The JG Property Management SB3 Southern Championships will be hosted by Baltimore Sailing Club on 30 – 31 May.

Notice of Race (pdf file)

Accommodation list (pdf file)

Meet in Bushe’s on Friday night!

The changing of the class rules has become a longer process due to the number of parties that are involved in looking at and checking rules changes in a growing international class. I am sorry that this year it has been delayed longer than I would wish. I am sure the extra care and input adds value. For this reason I would like to give you a list of the main changes that members should be aware of for 2009 and they may wish to make preparations for those changes.  There are some smaller changes as well as this list. The new rules will come in mid 2009 as soon as they are ready we will tell you and give you time to get ready.
It is of course still possible – but unlikely – that further small changes or deletions to proposed rule changes could still happen, but now only due to changes required by for example by ISAF or Laser.
I am grateful to all those members who posted rules ideas and questions on the chat page or e-mailed me last autumn and I hope we can repeat that process of ideas and consultation this winter.  Compared to last winter these are pretty minor changes.

1. There will be a rule to allow small changes to the trailing edges of rudders and keels to reduce vibration- it will be similar to the Laser dinghy class rule.
2. There will be small changes in what is allowed to be included in the all up weight – such as the Jib sheet and throw line – that should make weighing slightly easier and quicker.
3. The minimum weight of anchor has gone and will be replaced by a minimum weight of 6kgs for anchor and including at least 1.5 metres of chain.
4. Replacement fittings or additions with ones that perform the same function can not be made of Carbon fibre.  So no expensive carbon tillers please.
5. All buoyancy aids have to be stored above deck – or worn of course. Storing them below where they are inaccessible in a hurry will no longer be permitted. (They can not be below decks where you have to open the hatch of your holed and sinking boat to get them – so it sinks much faster)
6. There is a new rule on rudder blades that they must not touch the underside of the hull – this may be one cause of rudder failure when full rudder is put on at speed. The new rule will required there to be a small gap.
7. There will be a new all event rule about not putting your pole out before you are about to launch the kite – this used to appear in most Sailing instructions; the rule will likely say  -  ‘The bowsprit shall be fully retracted at all times other than when the spinnaker is set or in the act of being set or recovered’.  Once these rule come out the pole goes out only just (a length or two seems ok) before the hoist and back in as soon as you have the kite back in the boat, in a continuing movement.   This stops you putting it up before a length or so before the windward mark or spreader marks. (Unless of course you plan to round one of those marks with the genniker hoisted due to the wind angle making that possible) On the down – you can not for example round the leeward mark with it still out if you took the kite down a few lengths earlier and should have had time to put it away.  To put it bluntly this makes getting the jib in and tidying the kite away a second and third priority to getting the pole in, and hopefully will reduce pole breakages.
8. There will be a new minimum weight for engines of 11 Kgs when empty of fuel.  – almost all 2.5HP and higher engines in the fleet will comply. We are only aware of a very small number of petrol engines and one electric one that will not and are below this. The petrol ones were unreliable with low power and needed to be banned if they were  also lighter which is not good in a one design class.

This list is about a third of the rules changes that were considered, and some may be reconsidered next winter. Colin Simonds is happy to take questions on these changes – but they can not now be altered for this year.
One last area, of which members should be aware, is the hiking rule – this was extensively debated in the rules committee and outside. The rule says – No device, method or sheet may be used to implement or assist hiking or sitting outboard other than the foot straps as positioned and supplied by the licensed manufacturer..
I have been asked various questions and it seems to me clear that:

• Leaning back holding a kite sheet or jib sheet ‘to implement or assist hiking’’ is illegal
• Putting your hands under the steel rail and onto the deck to get leverage to lean back more is a ‘’method’’ to  ‘’ assist hiking’’ and is illegal
• The front crew using the shrouds to lean back is also ‘’to assist hiking’’ and is illegal.
• Putting your hand over the rail and on to the Gunwale or side deck is probably to assist hiking and is probably illegal.

We have debated this rule and taken advice – the key words are ‘’to implement or assist hiking’’ and there is only one permitted way and that is the foot straps. Holding on to any part of the boat is quite legal of course, but you have to do it to ‘’hold on’’ and not to’’ implement or assist hiking’’.
Pulling a sheet to trim a sail may involve leaning back for a moment and seems to me to quite legal of course, but you have to do it wholly to ‘’pull the sheet in ’’ and not to’’ implement or assist hiking’’.  If you hold the jib sheet all the way up the beat – fine – but if it also ‘’assist hiking’’ you are leaning too far back.

I have also been asked what ‘’Hiking’’ means – It means that you are leaning out in a way that if you took your hands off what you are holding or your feet out from under what is holding them  – you would fall overboard. This is not a formal definition or part of class rules – but should help you understand what the rule says.

