That would certainly be fine with me - although I have no means of proving the age of my boat.
I would like to join the association, but since I'd be unlikely to get to more than one event, I'd be pushed to justify affording it.
I may well try to get to Blithfield just for the hell of it. The boat looked good this evening with her new lines etc, but I'd need to beg or borrow a bottom cover.
I think you miss the point of joining the association.....
The association is not just there for the racers, and not just something you should do to enter an event.
The association is there to support the class as a whole, old boats as much as new, the work of the association helps keep the class in the media, maintain a high profile for the class, help preserve the integrity of the boats and as a result helps maintain the value of all boats. Hence the work currently being done to try and find older Phantoms and provide support to their owners in the hope they will either be sailed more or be passed onto somebody looking for a low cost entry into the class.
This web site itself is an indication of what can be done by the association to help and aid its members, look at all the FREE advice and help that can be had here. All committee members give of their time and effort freely to support the class and its members, and many give a huge amount often costing them money from their own pockets.
In my opinion everybody who owns a Phantom should join the association as a routine, this web site itself is more than value for the small amount of cash it costs
