After your boat has been weighed.
Thursday, June 19th, 2008
Following weighing by a Class Measurer, provided you have paid your SB3 Class subscription you can expect to receive a weight certificate which confirms the overall weight of your boat, the weight of the keel, any corrector weights that need to be fitted together with confirmation as to whether buoyancy bags are fitted or that an engine is on board.
If your boat is underweight there are 3 legitimate options open to increase the weight of the boat.
- Fit corrector weights to the keel web between the mast bulkhead and the keel box.
- Fit buoyancy bags which are allowed as part of the hull weight. The PSE supplied bags weigh about 5Kgs.
It does seem more sensible to legitimately add weight with items that will help to keep you afloat rather than bolt in lead which will accelerate the pace of a potential sinking after a collision. It would be a surprise if revisions to the rules in the future do not make buoyancy bags compulsory, particularly in boats which carry more than 5Kgs of lead correctors.
- Increase the weight of your keel by adding lead shot in accordance with the instruction set out on the web site. This option only allows your keel weight to be increased up the maximum permitted weight of 327Kgs. obviously it does not make sense to run this too close.
- Remember that if you normally do not sail with an engine on board, you are required to attach 22 Kgs of lead to the mast bulkhead or the keel web connecting the mast bulkhead to the keel box.
It is the responsibility of the owner or the skipper to ensure that the boat complies with the class rules. If you decide to change the configuration of your boat, add buoyancy bags, add or remove an engine or change your corrector weights, you must notify the Irish SB3 Association so that their central data base can be updated with your revised configuration. A reweigh or inspection of the boat may be required at the discretion of the measurer.
Following receipt of a configuration update from either an owner or a measurer, a revised certificate of weights will usually be issued. An owner can request a formal reweigh or configuration check of their boat at any time but it will attract a fee payable to the Association.
It is important to appreciate that should a boat which normally sails with an engine elects to race without it for whatever reason, 22Kgs of weight must be temporarily placed in the boat down below adjacent to the mast bulkheads. Non compliance with this rule will lead to disqualification from all races in that series or event.
If your boat is slightly over weight, do not despair. Up to 15 Kgs overweight will not make a material difference to your performance. Your may be overweight because your boat has added moisture or it was weighed in a damp condition. Damp boats which have been subsequently reweighed after being properly dried out have typically come in up to 6Kgs/8Kgs lighter.
It seems it is really important to store the boats completely dry down below with the hatches open to allow air to circulate. During warm weather, water down below quickly turns to vapour as it heats up and makes it much easier for it to permeate the glass lay-up and plywood bulkheads. It is quite alarming how much weight can be added in this manner.
If your boat is more than 15 Kgs over weight or your keel varies significantly from the maximum specified weight of 327Kgs, you should contact your Laser SB3 Distributor for advice.
What will happen during the season?
At most events, particularly regional championships and the nationals, random checking of boats will be undertaken to confirm configurations and weights. It is our intention to sustain an unobtrusive compliance regime which does not interfere with enjoying the boats.
The class will be maintaining a data base of the measurement data for every boat which will be accessible to all event organisers in cooperation with the SB3 Association.
It is important that having equalised the boats so comprehensively that we ensure this standard of equalisation is maintained in the future. New boats from PSE will be manufactured under new tighter parameters and consistency straight out of the wrapper will become a feature of the class in the future.
If you have any queries regarding measurement or weights do not hesitate to contact our District Measurer or any of the team of regional assistant measurers/scrutineers, contact details on the web site.
Effective Implementation Dates
With effect from 1st July all boats must comply with the revised weight rules and boats will be disqualified if they are not being sailed in accordance with their recorded weight configuration.
The rules for keel weights do not come into operation until 1st September 2008.
