equipment, which will be used to help grow the class.

 

Link to this article and FAQs: ISCA IMPORTANT NEWS Nov. 12, 2024

 

Email: info@sunfishclass.org

 

 

 

Link: ZimSailing.com (https://zimsailing.com/boats/isca)

 

Email: info@zimsailing.com

 

  

Sunfish® is a registered trademark of Velum Limited

 

FAQ about Zim becoming a new builder of the ISCA boat.

  • Will LP still be making Sunfish?  We expect they will.  However, we will shortly stop selling them World Sailing Plaques (stickers), so any LP- made new Sunfish without a plaque will not be legal, and plaques will not be available to add to those boats.

 

  • Will parts be available from Zim?   Zim is already working on supply chain for all components of the boat, namely sails from North, spars from Selden, daggerboards, and rudders to name a few.  Parts will be available through Zim’s dealer network.  Once Zim is supplying parts, all parts which must be builder-supplied will have to be supplied by Zim, so new parts and sails from Laser Performance will not be legal. 

 

  •  Will older Sunfish be legal to race?  All Sunfish with plaques (issued by World Sailing, ISAF or IYRU, depending on the date of manufacture) and all Sunfish produced before plaques were introduced, will be legal to race.

 

  • When will new Zim boats be available?  The timing is not certain, but they should be available in dealers by summer.  Both ISCA and World Sailing will need to approve the new boats, but no issues are anticipated.

 

  • Will new boats be faster than existing boats?  No, the plan is for the boats to perform as close to current boats as possible.