DavidGroom wrote: I also wonder if the author(s) of the latest article could identify themself/themselves and clarify exactly what inaccuracies and omissions they refer to in the "unauthorised" memo.
Here are some:
Background on Boat Weight:
Throughout the 40-year history of The Class, there has never been a specified weight for the boat. Early publicity material cited a weight of 104kg. that is still adopted by the SCHRS handicapping system. The boat is built to a specification that allows tolerances for quality of hand lay-up in the building of the fibreglass hulls, equipment at the date of manufacture, raw material supply and production deadlines. The lack of a specified weight was a conscious decision by the original manufacturers from the start of production in recognition of the issues that could emanate as a result of specifying a weight. Other classes adopt the same approach for good reason, notably Laser and the Dart 18, both of which are also constructed from fibreglass.
Neither the manufacturers of the Laser nor the Dart 18 have removed heavy components (weighing approx. 5 Kg) from these boats. New boats remain of a similar weight to what they have been throughout the life of the classes. The same (optimistic) sales literature which cited the 104Kg for the Spark cited 130Kg for the Dart 18 but is generally acknowledged that the actual sailing weight for the Dart 18 is 140Kg.
The Committee’s Proposal – why now?
The Committee’s proposal seeks to address an issue that has always existed but is predominantly aimed at post 2014 boats. As noted above, pre 2014 boats could vary in weight by as much as 17kg. Adopting a minimum weight rule at this time is not a logical approach. It makes no sense and does not logically address historical anomalies of weight across the fleet.
Much of the weight variation of pre 2014 boats is a result of repairs and water absorption over the life of these (old) boats. The water absorption can be severe if the owner(s) have not regularly drained the hulls and kept them ventilated. We are only concerned with the new boat weight - there is no intention to correct for weight gain over the life of the boat(s). This is effectively the same as the Laser & Dart 18 Classes.
If weight was ever an issue, it should have been addressed many years ago.
It was in 1988 when hulls without cocktail cabinets were required to carry a 3Kg corrector weight per hull (see Class Struggle by Nick Dewhirst).
And, if the weight of post 2014 boats is an issue, it should have been addressed when they were first built over four years ago.
It was controlled by rule 10y which states “ Allow front beam using the larger Dart 18 section front beam together with strengthened beam sockets in the hulls and removal of the rigid inner mouldings of the cocktail cabinets replaced by mesh bags below the hatch covers provided that the overall weight of the boat is unchanged.“. Post 2014 boats do not comply with this rule.