Roger Bannon
Irish District Laser SB3 Measurer
wprogerbannon [at] gmail.com
Updated 2008 SB3 International Class Rules (pdf format)
Weigh an SB3 (pdf format)
Align the SB3 Keel (pdf format)
Add Weight to an SB3 Keel (pdf format)
Following weighing by a Class Measurer, provided you have paid your SB3 Class subscription you can expect to receive a weight certificate which confirms the overall weight of your boat, the weight of the keel, any corrector weights that need to be fitted together with confirmation as to whether buoyancy bags are fitted or that an engine is on board.
If your boat is underweight there are 3 legitimate options open to increase the weight of the boat.
- Fit corrector weights to the keel web between the mast bulkhead and the keel box.
- Fit buoyancy bags which are allowed as part of the hull weight. The PSE supplied bags weigh about 5Kgs.
It does seem more sensible to legitimately add weight with items that will help to keep you afloat rather than bolt in lead which will accelerate the pace of a potential sinking after a collision. It would be a surprise if revisions to the rules in the future do not make buoyancy bags compulsory, particularly in boats which carry more than 5Kgs of lead correctors.
- Increase the weight of your keel by adding lead shot in accordance with the instruction set out on the web site. This option only allows your keel weight to be increased up the maximum permitted weight of 327Kgs. obviously it does not make sense to run this too close.
- Remember that if you normally do not sail with an engine on board, you are required to attach 22 Kgs of lead to the mast bulkhead or the keel web connecting the mast bulkhead to the keel box.
It is the responsibility of the owner or the skipper to ensure that the boat complies with the class rules. If you decide to change the configuration of your boat, add buoyancy bags, add or remove an engine or change your corrector weights, you must notify the Irish SB3 Association so that their central data base can be updated with your revised configuration. A reweigh or inspection of the boat may be required at the discretion of the measurer.
Following receipt of a configuration update from either an owner or a measurer, a revised certificate of weights will usually be issued. An owner can request a formal reweigh or configuration check of their boat at any time but it will attract a fee payable to the Association.
It is important to appreciate that should a boat which normally sails with an engine elects to race without it for whatever reason, 22Kgs of weight must be temporarily placed in the boat down below adjacent to the mast bulkheads. Non compliance with this rule will lead to disqualification from all races in that series or event.
If your boat is slightly over weight, do not despair. Up to 15 Kgs overweight will not make a material difference to your performance. Your may be overweight because your boat has added moisture or it was weighed in a damp condition. Damp boats which have been subsequently reweighed after being properly dried out have typically come in up to 6Kgs/8Kgs lighter.
It seems it is really important to store the boats completely dry down below with the hatches open to allow air to circulate. During warm weather, water down below quickly turns to vapour as it heats up and makes it much easier for it to permeate the glass lay-up and plywood bulkheads. It is quite alarming how much weight can be added in this manner.
If your boat is more than 15 Kgs over weight or your keel varies significantly from the maximum specified weight of 327Kgs, you should contact your Laser SB3 Distributor for advice.
What will happen during the season?
At most events, particularly regional championships and the nationals, random checking of boats will be undertaken to confirm configurations and weights. It is our intention to sustain an unobtrusive compliance regime which does not interfere with enjoying the boats.
The class will be maintaining a data base of the measurement data for every boat which will be accessible to all event organisers in cooperation with the SB3 Association.
It is important that having equalised the boats so comprehensively that we ensure this standard of equalisation is maintained in the future. New boats from PSE will be manufactured under new tighter parameters and consistency straight out of the wrapper will become a feature of the class in the future.
If you have any queries regarding measurement or weights do not hesitate to contact our District Measurer or any of the team of regional assistant measurers/scrutineers, contact details on the web site.
Effective Implementation Dates
With effect from 1st July all boats must comply with the revised weight rules and boats will be disqualified if they are not being sailed in accordance with their recorded weight configuration.
The rules for keel weights do not come into operation until 1st September 2008.
Roger Bannon
Irish District Laser SB3 Measurer
wprogerbannon [at] gmail.com
Updated 2008 SB3 International Class Rules (pdf format)
Weigh an SB3 (pdf format)
Align the SB3 Keel (pdf format)
Add Weight to an SB3 Keel (pdf format)
