While your keen to have a go at class measurers, maybe one day you'll come and assist the regatta measurer, race committee, starter and other volunteers that make the regattas happen in a fair manner or the clubs and association run smothly, usually it's at the expense of our own sailing. It's easy to complain about the job others do, it's rare that the complainers would ever get off there butts and assist.
Oh, brother. Guys, the Bottleport is nice.I have one myself, but it's just a bottle holder. Alan, I'd like to point out that Lu backed off what he said, and I know that LooserLu does a lot to help with the Laser sailing program at his club. He also has been helping newbies with technical questions here for years, using his engineering expertise. So please, all, Lu and Alan, keep it friendly.
Guys, Jean-Luc has applied a ruling, the Technical committee are aware of the Bottleport and might enter into discussion with Jean-Luc on whether the product is legal under the current class measurement laws. It's now in their hands to discuss it's legality under the existing rules or to put forward an amendment of the class laws. It's time for the rest of us to move on.
I immediately contacted Jean-Luc to get an interpretation before a Bottleport was presented at a regatta where I was the measure. His response was that as the class rules were written, the Bottleport is illegal, however he thought that it was a really good idea and he contacted the Laser Class Technical Committee to initiate changing the class rules so it would be potentially legal in the future.
I have not posted here or even looked at this site for a very long time. However, I am in possession of a Bottleport, so when I saw this thread I had to respond.
The rule says that "watertight threaded covers" are allowed. The Bottleport is a watertight threaded cover. It is (1) watertight with respect to the hull cavity, (2) threaded for attachment to the port, and (3) a cover in the sense that it prevents stuff from outside the hull from getting the hull cavity. I fail to see the problem. The rules specifically allow the use of items such as the Bottleport.
I think the problem comes in when it is used for storage and according to the rules you can't use it unless it's under the cover.
I think the problem comes in when it is used for storage and according to the rules you can't use it unless it's under the cover.
Now could the Bottleport be used as an inspection port but not store anything (and use the bag underneath?) I think technically that would be legal.
Why is an inspection port usually fitted, it's normally to do a repair or to do preventative maintenance*and rule 26 (a) says that
“26(a) Repairs and preventative maintenance to the sail,
hull, deck, centreboard, rudder, mast, boom or any
fittings and fixings maybe carried out without violation
of these Rules provided such repairs are made in such
a way that the essential shape, characteristics or
function of the original are not affected.”
Secondly, even under the Fundamental Rule, whether the cavity / receptacle is used or not, the hull form is altered. A cover has been added that impinges deeply into the hull. The fundamental rule states in part:
“No addition or alteration may be made to the hull form,
construction, equipment, type of equipment, placing of
equipment, fittings, type of fittings, placing of fittings,
spars, sail and battens as supplied by the builder except
when such an alteration or change is specifically
authorised by Parts 2 or 3 of these Rules. “
Quite a few of you guys are trying to bend the rules to suit your purposes. If there was a man hole in to footpath or road that had covers on that you could fall several metres into, you’d be complaining bitterly, irrespectively of whether the local town council said “but we’ve covered the holes”.