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RL24, RL28, and RL34 Trailable Yachts from Rob Legg Yachts

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Replying to:	A One Design Swing Keel RL 24 I am working on a set of class rules for a one design swing keel RL 24. It is my intention to modify and re-rate my RL24 making it into a safe boat, able to be raced successfully in a mixed CBH fleet without hiking and without any rules confusion. My class rules will cover two versions of the swing keel RL24, the Seniors Special (SS and raced two up with no spinnaker) and the As Built (AB) and they will both have a modified handicap ratings. The final version of these rules will be placed on the web site for anyone to use, if they wish. My modified version of the swing keel RL will aimed at the older ex dinghy racer and/or husband and wife team. If one compares the low resale value of old, worn out mark 1 and 2 RL 24s with cramped accommodation against the value of a much sought after one design Elliot 7 sports boat, it would be financially viable to purchase a swing keel RL 24 and give it a major half life refit which would include a paint job, new rig and a suit of North’s 3Di sails. (Have a look at Darryn’s post on the work he carried out on his swing keel Rl24 ). I will leave it until September this year, before having my boat weighed and measured in accordance with the new National CBH system. This will be conditional on the new YA CBH system, at that time being totally accepted by all States and trailer yacht organisations. If this is not so, I will have my new model of RL 24 rated under the YV AMS or SMS measurement rules (most likely AMS). I will post a provisional copy of my rules in this forum for any possible comment. It should be noted that at this stage the minimum displacement of my modified RL 24 looks like being between 750kg and Alan Owen’s suggested figure of 800 kgs. There will be no restriction to adding any internal ballast but the amount used must be declared. My rules will be restricted to boats fitted with cast iron swing keels as supplied by Robb Legg Yachts, but you will be free to change the lifting arrangements and remove the wire and shackle from the water flow. My aim in this exercise is to come up with a fair, honest and bullet proof set of rules that will be in total compliance with the current RRS rule book. I had a good look at a few trailer boat class rules on the internet in an attempt to get up to strength on the latest thinking and layouts of class rules. Three international one design sportsboat classes stood out as having clear and concise class rules written up in a “may, shall and shall not” style. These three classes are as follows: • The very popular international Laser SB3 • The NZ designed Elliot 6 . A slightly modified version of this boat has just been chosen as the women’s match racing boat for the 2012 Olympics. It will replace the all hiking Yngling and like the Melges 20 will be built in China by Australian company McConaghy Boats. • The new, award winning Melges 20. This boat has an anti hiking guard rail identical to the system fitted to Dick Voller's RL 24 about 4 years ago. The Melges 20 is designed to take the very popular Laser SB3 head on and in doing so,bans hiking. In fact it calls its pensioner back rests ‘Backsider Anti Hiking Pads’. The class rules has a section covering ‘positioning’ which covers the crews position in the boat at all times. This section has six clear rules, one of which bans legs outside the boat when hiking.