Lester Gilbert

Hi Damian I guess if there were 3 skippers having trouble and 2 used Futaba, this might be right. But if there were 40 Futaba users in the event and 10 other brands, a different picture emerges.... Do you happen to know how many of the skippers were successfully using Futaba? My maths tutor always told us about the headline, "Dolphin saved my life". Yeah, he'd say, but how often do you hear of a swimmer returning saying, Damn dolphin killed me?

Hi John Could you post a link to a page which explains how to do this, please? Many thanks!

An early page of mine might be interesting. http://www.onemetre.net/Design/Bulbcant/BulbCant.htm

The RG65 Class – from an IRSA perspective In Q&A form V1.1 To be posted on the IRSA Web site shortly Q Can the RG65 class have a world championship? Not as it exists at present. Some time back WS delegated responsibility for the international administration of radio sailing to IRSA and it is through this affiliation that IRSA is able to grant the right to run WORLD championships in the rc international classes. WS protects the right to call a sailing event a world championship – claiming an event is one when it is not sanctioned by WS or IRSA is a breach of the WS rules and can result in competitors being excluded from legitimate sailing events. IRSA is the international class association for the Marblehead, Ten Rater and A Classes. The International One Metre has its own independent international class association, IOMICA, that is responsible for the administration of the IOM class and which is affiliated to IRSA. All these international classes hold world championships from time to time and the events are run under the guidance of IRSA’s & IOMICA’s regulations using the well known Appendix E of the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS). In order that the RG65 class may hold any event titled ‘world championship’ it has to have international class status given by IRSA. Q Why is IRSA interested in the RG65 class? IRSA’s constitutional object is to develop the sport of RC sailing throughout the world, and to support any class that is popular internationally. The class appeals to a large number of builders because they can exploit exotic construction methods without the problems associated with larger scale building projects. Construction can be as convenient as on a kitchen table. Sail making can be accomplished in a relatively small space. The class is a ‘development’ or ‘open’ class so builders have freedom to improve performance that is deliberately blocked in ‘one design’ or ‘closed’ classes. The boat with all its rigs will comfortably fit into a well designed pack not much bigger than a box used to transport an IOM hull. The prospect of travelling by public transport, as well as by plane without having to pay for excess baggage, is a realistic one. The restriction on the number of rigs serves to restrict cost and complexity, and the boats can be sailed in a space as small as an Olympic swimming pool. A well set up RG65 performs remarkably well, so it is easy to see why the class is popular. Given the opportunity to hold world championships the class would inevitably attract greater number of participants and the level of competition in the class would increase enormously. It is essential that robust class rules are in place before that happens so that continued participation in the class does not become prohibitively expensive. Q What is required for the RG65 class to become recognised by IRSA? To gain international class status some straightforward, but important, standards have to be achieved. • The class has to have a certain number of boats across a certain number of continents and countries. • The class rules have to be written to a common standard, the WS Standard Class Rules (SCR) format. Whereas the numerical requirements are met, it is clear the requirement for WS SCR format class rules is not. Q Why is SCR format required for the class rules? Class rules written using the WS SCR format ensure that as far as possible the language used in class rules and the measurement methods employed are harmonised across the classes. Designers, builders, sail makers and measurers can then be confident of having a common understanding of class rules. Commonly used words like ‘boat’, ‘hull’, ‘hull appendage’ and a vast number of other similar boat part names are all very precisely defined in the Equipment Rules of Sailing (ERS) which is a stand-alone document available as a download from the WS website. Q What else in the existing class rules might need to be changed? An issue that would prevent the RG65 achieving international status is the tradition that the boats are measured by the owners with no independent checking. A complicating factor here is a lack of a prescribed system for measuring sail area. Another tradition in the class, that of being able to replace the fin/ballast unit after each day’s racing, is not permitted either by the class rules or the Racing Rules of Sailing. The current lack of restriction