Basically you can't have both a tie line and shock cord. The issue is not with the yellow line permanently fixed to the centreboard, but the blue line that is permanently attached to the shockcord. Also the "handle" to help remove the clip would be considered IMO to be a "new fitting" which is also deemed illegal.A tie line or shock cord shall be attached to the small hole in the upper forward corner of the centreboard, and any of the bow eye, the cunningham fairlead, the “Builder Supplied” deck block fitting and the mast to prevent loss of the centreboard in event of a capsize. The tie line or shock cord may be looped around the bow, but shall not be attached to the gunwale. Attachment can be by knots or loops in the shock cord, and/or tie lines, shackles, clips, hooks or eyes.
A quick glance at that APS system makes me think that it's not legal. Jean Luc can rule on it, but the rule says
Basically you can't have both a tie line and shock cord. The issue is not with the yellow line permanently fixed to the centreboard, but the blue line that is permanently attached to the shockcord. Also the "handle" to help remove the clip would be considered IMO to be a "new fitting" which is also deemed illegal.
Attachment can be by knots or loops in the shock cord, and/or tie lines, shackles, clips, hooks or eyes.
Reading that last sentence is pretty mudling , it's very badly worded. I might leave this one to Clive and Tracy to sort out with Jean-Luc. But yes, you can use a piece of line to attach the shockcord, typically you do this with the loop of cord which passes through the hole of the front of the centreboard, in combination with a hook or clip.
Sometimes I wonder if these people that try to commercialise their ideas bother to read the rules or ask if what they are suggesting is legal. Actually that probably goes for everyone.
APS developed a (daggerboard downhaul) kit to address the problem:
http://photos.apsltd.com/Other/The-Stern-Scoop/7089741_qTBgK#913069756_67mv2-A-LB
Don't know its real life performance.... Maybe somebody else can chime in.
Let's be frank, technically it is illegal. But since you believe the rules should be changed, what have you done to get the rule changed? It's up the sailors to get rule changes considered, not the technical / measurement committee of the ILCA.I did the same idea as this on my boat, it works very well, no one has called me out on it yet for being "illegal" even its not technically legal the rules should be changed asap because it does do its job unlike the oem intended setup
Interestingly, Jean-Luc Michon saw the APS ad when reading the Summer issue of The Laser Sailor and immediately sent an email to me saying they were advertising an illegal set up. So, no question in his mind. I believe he and the designer of this set up at APS are now in communication over what the issue is exactly and what modifications they can make to satisfy the rules.
This is speculation on my part but I believe the primary issue centers on the question of when does a tie line stop being a tie line and start to have another function. Clearly having the tie line long enough to lay between the deck cleats gives it another function - to help prevent the board from rising. But this is just my guess as to Jean-Luc's issue with this and I think we have to wait to see what he and the APS representative come up with.
Hi All,
APS has been in communication with ILCA Chief Measurer (Jean-Luc Michon) for several months now regarding our Pro Daggerboard Downhaul Kit (http://bit.ly/APSLaserProDaggerboardUpgrade). He met recently with the Laser Class Measurement Committee - and he has just informed us that they have determined that the APS system is class Legal because rule 14.f allows for multiple forms of attachment. We are happy to continue to provide this system along with many others for the Laser to help our customers get the most out of their boats.
Do you know if they are issuing a measurer's ruling or something official?
I had the APS set up at the Masters Worlds and was told I had to change it to measure in. I had to remove the line attached to the bungee cord and tie the shackle to the daggerboard. It worked ok but not quite as good as the original setup so I'd like to go back to that if it's now officially ok.
As a measurer, you've generally got a long queue of boats needing measuring and a limited time to do it in, give me an hour per boat and I can virtually guarantee to find something, but I'll only measure 12 boats per day, instead of the 150-200 boats I need to measure, we're going to miss things. Some measurers concentrate on certain issues, others on other things, what we hope people do is say, "well such & such wasn't allowed and I'll let everyone I see with that know it's illegal" rather than "I was let through with such & such, so it must be legal", unless you specifically request something to be interpreted as being legal or illegal by Jean-Luc and the technical committee, then I wouldn't read to much in to something being legal if it's in a greyish area.I had the same setup at the Masters Worlds and had no problems.
E