Bob
Carlen
USAFA
Measurer
Finnsters,
As
a result of the recent Rule change, D.9.2, lowering the hull weight to 116 kg
there have been numerous discussions concerning the potential effects on
Lamboley and center of gravity. During
recent discussions with Richard Hart, IFA Technical Committee Chairman and Dr. Peter Hendricksen, ISAF International
Finn Measurers and I, it was suggested that Peter Hendricksen and I should go
to the Miami OCR in January, 2009 and set up for Lamboley measurements and
concurred by Bryan Boyd, USAFA President and Scott Mason, USAFA Secretary.
Peter
Hendricksen and I will be setting up for hull weight and Lamboley measurements
prior to the Miami OCR in January. If
anyone is interested in getting their Finn measured prior to the Miami OCR
because of a new digital compass and or removal of corrector weights, email
back so we can schedule a time. It was
suggested that we charge a minimum of $50.00 for Lamboley to help defer
travel expenses, be sure to bring you measurement cert. At the present, measurements will be at the
US Sailing Center,
The
Finn Class rule changes for 2009 can be found at http://www.sailing.org/1784.php.
If possible we will also try to Lamboley boats, if required at the Mardi Gras
Regatta, Feb.28-Mar1 and the US Finn Masters,
As your measurer, when you purchase a boat make sure you have a current measurement certificate if you are planning on racing Grade 1 events, Worlds, etc.
“Dear Sailors
There seem to be concerns about the weight reduction.
This is the result of a democratic decision of the AGM, which went further than the proposal worked out by your Technical Committee including myself. I believe that the decision is a good one.
Some comments:
1. The Submission to allow simple digital compasses was delayed until the end of this Olympic Cycle because there was a weight and Lamboley issue. As I recall, various critical comments appeared on your website because we didn't do it 2 years ago.
2. Because the spherical compasses are heavier than the new ones, either a weight reduction is needed, otherwise more correctors (the TC proposal), because the majority of modern Finns already have the maximum 5 kg of lead in. Bryan Boyd put it very clearly.
3. AGM decided that it is stupid to sail around with extra lead in for the next 20-30 years, just to suit the system. When the magnetic compass comes out the boat should be re-swung anyway. From your website, I formed the opinion that most North American Finn sailors want to change the compass, and I think the same applies in other parts of the World. If it's sensible to get some weight out, let's do it now.
4. Although I wasn't there this year, AGM considered that a reduction of 3 kg was achievable without making existing boats obsolete This is particularly important in our Class because of the very long "first class" life of the hulls (I fully agree with Steve Landeau: I have a 2003 boat).
5. Having received instructions from AGM, I made calculations to decide whether the permitted minimum Radius of Gyration should be altered, and whether it is likely that existing boats will no longer be able to "optimise" (to minimum weight, LCG max aft, Gyration minimum). From the calculations, I judged that it was best not to change the Radius from 1100 mm, and that the vast majority of existing boats built since the 1980s should be able to remain optimised, or be trivially worse off.
6. The various rule changes required by AGM, including also removal of the requirement for a paddle and bucket (there were others which were housekeeping or commonsense alterations) were written out, agreed by TC and sent to ISAF first as a discussion proposal at the end of July, then as a formal Submission on 13 August.
7. Since that time I have made frequent enquiries about progress, and made amendments to the wording as requested by ISAF, always within the remit of the AGM instructions: Neither the Class Executive nor TC through its Chairman are permitted to change the substance of our rules without direction from the Council (AGM).
8. I asked throughout for a target date of 17 November, being the first day after the ISAF Conference. The ISAF procedure for Class Rule changes is that there is a rolling programme, but it was accepted that some circumstances might arise that needed debate by the full ISAF Class Rules Sub Committee. In the end we have 24 November: Sorry that's awkward for your Thanksgiving Regatta, but it gives more time before Christmas Regattas down under, and before next Summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
9. The builders have not influenced the Submission. They have put pressure on me to seek a swift result to the ISAF considerations: One builder has one or two boxes of new Finns ready to go to the US West Coast and wanted before Christmas, another is saying that buyers are holding off so that they can get boats to the new spec. In my opinion the pressure is completely reasonable and I have a duty to support their (our) interests in this matter.
10. "Nothing worse than a boat-builder, except maybe those awful volunteers that are always getting in the way at the regattas, waving their stupid rule books & saving lives all that crap! What is the matter with those people?"
1. I have taken care to include boat builders on the Technical Committee, where they have made valuable contributions. They are likely to suffer at least as much as the existing owners if the Finn gets trashed. Although I can't remember a formal vote on TC - we work by consensus - I would exclude a vote from an "interested party", in the narrow sense of the term.
2. As an awful volunteer, I have been since 1989 the leader of the team responsible for controlling the rate of development of the Finn. My position is subject to re-election each year.
11.
One major cause of the delay from ISAF is that they are
worried that we have a class that is pretty well right at the moment, and don't
want people cheating by ending up with illegal boats. That's up to the
sailors.”
I hope that the above helps to clarify the matter.
With Best Wishes
Richard Hart
Chairman IFA Technical Committee.
GBR
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