The rule is pretty simple to me really – it says that  unless using the toe straps to assist hiking  -  ‘assisted’ hiking is not permitted.
If anyone wants to send me pictures of boats from websites that may be legal or otherwise – happy to look and comment – not always possible to see exactly what is happening in one picture – have looked at dozens this last month or so – but will try and comment  – I am recommending that umpires and wardens now look closely at this area, but the fleet of course as with other rules need to point this rule out to other competitors who may be breaking it, perhaps on shore or in the bar afterwards – and if repeated to protest.

I and others will be looking at photo websites for infringers and watch out we may start to name and shame. I have already spotted quite a few.
Thanks to all involved in these changes  – it will be  a great season I am sure with even closer and fairer sailing.
Colin Simonds
Chief Laser SB3 Measurer
colinthinkplay@btinternet.com

Reweighing of boats
Several owners have asked for clarification of the policy regarding weighing and reweighing of boats.
•    At the request of an owner, a boat and (or) keel may be reweighed by an official Laser SB3 measurer once a year. Provided the boat is deemed to be in a sufficiently dry state, corrector weights may be adjusted and the boat’s measurement certificate amended accordingly. There may be a fee charged by the Irish Laser SB3 Association.
•    If a boat is check-weighed at an Irish event, lead correctors may only be adjusted upwards. Boats will not be permitted to remove lead corrector weights based on a check weigh at an event.
•    If a new or second-hand boat from overseas is introduced to Ireland by an Irish member of the SB3 Association, the boat must be inspected and weighed if necessary, by an approved Irish Measurer before being eligible to participate in class racing.

The approved SB3 Class measurers in Ireland are:

Chief  Measurer Ireland            Roger Bannon       wprogerbannon@gmail.com

East Coast Measurer                  Jerry Dowling       jerry@systemsprinting.ie

South Coast   & Midlands          Ronan Collins       collins.ronan@gmail.com

Northern Fleet                            Dave Cheyne       dave.cheyne@yahoo.co.uk

Annual Boat Stickers
The Irish SB3 Class has decided to introduce an annual membership sticker similar to many other classes to indicate that the boat-owner(s) are members of the Association and that each boat had been properly measured and weighed by an Irish Measurer. This will be introduced in Ireland from 2009.
Under the Class rules, helmspersons who are not members (as a boat owner or associate) of the Irish Laser SB3 Association are not eligible to participate in SB3 Class racing and would be liable for disqualification.

Poles
The nylon collar of the pole fitting can be sanded to free the movement of the pole but sanding the pole is not permitted. The restrictions on maximum projection from the bow will still apply.

Other smaller items
•    The canvas collar that several boats are using to prevent jib sheets snagging is deemed rules compliant.
•    Bungees/shockcord systems may be fitted to poles to help with retraction.
•    The use of revised Jib and Spi Halliard cleats using Harken equipment complies with the existing rules. The possibility of a small modification to the main halliard cleat is being considered to assist in preventing accidental un-cleating by the jib sheets.

Measurement and rules compliance Philosophy

The Laser SB3 is essentially a manufacturer’s one design and the philosophy for measurement is to ensure the boats have not been modified or altered from their original state. We do not want to see the class turn into a rules obsessed organisation and apart from regular check weighing at major regattas it is hoped that an unobtrusive style of measurement supervision can be maintained. Now that Laser will be supplying individual weight certificates with new boats and since all the Irish boats have been weighed, our measurement regime should revert to the more relaxed approach which was intended before the weight controversy was identified and resolved.

It is the responsibility of every owner to ensure that his boat complies with the rules and that includes the mandatory safety and other equipment including a fire extinguisher and a working VHF handheld. We shall undertake boat inspections during the season at all the major events and in the, hopefully, unlikely eventuality of finding non compliant boats, disqualification will be the automatic consequence. The rules are so straightforward there is really no excuse for anyone falling foul of them.

Roger Bannon
Laser SB3 Chief Measurer Ireland
wprogerbannon@gmail.com

SB3 Training Weekend with Tim Goodbody ; June 27/28, hosted out of RStGYC

Tim Goodbody competed for Ireland at the 2008 Olympics in the Finn class and is now campaigning a Star for 2012.   Also in 2008, Tim competed in the SB3 Worlds and, sailing as middle-man with Star partner Peter O’leary, finished 8th overall (including a race win).  In October, Peter and Tim won every race at the Irish Midland Championships.  No boat has ever come close to this kind of clean sweep at an Irish regional championships (where each race often has a different winner).  In the SB3 their main strengths appeared to be incredible downwind speed (sailing exceptionally high angles relative to others) and very aggressive starting technique.

For two days, Tim will coach us and impart all his (and Peter’s) greatest secrets.  On the Sunday afternoon he will observe and comment on the 2 regular Dublin Bay races.  As well as Dun Laoghaire boats, the event may suit those travelling for the East Coasts and Volvo DL Regatta the following weekends.

More info later, contact Sean Craig, DL rep     scraig@fideuramireland.ie