Terry Connell

Merry Christmas. Mark room, I have just read this,here. http://www.uksailmakers.com/news/2016/12/23/changes-to-the-racing-rules-for-2017?mc_cid=f1c0bedf6e&mc_eid=6d18099584 Rule 18.2(d) (Giving Mark-Room) Rule 18.2(d) provides a “shut off” time for when a boat is no longer entitled to mark-room under rule 18.2(b) or room under rule 18.2© and therefore is no longer “protected” by rule 21 (Exoneration). The “shut off” time is when the boat has been given mark-room, which is when she has been given the space she needs to round or pass the mark on the required side as needed to Rule 18.2(d) (Giving Mark-Room) Rule 18.2(d) provides a “shut off” time for when a boat is no longer entitled to mark-room under rule 18.2(b) or room under rule 18.2© and therefore is no longer “protected” by rule 21 (Exoneration). The “shut off” time is when the boat has been given mark-room, which is when she has been given the space she needs to round or pass the mark on the required side as needed to sail the course, and has been able to sail close to the mark when her proper course would bring her close to the mark. Does this mean that we can finally stop skippers' practice of "wide in.close out" when rounding a mark. In a case where a port rounding boat is on port,no need to tack for the next mark but demands wriggle room in spite of being windward boat. My interpretation of the Rules is if there is room for the inside boat between a leeward boat and the mark and she hits neither,she has been given "mark room".But many skippers refuse to obey the windward rule and state that they are only asking for room to pass the mark in a seamanlike manner or that Rule 21 applies. Terry. Eastbourne.

Hi, I've found this website http://zepsus.com/products/ Has anyone had experience of them? Terry

Hi all, I'm very pleased to be able to say that the Frigate is legal.I've had the weight accurately measured to 21.13. So all is well. Thanks to all for your interest and help. Terry

Hello Brad, Thanks for your reply. I've looked at the relevant pages here http://www.radiosailing.org/ and read that the complete boat is weighed,rigged, with jib boom aboard, and an allowance of 100 grams for sails.I'm going to the Eastbourne club house to use the scales there.

Thanks for your reply. The boat is a Frigate No.1536 1st Measurement 17 June 2002,Builders name G Appleton,Designer G Bantock .The date of the last measurement was done by W.Green on 9th July 2015. As far as I am aware nothing has been done to the boat since that time.Because it leaked at Fleetwood,during the PRACC 2, may be it's moisture in the hull.It doesn't look to be deeper in the water so the waterline length looks correct. So,to be sure,I'll see if there's any ballast that's easily removable and have the boat accurately weighed. I see in the Class Rules,2.6.5, that there's a tolerance of 0.1 kg only. Does the boat have to be weighed together with the mast and sails? The Rules say with appendages. I take them to be the keel,fin and rudder.I weighed it rigged with mast and sails.

Hi all, If a boat is 200 grams over the maximum permitted weight what effect does that have on legitimacy of the Certificate and boat? Example:-Minimum = 21.0,Maximum = 21.2,actual(roughly) 21.4 Thanks.

Here is a video on the Du-Bro website that makes it look very,very simple. http://dubrofishing.com/collections/fishing-accessories/products/kwik-twist-tool. I have seen a fellow skipper make eyes as quick and neat as this but used nippers to cut off the short end. Terry

In this document © ISAF Race Officials Manuals ISAF RACE MANAGEMENT MANUAL November 2011 there is a suggestion that a 5 degree port bias is desirable. Reading the text for dinghy starts and applying it to IOM yachts it suggest a length in meters of the number of entrants for the race. So,16 boats equals 16 meters/metres.RA class would be 32 metres.What's your opinion and or advice regarding bias angle and length of start line,please? Terry

Hi, I found this, http://www.luremaking.com/catalogue/catalogue-index/catalogue-items/tools/hand_held_wire_forming_tool.htm but not in the UK. Any ideas? Thanks 01323 505001

Hi, There is a tool especially made for making eyes in, say, jib luff wires.You put the end of the wire into the tool and with a few rotations a very neat eye is formed. What's it called and where can I get one,please? Thanks/ 01323 505 001

John, Thank you very much for your time, and skill. Merry Christmas,

John, The situation was a little different from your diagram in that Yellow was alongside Red and Green was not on a course to pass ahead of Red. In my opinion Green, after hailing "Starboard", should have passed astern of the Green Yellow pair and protested.Not to hold his course right up to the point of collision.If he had hailed earlier, Green would have asked Yellow for room to tack which would have put Red right astern of Green. Red could then have tacked on to port and sailed safely away, or he could have stayed on Starboard until he reached the lay line and then tacked on to port.Only when he tacked would both Green then Yellow be able to tack on to port,well above the lay line.

John, Thank you for your "ROW and Proper Course" dissertation.Excellent. Can you give me your interpretation of the Rules in the following situation,please? Recently,using B rig in an IOM race,on port tack (W) there was a boat(L) also on port at a close distance to leeward of me (one boat length or perhaps a little less) giving her ROW over me. L did not luff me.The wind was gusty and the water was rough so we were concentrating hard on getting the best speed and course to windward. I was sailing just a little faster than her.We were both below the lay line so would have needed to tack to round the weather mark to port a good distance ahead. A boat on Starboard(S) below the lay line,on a collision course with L hailed "Starboard". L could not tack on to port to avoid S because she was close to me.L did not hail me W for "room to tack". A collision between S and L occurred.I, W was nor involved in that. Both L and W were said to be at fault and required to do a 360 turn. Is that correct?

Hello Mike, On re-reading my first text I see what you mean. What I meant to ask was,has anybody got any advice as to how I can video my boat from a drone controlled by me or my boat. The new Lily camera will follow a tracking device that one is meant to strap on one's wrist but one could put it on the deck of a boat perhaps. Cheers, Terry

I have read the CAA regulations regarding use of "Small unmanned surveillance aircraft under 20 kgs" here:- https://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=1995&pageid=16012 which seem to make it illegal to record our activities unless the event is taking place more than 150 meters from any person or congested area. Has anybody any experience of drone flying during races? Thanks.

Oh well.You learn something every day! Thanks for the explanation.

Recently,in an IOM race,I was protested for not sailing the course under Rule 28 I had been almost last boat in a fleet race, had passed the hitch mark to port as required started sailing towards the downwind gate but then suffered a loss of control which caused my boat to round up,tack and sail back towards the mark passing it on my starboard side. I then re-gained control.gybed onto starboard and re-passed the buoy but this time on my starboard side.I did not impede any other boat and found myself last having sailed an unnecessary extra distance. As I had already passed the mark correctly I do not understand why I should have to pass it again on my port side. Rule 28 does not state that there is a course that one must sail between marks, as on a string line,which would make nonsense of the broad reaching courses that catarmarins and Admiral Cups boat do.It defines,only,the correct side on which to pass a mark. Rule 28.2 (a) states "pass each mark on the correct side and in the correct order". This I originally did. Consider a yacht that,sailing in a tideway in a very light wind,passes a mark correctly but then losing way over the ground,falls back behind the mark but then regains speed and passes the mark on what would normally be the incorrect side.Supposing that she had anchored,so as to not lose distance but had then dragged her anchor so that she was behind the mark. Should she have to re-round the mark on the course side again? Surely not! What is your opinion,please?

Hello, Is here anybody still sailing a "Slim Chance". A Dave Creed design.Or do you have one that you don't use and would love to give it a new loving home! Happy sailing Terry