ILCA and Laser Hull Weights

Is it true that there is no measurement for hull weights at Nationals or Districts?
The short answer is yes. The whole answer is that there is no weighing at all after the boats have left the builders' premises, as the builders are trusted to produce equipment that is within the tolerances of the construction manual.

I had heard a rumor back in the mid seventies that you could get a Canadian boat for as light as 115 lbs.
Neither very plausible to begin with, nor very relevant some 45+ years later.

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The one time I went to a regatta with measurement, it was mostly an equipment check to ensure that your rigging complied with class rules. They did have a template for measuring the mast rake. Undoubtedly there were wide tolerances.
 
The one time I went to a regatta with measurement...
...

They did have a template for measuring the mast rake.
How long ago was this? What did that template look like? Was it used on all boats? What was your rake :rolleyes:

Legally, measuring mast rakes at regattas is similar to weighing the boats: they should only have a statistical and/or quality control function. The class rules don't include any numbers for either, and sailors shouldn't be held responsible for something that fundamentally concerns only the builders.

People have of course measured and compared their rakes for decades, and PSA has even disclosed the current tolerances (and may have broken their contract with ILCA by doing that!). But we're not supposed to know those, so exceeding them isn't a crime :confused:

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How long ago was this? What did that template look like? Was it used on all boats? What was your rake :rolleyes:

Legally, measuring mast rakes at regattas is similar to weighing the boats: they should only have a statistical and/or quality control function. The class rules don't include any numbers for either, and sailors shouldn't be held responsible for something that fundamentally concerns only the builders.

People have of course measured and compared their rakes for decades, and PSA has even disclosed the current tolerances (and may have broken their contract with ILCA by doing that!). But we're not supposed to know those, so exceeding them isn't a crime :confused:

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2009. Now that you mention it, I believe the discussion at the time was rake was being measured to survey builder tolerance. The main purpose of the inspection was to check sail
numbers and that rigging was compliant with class rules.

Before the inspection, the measurer was more than willing to answer a couple of questions about what would or wouldn’t be allowed.
 

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