Definition of Planing

The difference is though that rocking is not permitted under any circumstance I.e. the potential to get planing or surfing does not excuse it. Pumping is allowed once per gust (if it could get you planing), so if you are more skilful at detecting very small wind increases you can potentially pump more than me (or more than the judge allows) if you argue you are falling off the plane frequently.

Originally posted by JimC Doesn't seem to be the opinion of everyone who flaps their way back to the jetty after light airs finishes at my club Dan [grin]

Yep fair dos sub 5 or 6kts (ie not raceable in most champs si) is the exception!

Originally posted by JimC I would like subtle gentle skilled kinetics to be legal, but the trouble is they aren't as effective as unsubtle brute force flapping the boat round the course, and that would destroy sailing as an all ages sport. Trying to draw a distinction between subtle and unsubtle kinetics would be even more fraught with difficulty than the current situation, so I'm reluctantly of the opinion that what we have at the moment is the least worst option anyone has managed to come up with.

I would say that unless you are in a Finn with 1:1 sheet And jc strap, free pumping, or windsurfing, then in other dinghy classes, brutal and unsubtle kinetics are slower.
What I was trying to say is that if free kinetics allowed in say laser, I don’t think you’d see say Robert scheidt sailing any differently.
Also, racing hiking dinghies in breeze even completely unkinetic is brutal anyway, thus on open sea champs courses a young mans game.

Originally posted by Peaky How is that allowed? An ambiguous rule, subjectively applied and penalised without a hearing. What could possibly go wrong?

Ach it all generally finds an equilibrium.
Tbh most of the laser sailing I did, which outside windsurfing and Finn with free pumping, is one of the most kinetic classes, the best guys did as much kinetics as they wanted / could and it wouldn’t draw too much heat as it was in the lighter part of the grey area.
Apart from sculling to change heading whilst stationary, Judges in boats 100yds away don’t like seeing leeches flicking or arms moving fast. (Where does continuous sheeting start and “pumping” stop?) but to be honest no top laser sailors ever do what the rule describes pumping as.
Much quicker / more transient / done through body weight.

How is that allowed? An ambiguous rule, subjectively applied and penalised without a hearing. What could possibly go wrong?