Technical protest

Originally posted by fudheid No mountain or even a molehill. Just a discussion without beer/ginn/vino amongst 'peers' or brains trust. To me in a open development class, open or grey areas like this are open to interpretation. Or logic chopping as you called it, or bending as other would. In IRC like the krazy k you get a year to revel in your logic before the rules are amended. Code zeros, cableless , fat head, all have been logic chopping. So I have to spend £800 near enough on a new winder rudder to get the fence as it makes the boat quicker, it's a development class and maybe that's the price you pay annually as bits get developed. I hear rumblings about the legality due to the 'contrivance'. As I understand it the class are wary of allowing Wings and other developments as they are expensive... They tend to be conservative, but there is a split fifty fifty (?) that wings and foils should be allowed, it's a development class after all, the rule IS grey that's why people are looking at it because they see an opportunity to push what's 'acceptable'. Rules/measurement is black and white, legal not legal. Someone having a rudder that can make your boat obsolete nearly it becomes a reading of the rules. That's what the rules are 'protectionist'.

C.8.2 Daggerboards, bilgeboards, double rudders, winged rudders and similar contrivances are prohibited

I would have said a fence was a “similar contrivance” in as much as it is an atypical modification to conventional rudder design. That said, it seems a pity to ban it and I would be interested to know if it actually improves things or whether the increased wetted area and interference drag are more of a hindrance.

Surely a fence is to improve foil efficiency by reducing ventilation and hence increasing the effective span, whereas wings generate vertical lift and energy recovery from the stern wave.   

Originally posted by Rupert Surely it is whatever the class choose it to be? If they, as owners, decide to allow fences, or rather, to not disallow them, then they are obviously not "similar contrivences" or whatever the phrase was. Haven't they been using them for years?

I think what's happened is it wasn't noticed that they may or may not be in breach of this rule. And now it's been brought to everyone's attention. But no-one is clear on why it is or isn't legal. Grandfathering the ones out there has been suggested. But not enough people can agree on an answer.

It's really interesting hearing non class sailors opinions

Surely it is whatever the class choose it to be? If they, as owners, decide to allow fences, or rather, to not disallow them, then they are obviously not "similar contrivences" or whatever the phrase was. Haven't they been using them for years?