pumping

Yes, RS 's allow you to touch marks at opens, and it can get confusing when you get back to your club! (I've done it).

It's like the Soslow, at the champs you still need a protest flag, and have to do a 720 if you hit a mark, but once back in club racing, standard rules apply.

If you change the rules to allow pumping, that would only apply to class events, so it wouldn't affect the handicap, and at handicap events there is still a level playing field, because standard rules still apply. It does mean you need to be fit at class opens though, guy I know did his first Finn meet, and up went the flag for unlimited pumping allowed....he came home "tired"!!

It does allow you to tailor the rules to suit the type of sailing you want to do,ie if you want fast and furious assymetric racing it makes sense to not worry too much about touching marks, whereas for the Solo's who want tight tactical racing it's important to penalise infringments more heavily. Courses for horses!

Rule 42 does allow pumping - see the exceptions in 42.3 - but only one pump on each sail per wave or gust and only to initiate planing or surfing. The RYA has some good material on the inerpretation of what is and what is not permitted.

As for those who believe "if classes are designed/developed to be pumped then it shouldn't come under a breach of rule 42 should it?" I would recomend that they set up an International Air Rowing Federation and leave the sailors to enjoy real sailing.

The way to solve the problem of cheating - for that is what unauthorised pumping is - is for competitors to render the practise socially inacceptable - for clubs to back them up by providing competent juries and for classes to provide the ressources for on the water judging at open events and championships. I have always found that competitors appreciate the calming effect of a RIB flying a Jury flag on fleet behaviour. Once behaviour in a class gets out of hand it is difficult to return to a more acceptable situation.

Gordon