The Swedish National Authority (SVERA) have submitted a proposal for the forthcoming UIM General Assembly for a new International Class 3 sub-division.

The Class, to be known as 3M, has a sensible power to weight ratio and will allow the use of engines that fall into the popular 200hp band whilst keeping speeds below that would require a canopy.

The once very popular UIM  3C sub-division has become an all catamaran canopied class with boats capable of speeds in excess of 100 mph, this in turn has diminished the international appetite for racing in the class.

Many UIM 3C mono hulls were put out to grass when mandatory canopies came into place, the proposed new UIM  3M class addresses this by limiting the width to exclude both catamarans and extreme wings.

The class proposals have been submitted to the UIM for approval by the same ‘brains’ responsible for the UIM 3A rules, where a similar move was made with the introduction of UIM Class 3A in 2012 (mono hull only) and only allowing ‘cats and bats’ to race in UIM  Class 3B.

At a minimum length around 22’6″ the class picks up where 3A stops without major overlaps of length and power and makes the ideal partner class to 3A without dilution.

At a first look it would appear that both the Mercury 200XS and Evinrude G2 would be compatible and are known to be engines with a ‘shelf life’, which would appear to be critical as already Mercury Marine are making the switch over from 2 to 4-Stroke engines in the lower HP range.

For competitors that have always favoured a mono hull for racing, this may well provide the solution to the vacuum left by the introduction of  a mandatory canopy rule in UIM Class 3C some years ago.

SVERA Proposal

Photo: Nigel Barrett