All Rl24 racers
I have a puzzling question...I have been looking at a few RL24's and notice that some have a Spinnaker chute system. How do you guys get around the rule regarding hatches and companionways AYF 3.07 in particular 3.07.2(a)(iii) as when the kite is launching,set and or retrieving the hatch some of you guys have is unable to be firmly shut.
With regard to your query, I had a look in the current rule book and in the YA Special Regulations for Racing Boats (part 1) section which covers your 3.07 Hatches and Companionways rulings and I believe you may have a valid point.
I reckon, if the race organisers declare the race a category 6 or 5 or less event and not a category 7 (the lowest safety category) then the entrants have to comply with your 3.07 section.
I checked the Southport Yacht Club Notice of Race for this year’s titles and I see that they declared it a category 6 event. This means that an entrant with a non compliant spinnaker tube could have been protested and then receive a DSQ.
I personally believe that spinnaker tubes should be allowed and encouraged on RL24’s as they make spinnaker handling much easier and safer. The RL24 does not take kindly to having a heavy crew member on the foredeck hoisting and dousing a spinnaker when going down wind especially in heavy weather.
A way round the 3.07 problem would be to fit the spinnaker tube totally on deck using netting or a canvas tube. An other way would be to fit a sealed PVC tube arrangement which goes through the cabin coming out into the cockpit through the aft cabin bulkhead.
I think that protests should be encouraged at National and State Titles and not discouraged. There is no room for any Kangaroo Courts or Measurers going around handing out undocumented advice on what is legal or illegal! A measurer’s job is to measure and sign the Measurement Certificate or also give his findings and his opinion to the protest committee!
Remember in the movie when Breaker Morant shouted out the words in the military court RULE 307 (or was it 303)?
Rule 3.07.2 (a) (iii) applies when you have a hatch that doesn’t comply with 3.07.2 (a) (i).
Whenever I have done a 90 Deg test on my RL24 the front hatch is well above the water line complying with rule 3.07.2 (a) (i)
I feel you are attempting to create confusion in this matter and I suggest you go back to the rule book and read the whole of Section 3.07. It states the following in section 3.07.2 : “A hatch or port shall be:”
After you have done that you can then have a read of section 3.02 --- Watertight Integrity of Hull----. This covers boats racing in up to Cat 6 events. I quote:
‘A hull, including, deck, coach roof, hatches and all other parts, shall form an integral, essentially water-tight unit and any openings in it shall be capable of being immediately secured to maintain this integrity’.
I do note that the Notice of Race at the recent YV TY CBH State titles held at the GLYC called for a minimum Cat 6 sticker to be placed on all competing boats transoms. I only saw a handful of boats with the stickers on?
