GPS is becoming ubiquitous in all parts of life, yet it is still banned from our Class (and a few others). I would like to open our Class to the use of GPS so we can legally use the Velocitec and other equipment that uses GPS technology to do the job other instruments do but GPS does for less money. It can also be very useful as a safety device when the weather goes dark.

In my personal opinion, GPS will not change the way we race to any great degree. For the most part we are racing around movable marks that will often not be in the same place next time around the course, so getting useful mark locations in the GPS will be difficult. Also you can usually see the marks and call the laylines just as easily with sighting or a hand bearing compass. If you call the layline too far out with the help of the GPS, you run the risk of wind shifts moving the lay line, so you lose your advantage.

I would rather not take on approval of each new piece of instrumentation that comes out on an individual basis. GPS could be either unrestricted, restricted by not allowing interaction between devices and no laptops, or restricted to no charting capabilities (as in the Sonar Class).

Comments please.

It has been proposed that we allow a second spinnaker on the boat since the spinnaker is the most likely sail to sustain damage that would make it unusable. Under current rules, if you damage a spinnaker you must either repair it or request permission of the jury to replace it. That means that you are out of spinnaker racing for the balance of the day in which you tear the chute.

I see two options here – allow two spinnakers on board unrestricted so either may be used at any time – allow two spinnakers on board with the second spinnaker sealed or marked in such a way that its use will require the competitor to petition the jury for permission after the fact at the end of the racing day.

Unrestricted option could result in two different spinnaker cuts being carried on the boats. This is certainly easier to administer and the point could be made that boats have to carry two spinnakers any way – why can’t they be different?

The restricted version would involve a sealed or marked ”back-up” spinnaker. For many, this would be the last generation or a used spinnaker to be used only as back-up. In top programs this would be a new spinnaker anyway. Proof of damage beyond use would have to be presented at the end of the racing day.

Comments please.

Last year we eliminated our rule 8.3 in order to more closely conform to ISAF RRS 49 regarding hiking position. In hindsight this was probably not a good idea since it allows hiking between the lifelines. Currently, hiking between the lifelines is not allowed at major regattas through rules modifications in the SIs and NOR. ISAF will not allow us to simply reinstate the old rule 8.3. They would prefer that we control this by eliminating the lower lifeline in rule 3.2.5.

The only reason to retain a lower lifeline is to help keep kids on the boat when cruising or day sailing. A simple temporary lifeline could be rigged for this purpose and removed for racing.

Comments please.

This is a space where I will solicit comments on rule change proposals, options, etc. Membership input is valued in this process.