gouvernail
Super Opinionated and Always Correct
If you wish to enjoy the full experience of reading this post, Begin with a full throated newscaster voice. When you get to the numbered part, try standing up and raising your voice a half an octave. Use a voice that delivers it to the back corners of an auditorium, act totally enraged, and shout wherever I use caps.
Pounding your fist on the table might also add to myour experience. Please do not pound on your keyboard. I would rather you spend your money on sailboats and regatta entry fees.
Listen to yourself if you please, but whatever you do, do not take what you hear too seriously or take offense.
It's almost World Council meeting time and if we want to change management of our sailing game for the better it is time to help the WC members understand the issues. Once our dedicated WC representatives understand our concerns and why we have those concerns they will be able to hold an informed meeting. We want our representatives to be prepared to do the things necessary to pass proposals and let the membership vote on those proposals so those proposals can be properly implemented and our game can be improved. .
So: Here are some totally stupid rules we have discussed recently that need to be clarified or eliminated altogether.
1. The traveler splice / one knot confusion stuff needs to be solved in favor of the game. It should not be solved with some retarded ruling that does nothing to improve the game and forces us to abide by the stupid hard to comprehend rule.
The intent of the rule is to make it so we have one loop and no purchase on the line between the loop and the traveler.
The rule is there to address specific concerns about our game. That concern is not about whether we have splices, knots, or line made from discarded ladies underwear. The concern is our game. The concern is if we allow purchase we will cause our- competitive- selves to overstress our boats while attempting to keep our traveler as tight as the competition..
It does not matter if there is a splice or how many knots we use or whether the handle on the end is a splice or a knot. None of that has any impact on our game. Rules controlling that set of conditions are downright stupid and a waste of everybody's time.
Let's re-write the traveler rules to allow any old set of knots and handles anybody chooses to tie. .
the Rule should be something like:
The traveler may be made of any kind of line the sailor chooses.. Any combination of knots or splices may be used to form a closed loop that runs through both traveler eyes and has a tail that leads to the cleat. The traveler pulley shall run back and forth between the two traveler eyes. A handle can be tied on the end of the travler line using any method of knots or splices as long as the line cannot reach to the bailer and block the bailer hole.
Second:
This nonsensical stopper knot on the mainsheet crap:
Who the hell decided this was even an issue?? Suddenly a bunch of folks have their panties in a wad about having a new special mainsheet stopper knot and we must prevent the end of the world. By golly we gotta stop everybody from counting the knot that holds the end of the mainsheet to the hiking strap or eyes as a stopper knot. OH my GOD!! IT COULD COME UNTIED!!!
we even have an article in the latest International newsletter about how the line could come all the way out during the starting sequence and everybody else would sail off and leave the poor incompetent slipknot user alone and bawling crocodile tears and dripping mascara on his pink life jacket while everybody else sails off.
Get a grip!!
Who heads straight downwind while abandoning a grip on his mainsheet?? and why would anyboldy do that before a strart.
This is a perfect example of why it maybe should be ILLEGAL to have ANY stopper knot on the mainsheet. Idiots like that need to go down wind and get out of the way so the rest of us can have a race!!
There are many ways to prevent an abandoned line from running through all the blocks. ONE of those methods is to securely tie the end to something.
Another is to tie a big fat knot somehwere that won't go through the blocks.
I know my mainsheet has a stopper knot and that knot is the figure eight with an extra twist that secures my mainsheet from sliding through the hiking strap eye. Until I get a set of blocks through which my boat will fit, I have an effective stopper knot. The concept that my figure eight knot that happens to pass through the pad eye would come un done and some fruitcake's figure eight will always stay tied is absurd.
To say I am not tying my mainsheet to the hiking strap eyes is absurd.
My knot system meets the intent and the letter of the rule.
The fact some illiterate has decided the rule says other than what it says is the only reason we even have a problem. But we can improve the rule so even the illiterates can't nisinterpret it.
The fact our rules are written so poorly some fruitcake can decide my knot is not an adequate stopper...because I might let it go before the start , head down wind and manage to totally run my mainsheet throught the blocks...is so damned stupid I have trouble being this nice with my criticism of the intelligence of the nutjob who interpreted the rule as described in the latest international rag and or the minion who agreed and wrote the article in the laser magazine.