on the material used for the ballast means that tungsten (also known as Wolfram) and other exotic high density materials are permitted. The unwelcome cost implications of this in the long term are clear. The concept of having only three rigs in the class is a sound principle that works well in the IOM class. Whereas the IOM class has several safeguards to keep cost down (no exotic materials in the hull, minimum hull weight, wood or aluminium spars only, one design sails) there are no such restrictions in the RG65 class and construction costs are higher than they would be otherwise. It is probably too late to introduce some of these concepts into the RG65 class – as “the horse has already bolted”. But there are some things that can easily be achieved that will help keep the class popular in the long term and restrict escalation of costs. Q What would IRSA RG65 class rules look like? Briefly: • The class rules would be written in the WS SCR format using terms defined in the ERS. • The sail measurement system would be specified. • Ballast materials denser than lead would be prohibited. • A draught limit would be introduced. • Sail marks rules would be rationalised with those in Appendix E of the RRS. • The rules for racing will be specified as the RRS. • Changing the fin/ballast unit after each day’s racing could either be facilitated by the class rules or, alternatively, prohibited. • Measurement and certification of boats would be by independent official measurers. • Each national association would keep a register of officially certified boats. Q Why does there have to be a draught limit? The draught limit is to ensure all boats at an event can be guaranteed to be able to sail. From an IRSA point of view it is imperative that the Race Committee of an IRSA event does not find itself embarrassed because some competitors with class rule compliant boats cannot compete. Q How will revised RG65 class rules be created? Under the guidance of Gerd Mentges, a sub-committee of the IRSA TC has already produced a first draft of an international standardised version of the RG65 class rules. It incorporates much of what has been learned over the last two decades from the Marblehead and Ten Rater Class rules. It deals with the above points and the TC will spend some time checking and refining its content. Q Could the RG65 owners create their own international class rules? Perhaps, but it may take longer to arrive at a result that is satisfactory to IRSA. Q How would revised RG65 class rules be adopted? When it is felt the revised class rules are of sufficient quality the intention is to post them on the IRSA website. While IRSA cannot impose such rules on anybody, it is hoped the RG65 community will find they like what they see and, if they want to progress to holding the first world championship for the class, there will be a clear pathway to do so. Q What is the pathway to a first world championship for the RG65 class? That pathway would be: • Use the revised class rules. • Achieve sufficient registered boats in sufficient countries and continents. • Apply to IRSA for International Status. • Apply to hold a world championship. Q Could the RG65 class run its own affairs? IRSA would like to see the RG65 class form a class committee within the IRSA structure. Although currently organised on a regional structure of representation, IRSA is in the process of re-structuring into a class based organisation. When the RG65 class committee becomes self-sufficient, IRSA policy is that it should split off to become an independent ICA in the same way as IOMICA.

A couple of points might be worth making. RRS A5 tells us that only the protest committee may take (other) scoring actions that worsen a boat’s score. So no, the RO does not have the power to DSQ anyone. Following an incident on the water, a protest from a boat, the Race Committee, or the Protest Committee *may* be made; a protest is not mandatory (RRS 60.1, 60.2, and 60.3). Where the Race Committee is aware of an unresolved incident, it is considered good practice in radio sailing in the UK for the RC to protest the boats involved for a (gross) breach of the rules (MYA Race Management Guide). (When acting as an RO, I would consider boat on boat contact to be a gross breach of the rules, but not all ROs are of the same opinion.) It is then for the Protest Committee to hear the protest. Note that, although the time limit for protesting might have expired, the Protest Committee can extend the time limit for good reason (RRS 61.3). (Where the RO is aware of an unresolved incident, and then learns that one of the boats involved has retired, it is my opinion that the RO may conclude the incident is now resolved. Not all ROs are of the same opinion.)

Alternatively, do not hail "I am out of control". Instead, use some other words, such as "I cannot steer" or "I have no way", or "I seem to be hooked up on some weed"... Hailing "I am out of control" invokes E2.3.

Might be worth mentioning that ISAF Case 125 in the 2013-2016 Case Book Supplement refers.