Advertising via sail numbers? 55

You're right of course Maxi. The realities are that a PY event is hard to police and some people will take advantage of that. It never ceases to amaze me how competitively some people take these things that they feel the need to do that.

I never said that it was acceptable at a py meeting. It's just as important as a fleet race, however it's much more difficult to police and therefore its unfortunate but maybe you just have to accept that's its going to happen whether you like it or not. Unless the organisers insist on seeing every persons sails how can you police it? Two series in a row show that you cannot totally rely on self policing.

Maxi, you are probably right. I wouldn't be suprised if half the fleet had either broken a class or sailing rule during the race (no correctors, no turns for touching the mark etc), but that doesn't make it any better! It isn't just the case that the sails hadn't been measured, it is that the sails do not measure and would not be accepted at any Fireball open meeting. So why should they be accepted at a PY open meeting? Because PY is less important or because you don't piss on your own doorstep?

How many other boats sails had been previously measured and signed off before they sailed at that event?

Presumably the fireball one wasn't and I suspect others weren't either, I can't believe everyone is totally up front. In most cases it would be that there isn't a problem its just that the owner hadn't managed to get it done prior to the event. If this is the case what's the difference, none, it's just that the fireball won and the others didn't.

There is no way that the organisers can check this sort of thing as no one would get sailing if they did as it would take too long. It is down the competitors to do it between themselves and if they don't it is a downside to large events like this. Either accept that it happens or don't do the event and don't sit here moaning about it either. Offer to help the organisers by volunteering to check all entrants sails for measurers signatures. That way you do not need to know the vagaries of each classes rules.

If you want to have a witch hunt continue it throughout the fleet exposing the other cheats who do not conform to their class rules, except you won't because it's too difficult and in most cases no one really minds too much.

Originally posted by JimC Originally posted by pondmonkey Maybe this winner has a little more backbone and is prepared to say 'b**locks' to the post-event controversy? That sounds to me as if you are accusing them of being blatant cheats.