Letter from the President to 2011 Dutch Nationals JuryNormal 0 21
Olivier BOVYN to Liesbeth OOSTERHAGEN, Dutch F18 Chair
Rennes, 15 September 2011
Subject : Change to Class Rules, RRS 87
Dear Liesbeth, dear Dutch sailor friends,
At this moment, we have to confess, and to admit, that our current rules are sometimes unclear, or even contradictory on some points, for not saying that some unexpected or undesired consequences did occur.
This is somewhere a success story, and the price for us to pay for swapping from the original set I wrote in 1993, together with Pierre-Charles Barraud, continuously modified since through numerous amendments, to a new set under ISAF SCR format, aiming to strength our rules, and make them able to resist to the sport and commercial pressure created by the worldwide development of F18.
Prior the working party mentioned in §4 to clear all contested points, and in order for the NED Nationals to be run in the most friendly atmosphere in the mean time, I decided, after informing F18 World Council, the following:
1. Mainsails
– For the currently disallowed sails (see International F18 site for the serial numbers), which are in clear breach of a rule, they remain banned until further notice.
– For the sails which have been made with 2 materials in the main body (against a rule) but clearly marked with 2 materials (in good faith by manufacturer), and certified accordingly by F18 measurers, these are allowed to race in that series.
– For the sails which have been made with 2 materials in the main body but have been marked with only 1, these are banned as the sailmaker was not truthful and transparent.
– No new sails with 2 materials in the main body should be allowed until we have a full review of the rules.
2. Spinnakers
As it appears it is possible, reading in a strict way our current Class Rules set and Appendix, to consider most, for not saying all spinnakers are likely to be declared not class legal due to reinforcements, to grandfather 100% of them, until a clear wording is issued (see §4)
3. 2011 Class Rules amendments
On September 14 2011, an e-mail was send to ISAF Technical Officer Rob Taylor, asking the following:
Dear Rob,
We started an updating process in Spring, and following return comments from CRSC sent late June, we still not have succeeded in getting our rules updated. Could it be at least possible for you to immediately publish on ISAF website as amendments the joined articles, all duly agreed by CRSC?
This would largely contribute to de passionate some parking debates, for the best interest and atmosphere of F18 sailing.
I join the mentioned amendments sheet for being displayed on the Official Notice board, and to get due force.
4. Emergency Class Rules Wording Working Party
In order to fix the situation in depth, an emergency Class Rules wording working party is to be called shortly, which should meet in the forecoming weeks, to make clear wording proposals on sailcloth issues and on sailmakers duties, but also on any other measure which may appear unclear to any WC member, or to the working party.
This should allow the Class to prepare a draft to be widely circulated to WC, TC, measurers, builders and sailmakers, in order to issue (at least !) a final set to be published on both ISAF and official F18 website.
Both Amendment sheet mentioned in §3 and this letter will be duly posted on the Official F18 website on this very day.
Wishing the 2011 Dutch Nationals the best success and attendance, and wishing you all fair racing and great fun on the water,
Sincerely yours,
Olivier BOVYN
President International F18 Association