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The IRSA Race Management Policies state: General Recall 8.1In case of any problems with the starting line (such as length, or angle to the wind,etc.) a postponement may be signalled, even up to the last second before the start, instead of a general recall. 8.2 If a race management error is discovered after the starting signal (e.g. timing), the course management team may abandon the race. In these circumstances, the course management team will not signal a general recall. 8.3 When the course management team is not satisfied that all boats over early (or that have broken rules 30.1, 30.3 or 30.4) have been identified, a general recall will be signalled. 8.4 In the event the start has been postponed, or a general recall has been caused by the length or angle of the starting line, the course management team will adjust the starting line and make another attempt using the same preparatory signal. 8.5 If the course management team is satisfied that a general recall was not the result of the length or angle of the starting line or a course management team action, it will signal the use of a rule 30 starting penalty (I flag, U flag or black flag) for each subsequent attempt to start the heat 8.6 An important principle to be followed by the course management team is that rule 30 starting penalties will only be used when general recalls are caused by the boats themselves, or rapid oscillations of the wind, and not by actions of the course management team. 8.7 When using the black flag, the course management team will make every effort to signal a postponement in the event of any problems with the starting line. These policies closely mirror those of WS.

This is the fundamental flaw of the outside in windward gate. At the M/10R Worlds last year the RC set an inside out gate with offset marks on each side of the gate. Once the sailors had worked out how this worked there was a significant reduction on incidents at the mark. Few boats attempted an approach on the port layline. Instead boats approached on the starboard layline of both marks. Boats that came up the left hand side of the course would sail to the left hand mark layline. Boats on starboard would form two queues along the layline. One advantage is that if there was an issue ahead it was always possible to bail out at the last moment by heading for the other mark (either by tacking or bearing away). This is an advantage when the marks have to be set some distance from the shore. As boats arriving to the right-hand mark had to tack to round the mark, the RC set the offset leg on that side slightly shorter

I may have copied 7 rigs worth of settings onto my spare by then !

Thanks John - left stick issue….

Thanks for the suggestions- my thought was the pot on the transmitter so will try another channel.

As suggested, first try the winch in another channel. If it still does it, then dirt / corrosion / damage in the winch feedback pot is most likely. If you can dismantle the winch and spray contact cleaner onto the track, then this might cure it. The problem is that having gone bad once, it is likely to do it again. If it's an RMG then replacing the pot is fairly easy (though expensive for the older 10 turn types). For other types, manufacturer's spares are hard to come by and finding a generic part that fits properly is also tricky. Depends how seriously you sail, but a new winch and keep this one as a spare might be the best option for a non-RMG.

hi Jeff, You'll need it fixed for the big event in July!!

When you say a glitch do you mean like the winch shudders or is searching. Does it do it in all positions. I had a chuddar at close hauled. I remedied it by removing drum and turning it a 1/4 turn and it went away. You might also try resetting your EPA on tx

Try moving the winch plug on the Rx from CH 3 to CH2. Then move the right stick up and down. Has the glitching gone away. If yes, then it could be the pot on left stick of the Tx. If not, then it could be corrosion on the plug on the winch or the winch. John

I think that the biggest con at the moment is that they have been out of production for quite a few months now. According to the web site, this is due to machinery breakdown. Other than that, I find them pretty reliable, having several IOM and A class size versions.

Has anyone experienced glitching on the sheeting stick on a Futaba 6j ? If so any potential solutions? Thanks

It always surprised me how something like even a Fireball (don't get me wrong - superb dinghy) could have evolving hull designs. Yep, sail cut, vs spar parameters and prebend is an equally dark art. I guess that's why World Champion is indeed a special achievement! I love trying to understand the perfection, but meself I'm happy just getting out with mates on a Sunday morning :) And there's now the GC24 - one at Worlds. I guess "venti­quattro" too long to fit on the foredeck lol.

And there's also skippers like me.... 🙄

The Sedici is still a good design. Plenty of good skippers are still sailing them. However if the designer has produced a newer design which has proved itself better why if you are travelling at considerable cost (money and time) would you not want to maximise you chances of winning or at least performing to the best of your ability. It was not only Sedici against Venti but also Vickers V12 or V11/10, Viss or Kantun etc. Also sail supplier is a major item, if I'm correct the winning skipper also made his own sails as he found his own cut suited his sailing. I just wish I had the skills to maximise the performance of my own boats as I suspect any of the skippers sailing in the World's would be faster than me!!!!!!

Both the KingMax and PJ sails winches are fully enclosed cases! I think they both claim some level of water ingress protection. The KingMax are standard servo size cases, I believe the PJ sails cases are slightly larger. At least with the RMG you can monitor the condition of the gear train and maintain as required. A motor failure is also not life threatening to the winch. If your boat is reasonably water tight you should not have problems. Why not give Bill Green a call and I'm sure he will talk you through the RMG's pros/cons.

