Sunfish Class Council Meetings report from St. Pete Worlds

chris williams

Active Member
Hi, I want to update everyone on the happenings of the Sunfish Advisory Council and World Council from the Worlds that just wrapped up in St. Petersburg, Florida. Before the report however, everyone should appreciate David Mendelblatt offering to have the St. Petersburg YC host the Worlds on short notice. Without David’s efforts, there might not have been a Worlds this year.

The Advisory Council passed three new rules. One permits the use of two halyards to rig the Gust Adjust depowering setup (making it much simpler to rig), the second removes the name “Jens rig” from the rules as there are now many depowering rigs, and the third simply mentions that either or both halyards may be led down either side of the sail. The World Council approved these changes, but before they become legal, ISAF must approve them. If they do approve them, they will be effective about a year from now. Please do not start using two halyards until you read that they have been approved!

A number of things occurred at the World Council:
1) Paul-Jon Patin was elected to a new two year term as President. Ned Jones, who for a number of years was the Sunfish product manager at Vanguard and then Laser Performance, was elected Vice President. The following all were re-elected as well: Pat Manning, treasurer; Rob Eberle, Measurer; Terry Beadle, Secretary.

2) The class has had a difficult time getting responses from Laser Performance on virtually any topic. As a result, the class is expecting Laser Performance will not provide charter boats for future Worlds (although we will continue to ask for them.) For 2013 the Worlds will again be in the US due to the supply of boats available in the US. However, Paul-Jon appointed a sub-committee charged with identifying a location outside of the US and Canada for the 2014 Worlds. The sub-committee will explore means of shipping privately owned boats to the Worlds site, attempting to see if Laser Performance would provide some charter boats and at what price, and any other options they believe to be viable.

3) The 2013 Open Worlds were awarded to Lewes Yacht Club in Delaware, US. The regatta will be held in early October. The Youth Worlds were awarded to Brant Beach YC in Brant Beach, NJ, US. They will be held on either July 14-16 or July 15-17 (probably the 15th thru 17th.) Two days will count for the Youth North Americans while all three days will count for the Youth Worlds. The Open North Americans are July 18-20, so youths who travel to Brant Beach can get in six days of racing.

4) As mentioned above, the World Council approved the rules changes regarding halyards for submission to ISAF. The WC also asked that two rules recently approved by ISAF be published to the class immediately. These rules regard the ability to through-bolt the daggerboard stopper to prevent it from falling out, and another rule change permitting any anti-chafe material applied to the tiller being permitted to also stiffen the tiller. These changes will be published on Sunfishclass.org.

5) The World Council reviewed a number of interpretations that the current and previous measurers made. The only interpretation that the WC overrode is the ability to tie an adjustable boom vang using the tail of the halyard or Jens line. As a result, boom vangs that are adjustable while racing are illegal, effective immediately.

6) To better make decisions during the year, the WC voted to permit email voting so that we can make decisions between the physical meetings at the Worlds, and also voted to permit rules changes to be published annually, instead of every other year.

7) The 2014 South Americans will hopefully be in Paracas, Peru, and the 2013 South Americans may be held in Colombia.

8) Rapid Buttner was granted a Life Membership in ISCA for his work as class historian.

Chris Williams, Advisory Council Chair
 
Thanks for the report Chris. And congratulations to Rapid. I've had the privilege to sail with him a few times and he's really a great guy and a class act!
 
You read it correctly, but I did not report it accurately. I think the plan is to shoot for a 72 boat qualified worlds. I used the word "open" to contrast it with the youth worlds. Chris
 

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