Repair Does replacing the sail window break rule compliance?

ClaVaPa1

New Member
So, have this old training sail that I am about to sell for €150...

Before selling it, I wanted to repair the window decently because it had a bunch of holes sealed with tape / adhesive Dacron. A sailmaker advised that the only way was to replace the entire thing, so I trusted him and let him do his job.

Now I post an advert online with details on the repairs made, sail status and usage... and someone replied saying that now the sail is no longer class legal...

Now, I strongly doubt someone would buy this sail to compete seriously in bigger events, so I am not worried about the legality aspects as I doubt that the new window would give you an edge...

However out of curiosity I wanted to ask about wether replacing the window makes a sail not class legal.

Rules say:

26.1) Repairs and preventative maintenance to the sail [...] may be 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.

26.4) Sail panels and luff sleeves shall not be replaced.

Now... I imagine yes, but does the window really count as a panel? I thought that only had to do with the whole dacron strip...

IMG_20230228_123204.jpg
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That's legal. If not, it should be. It looks like the only difference to the original window is the slight difference in the orientation of the fibres. That's not enough of a change in "essential characteristics".

The real problem is that there's no machanism of getting quick answers from actual ILCA measurers to questions like this. (And I have been told that it's actually only the chief measurer herself who is the only one who is authorized to decide these.)

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