Technical protest

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.

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'.