Hard chine design 36. I sailed it once and have not used it since - cannot get the grandchildren to Gosport! I suit of sails, simple vane gear. £50 ono better used than in my loft.... 07818413515

2001 Tonic with all 3 rigs. Certificate. fitted out to use the supplied but unused Glass fibre Stollery 'Boot' radio cassette, but easily converted to a tray and pot layout. Supplied with an old working Andrews winch and servo. I bought this through the Guildford club with the intention of 'pimping' it like Peter Stollerys Isotonic, but never got around to it! Stand not included. £150 07818 413515 Please give your name if you leave a text or message!

Thank you for your suggestions. I’m currently emailing K7 to see how much we’re talking. My quibble with RMG is the open nature of the winch - I like things in boxes or pots - but I know they work perfectly well!

Sedici is slightly more slender than Venti - about 7mm narrower between the shroud 'plates' I think. I've not looked at whether there's other subtle shape differences, perhaps beam is the only major one.

I am surprised that at this years World event there was not a single Sedici sailing. A lot of Venti so is there that much difference between the 2 models and how can a good boat like that fall out of favour?

Simon, forgot to include PJ Sails also offer winches suitable for an IOM or Marblehead. I have not used one of these but word of mouth is that these are also of satisfactory performance. I believe that these are a little over £100.

Simon, the choice of winch will be dictated by performance requirements versus cost. If price is not a consideration then my personal choice for a drum winch is the RMG or for an arm winch a Hitec Monster Power. (I am using both, arm winch in a Britpop and RMG in a Psycho. The arm winch is certainly the quickest and is good downwind to jybe, but sometimes unless you are controlled on the stick can be too fast. If cost is a consideration the KingMax winches are a good choice as Component Shop in Wales can supply these. The most suitable range in price from £30 to £70. I also sail a Tonic IOM and have used a variety of these chinese winches in this, the Eurgle Winch (no longer available had satisfactory performance but proved unreliable. The KingMax winches have adequate torque and speed and have proved to be suprisingly good with reliability. There are plenty of IOM's using these winches. The lower cost versions are too slow and they are even slower as you approach the endpoints, I cannot reccomend these. I did start a thread regarding the KingMax winches, I personally have only used the £30 versions (metal case) with either the metal optional drum on the faster but lower torque version or the higher torque version with an even larger 3D printed drum to improve speed. Happy with either in the Tonic. One of our members purchased the next version up approx £50 and has been sailing her IOM with that without issue, even at the top end of the top suit of sails. The decision on what suits your reqirements is yours!

K7 Yachts can supply Red Ant see the advert on the suppliers page

Outside-in gate at the windward mark - by John Ball Thanks and congratulations to the sailors, IOMICA, MYA, and the volunteers who put on a great show at the 2026 IOM World Championship at Datchet Water, UK. The windward mark. Initially, we saw the conventional windward mark with an offset, but many boats arrived together, on both starboard and port tacks and there were many incidents. The RC switched to an outside-in windward gate. The outside-in gate has one big advantage – it usually splits the fleet over the two marks, reducing congestion, but it also has one big disadvantage – there is no longer an offset mark to separate the boats rounding and bearing away from the boats still approaching each mark. Look at the diagram, below. Boats rounding the right-hand mark – mark to port, is quite conventional, with the proviso that while the boat bearing way is on stbd and has ROW over an approaching port tack boat, the stbd tack boat is subject to R 16.1 as she alters course. Green cannot just turn down and interfere with Blue. As they are on different legs, R 23.2 also applies, and the ROW boat is not interfering IF she is sailing her proper course. Boats rounding the left-hand mark – mark to stbd, has all the issues of a stbd rounding – see my web site https://sites.google.com/site/johnsrcsailingrulesandtactics/ and Chapter 3 bonus item – ‘Weather Mark – the ‘Dreaded Marks to Stbd’, but with no offset, they have the additional problem that they are on port and as they bear away to the run, have to stay clear of any approaching stbd tack boats. Yellow has to stay clear of Pale Blue. As they are on different legs, R 23.2 also applies, and the ROW boat is not interfering IF she is sailing her proper course. John

I have an Alioth with a Revolution winch. It’s been great for 12 months but yesterday I switched the boat on and the winch was s..l..o..w !!! I had a bit of a fiddle as the sheeting had moved out of its normal range so the sails weren’t fully in . No joy with altering the end point on the TX and now the winch doesn’t move at all! I’m hoping it’s fixable and I know a man who can, maybe, but if it has gone to join the winches in the sky, what do I replace it with ? RMG 280? Red Ant Stinger? Chinese winches don’t seem to be an option as my iPhone refuses to accept SMS from Ali Express so an S100 isn’t an option!! I know Bill G is the agent for RMG but is there a U.K. agent for Red Ant? Or can you something better?? Many thanks Simon