Please put down the crack pipes, beers, or glue sniffing bags before writing articles or making rules for us. The rules are about racing lasers, not about Molly Sweetcake's Saturday macrame classes.
New rule proposal.
The mainsheet must have some sort of stopper knot or be tied or spliced to something to keep the end from passing through the ratchet block.
Third:
Who decided we cannot use a clip to attach the end of the cunningham line to the becket on the cunningham pulleys?? Are you blessed with a set of needle nose pliers for fingers??
Nobody in his right mind, who knows he has to untie that know in three hours with cold fingers and a bladder full of urine ever attaches a skinny little line to a becket with a knot.
We don't need a rule requiring half the fleet to hop back and forth trying not to wet their pants while they attempt to get their flogging sails out of the wind.
Did some sailmaker bribe you? Are you afraid the Laser class is losing the "to hell in a handbasket" race?? Nobody wants that rule. NOBODY!!!
The very first time I rigged my boat with the new rigging I put a clip on the end of the tiny cunningham line. Nobody involved in tehe development of the new rig intended to make the rig dangerously impossible to untie. Nobody ever said, "Oh yeah, We have to remember to write the rule so nobody will like the way the new cunningham works."
We simply forgot to include decent wording that made it clear the end of the line could be fastened with a nice strong latching hook.
Eight years ago we discussed this oversight at the worlds in Hyannis. The Chief measurer made it very clear his intention was to get the rule fixed. What happened?? How did we get to the point where the international magazine now has an artricle telling us we are not gonna tolerate letting anybody have an easy to dismantle rig.
I don't know wh is the current nutjob promoting this foolishness but i do know how to stop it.
Simply rewrite the rule.
The end of the cunningham line may be secured to the becket with a shackle or mechanically closed hook.
###########################################
OK folks. Those are my first three rule change proposals. Please add your own and please remember, this is a polite forum. Please be respectful with your suggestions and the language you shoose to present your thoughts.
PS: If you were offended while reading the above you should be ashamed for reading stuff like this to yourself.
PSS. If you were not offended but are concerned others might be offended?? Don't worry. The other sailors are just as brilliant as you are and they will all be fine.
.
Pounding your fist on the table might also add to myour experience. Please do not pound on your keyboard. I would rather you spend your money on sailboats and regatta entry fees.
Listen to yourself if you please, but whatever you do, do not take what you hear too seriously or take offense.
It's almost World Council meeting time and if we want to change management of our sailing game for the better it is time to help the WC members understand the issues. Once our dedicated WC representatives understand our concerns and why we have those concerns they will be able to hold an informed meeting. We want our representatives to be prepared to do the things necessary to pass proposals and let the membership vote on those proposals so those proposals can be properly implemented and our game can be improved. .
So: Here are some totally stupid rules we have discussed recently that need to be clarified or eliminated altogether.
1. The traveler splice / one knot confusion stuff needs to be solved in favor of the game. It should not be solved with some retarded ruling that does nothing to improve the game and forces us to abide by the stupid hard to comprehend rule.
The intent of the rule is to make it so we have one loop and no purchase on the line between the loop and the traveler.
The rule is there to address specific concerns about our game. That concern is not about whether we have splices, knots, or line made from discarded ladies underwear. The concern is our game. The concern is if we allow purchase we will cause our- competitive- selves to overstress our boats while attempting to keep our traveler as tight as the competition..
It does not matter if there is a splice or how many knots we use or whether the handle on the end is a splice or a knot. None of that has any impact on our game. Rules controlling that set of conditions are downright stupid and a waste of everybody's time.
Let's re-write the traveler rules to allow any old set of knots and handles anybody chooses to tie. .
the Rule should be something like:
The traveler may be made of any kind of line the sailor chooses.. Any combination of knots or splices may be used to form a closed loop that runs through both traveler eyes and has a tail that leads to the cleat. The traveler pulley shall run back and forth between the two traveler eyes. A handle can be tied on the end of the travler line using any method of knots or splices as long as the line cannot reach to the bailer and block the bailer hole.
