Welcome Proposed Rule change

   How do you pump the sail without propelling the boat, even if it is just to pop a batten?  I agree with the sentiment of the rule, but 9/10 any attempt will propel the boat a little bit.

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Guests Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Quote Reply Topic: Welcome Proposed Rule change Posted: 21 Dec 11 at 12:50am
	How do you pump the sail without propelling the boat, even if it is just to pop a batten? I agree with the sentiment of the rule, but 9/10 any attempt will propel the boat a little bit.

Jon711 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 04 May 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 465	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jon711 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 21 Dec 11 at 1:01am
	Possibly, but maybe only because the boat is slower, with the battens inverted? I would have thought a limit of three cracks to pop the battens should be the limit, if you can't pop the battens with three pops, maybe you should not be out on the water (I was in a Merlin event a few years ago, a drifter, it took about 20 pumps to pop the top batten, but that may have just have been lack of skill!!! Jon
	Blaze 711

gordon Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 Sep 04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1037	Post Options Post Reply Quote gordon Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 21 Dec 11 at 9:50am
	The answer is contained in the interpretations - any action that has the effect equivalent to a stroke of a paddle is propulsion. In this case the giveaway would be the bow wave - it is easy to see if the boat is accelerating. If the boat accelerates then clearly slows down once the batten is popped the judges could well be considering a penalty. This follows the interpretation for judging whether a roll tack is excessive. Gordon
	Gordon