Class Politics Rhombus?

Do you agree that wwomen should have a rhombus at the top of their sail?

  • Yes

    Votes: 11 29.7%
  • No

    Votes: 26 70.3%

  • Total voters
    37
Why? That would signify that somehow female sailors are different than male sailors when it comes to actual racing, which is not true.
 
I've already given my Mr. Angry posts about how much I disagree with this proposed rule.


Given that it already happens in Europe (not a rule I don't think, just a "practice" - not sure), and given that some people race in club boats, I assume that once a club boat has a rhombus on it sail it can only be sailed competitively by women. Being club boats they don't tend to have loads of sails for each sex using each boat (funds a bit limited) so I assume that boats end-up being split some dedicated to women and others dedicated to men.


The few clubs I've visited tend to have quite a few boats for general use/hire and one, maybe two to a decent racing spec - and that one (maybe two) is taken off by a club member to competitions (people without their own boat effectively hire the club boat for the day/weekend with trailer, etc.). Thus, first woman who uses it (and puts her rhombus on the sail) then ensures that blokes can no longer use the boat in competitions !!


(In France a lot of people, men and women sail Radials - Standards being the smaller fleets).


I am not illustrating a problem as I don't know what is done about this, just a potential problem to a rule/practice that serves no purpose and is "ill-conceived".


Ian
 
Couldn't a bloke just carry the universal red cirlce with the slash
indicating NO Rhombus when sailing with one of these sails in competition?
 
Coool!!

A guy buys a boat from a female and rather than take off the rhombus, he adds the circle and slash


I like it.
 
Then a chick buys the boat from the guy and puts a bigger rhombus over the circle and slash
 
Oh wait!

Another dude buys the sail from the chick and puts a new bigger circle and slash over the new bigger rhombus
 
Then a honey buys the sail from the dude and puts a bigger rhombus over the bigger circle and slash which is over the bigger rhombus
 
Pretty soon others recognize the improved performance of the new thicker sails and everybody starts selling sails two or three or ten times back and forth before actually using those sails.
 
Of course the eventuality will be sailors finding the superior performance inducing optimum number of added panels of sailcloth versus general detraction in performance caused by the added weight aloft
 
And then we will see sailors with heavy sails for medium air and light sails for light and heavy air.


"I was winning the regatta but my performance fell off in the last few races because I had my thirty sells sail up and the wind started to crank."
 
You guys are mad. This is a sensible rule change.

It should encourage more solidarity between females sailors and bring more woman into racing Lasers. Good for the class hey!
 
If somebody makes me put a red rhombus on my sail for a specific regatta I will without fussing too much, but I don't understand the reasoning for it to be required in anything other than an open Radial regatta that is also an Olympic qualifying event for the women. It's not like anybody has any trouble telling the guys from the girls. (Although sometimes people think I'm Dave Hartman because our sail numbers are so close)
 
So they can focus on racing each other, and not have to worry about arrogant egotistical old farts like yourself trying to patronise them.

That is a very rude response. I think you have mistaken me for someone else. I believe you think that I am not a woman, but you are wrong. Whatever, you don't have to like me, but I'd appreciate a polite response to a polite question.

I think that there is a fear that the rombus, while meant to identify already separate fleets, will lead to a separation of the fleets even at a lower level., instead of the mixed racing that we have now.

I don't worry about racing against men. Most of them are gentlemen, and the rules take care of the rest of them.
 
Why do you hide behind two avatars Gouvernail. We all know who you are Fred.

Poor Fred. :eek:

I won't explain in this thread why I'm anonymous. This thread is about rhombuses (rhombi?), so let's stick with that. Didn't mean to cause a riot with a serious post. Nighty night, boys.
 
^^^ Well you are the one who likes to degenerate discussions into sillyness, so why can't we all get involved in your tomfoolery?

At least we can subtract 1 from the "No" votes based on the fact you got to vote twice.
 
^^^ Well you are the one who likes to degenerate discussions into sillyness


I know dude, its redicilous, ever since "she or he" has gotten here, all seriousness on any topic "he or she" posts on, goes right out the window...
 
...BTW should be a pink rombus.

Rib, my sweet girlie, lay down the top of your sail long enough into the white sand near your beach-blanket (pink?) and the colour of the red rhombus change into a sort of pink, I guess ... ;)

But, to the other side, Rib, you allredy sail a pink coloured Radial mai, aren't you? So, the rhombus perhaps has to have not the red colour or it would become "hidden" on your unique sail (pink colour of the rhombus (aft a while) on pink colour of the sail)!

Oh-oh, again, my dear, we have another poor worded class rule... Time to get new and clear ones, baby, correct? ;)

ciao-ciao
LooserLu

P.S.: At Kiel Week 2007 (biggest sailing event of the world) all the Radials of the female Laserites already had this rhomus at the top of their sails. There it already has been normalty, noboby cared about this rhombus.
 
Your right LU, it is already accepted at the top level of sailing, and nobody has a problem with it. It's unlikely to ever affect the club sailor in any way.

Your also right that RIB needs a good lie down. He has a distictive style to his posting that no-one else could copy. I do acknowledge that he has contributed a great deal to the class over the years, and I suppose he ads a good deal to keep this forum bubbling along too.
 
I propose that we all put a rhombus on our sails. That way the women will be in compliance with the silly rule but the power-mad nit-picking politically tone deaf class bosses that can't tell the difference between Michelle and David (or Fred and Ribecca) will go crazy trying to keep track of all the rhombuses.
 
You guys are mad. This is a sensible rule change.

It should encourage more solidarity between females sailors and bring more woman into racing Lasers. Good for the class hey!

Rock Steady, I don't understand how a device that's intended to help Race Committee will increase solidarity and bring more women into racing Lasers. Do you think that women are deterred from racing because of the mixed fleets?

Just for the record, I am a woman and I am not Fred.
 
Rock Steady, I don't understand how a device that's intended to help Race Committee will increase solidarity and bring more women into racing Lasers. Do you think that women are deterred from racing because of the mixed fleets?

Just for the record, I am a woman and I am not Fred.

Merrily. I think you need to see how it functions on the race course. We have lot's of female sailors in Australia and they are all happy to use this system.

They have no problem with mixed fleets, but they do deserve the respect of having a seperate competition at higher level regattas.

Just for the record, I am a man and I am not Fred.
 
I don't give a rats patootoe whether people use the rhombus or not. But I do love to poke fun at the entire concept.

One good thing. At least Laser sailors will be forced to know a little more geometry than those who dont know a rhombus from a trapezoid.

Of course our sailing kids will always have problems in school until we call the starting plane what it is.

Just for the record, I am a figment of your imagination.
 

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