Second:
This nonsensical stopper knot on the mainsheet crap:
Who the hell decided this was even an issue?? Suddenly a bunch of folks have their panties in a wad about having a new special mainsheet stopper knot and we must prevent the end of the world. By golly we gotta stop everybody from counting the knot that holds the end of the mainsheet to the hiking strap or eyes as a stopper knot. OH my GOD!! IT COULD COME UNTIED!!!
we even have an article in the latest International newsletter about how the line could come all the way out during the starting sequence and everybody else would sail off and leave the poor incompetent slipknot user alone and bawling crocodile tears and dripping mascara on his pink life jacket while everybody else sails off.
Get a grip!!
Who heads straight downwind while abandoning a grip on his mainsheet?? and why would anyboldy do that before a strart.
This is a perfect example of why it maybe should be ILLEGAL to have ANY stopper knot on the mainsheet. Idiots like that need to go down wind and get out of the way so the rest of us can have a race!!
There are many ways to prevent an abandoned line from running through all the blocks. ONE of those methods is to securely tie the end to something.
Another is to tie a big fat knot somehwere that won't go through the blocks.
I know my mainsheet has a stopper knot and that knot is the figure eight with an extra twist that secures my mainsheet from sliding through the hiking strap eye. Until I get a set of blocks through which my boat will fit, I have an effective stopper knot. The concept that my figure eight knot that happens to pass through the pad eye would come un done and some fruitcake's figure eight will always stay tied is absurd.
To say I am not tying my mainsheet to the hiking strap eyes is absurd.
My knot system meets the intent and the letter of the rule.
The fact some illiterate has decided the rule says other than what it says is the only reason we even have a problem. But we can improve the rule so even the illiterates can't nisinterpret it.
The fact our rules are written so poorly some fruitcake can decide my knot is not an adequate stopper...because I might let it go before the start , head down wind and manage to totally run my mainsheet throught the blocks...is so damned stupid I have trouble being this nice with my criticism of the intelligence of the nutjob who interpreted the rule as described in the latest international rag and or the minion who agreed and wrote the article in the laser magazine.
Please put down the crack pipes, beers, or glue sniffing bags before writing articles or making rules for us. The rules are about racing lasers, not about Molly Sweetcake's Saturday macrame classes.
New rule proposal.
The mainsheet must have some sort of stopper knot or be tied or spliced to something to keep the end from passing through the ratchet block.
Third:
Who decided we cannot use a clip to attach the end of the cunningham line to the becket on the cunningham pulleys?? Are you blessed with a set of needle nose pliers for fingers??
Nobody in his right mind, who knows he has to untie that know in three hours with cold fingers and a bladder full of urine ever attaches a skinny little line to a becket with a knot.
We don't need a rule requiring half the fleet to hop back and forth trying not to wet their pants while they attempt to get their flogging sails out of the wind.
Did some sailmaker bribe you? Are you afraid the Laser class is losing the "to hell in a handbasket" race?? Nobody wants that rule. NOBODY!!!
The very first time I rigged my boat with the new rigging I put a clip on the end of the tiny cunningham line. Nobody involved in tehe development of the new rig intended to make the rig dangerously impossible to untie. Nobody ever said, "Oh yeah, We have to remember to write the rule so nobody will like the way the new cunningham works."
We simply forgot to include decent wording that made it clear the end of the line could be fastened with a nice strong latching hook.
Eight years ago we discussed this oversight at the worlds in Hyannis. The Chief measurer made it very clear his intention was to get the rule fixed. What happened?? How did we get to the point where the international magazine now has an artricle telling us we are not gonna tolerate letting anybody have an easy to dismantle rig.
I don't know wh is the current nutjob promoting this foolishness but i do know how to stop it.
Simply rewrite the rule.
The end of the cunningham line may be secured to the becket with a shackle or mechanically closed hook.
###########################################
OK folks. Those are my first three rule change proposals. Please add your own and please remember, this is a polite forum. Please be respectful with your suggestions and the language you shoose to present your thoughts.
PS: If you were offended while reading the above you should be ashamed for reading stuff like this to yourself.
PSS. If you were not offended but are concerned others might be offended?? Don't worry. The other sailors are just as brilliant as you are and they will all be fine.
.