IOMICA Forum

From scuttlebutt at the California Cup this weekend, can someone address the present question regarding jib pivots on IOM's?

Rob Davis wrote:From scuttlebutt at the California Cup this weekend, can someone address the present question regarding jib pivots on IOM's?

Hi Rob

I'm sure someone would love to! But, erm, what is this business about "scuttlebutt" and the "California Cup"?

Last weekend there was an IOM regatta in California (Challenge Cup with 28 competitors). From some chatter I heard (scuttlebutt), there's an interesting request for interpretation underway surrounding the jib pivot / swivel text in the class rules. Can you or VC Tech speak to it? I'm not sure what I heard is factual so I'm asking here so all can understand what's underway.

Rob Davis wrote:From some chatter I heard (scuttlebutt), there's an interesting request for interpretation underway surrounding the jib pivot / swivel text in the class rules.

As far as I know (can't speak for Charles), no request for interpretation on this topic has come to the joint IOMICA/RSD sub-committee.

There are one or two examples of rule phrasing that could do with being improved that I've heard about, for example, the requirement that the jib boom shall have a "swivel and its fitting(s)". A little head-scratching is needed if your swivel is a piece of string tied around the boom -- where is the mandatory "fitting" here? And, what happens if you take your rig off the boat by untieing the string from the boom -- are you now out of class because your boom does not have a swivel? The "old" rules said "swivel and/or its attachment(s)", so I'm guessing (unofficially, of course!) that this is nothing more than a typographical error in the current rules.

So what did you hear in California?

Rob Davis wrote:Last weekend there was an IOM regatta in California (Challenge Cup with 28 competitors). From some chatter I heard (scuttlebutt), there's an interesting request for interpretation underway surrounding the jib pivot / swivel text in the class rules. Can you or VC Tech speak to it? I'm not sure what I heard is factual so I'm asking here so all can understand what's underway.

The race in California during the weekend of March 27th was the San Diego Mission Yacht Club IOM Challenge Regatta. This was the official kick off of the local San Diego IOM fleet. According to the organizers this will potentially be an annual event.

I think Lester made a good summary of the situation!
Charles

The jib swivel "situation" as recounted by the Chairman would seem to raise a number of questions as to how to proceed:

1. Is the new language of the jib swivel rule currently in effect?

2. If it is in effect, how should measurers treat boats that do not have a "swivel" attached to the boom (for example, those that have a string from the boat that attaches to the jib boom)?

3. To the extent this new language is a problem, how and by whom can the rules be modified or clarified?

Hi Roy

I believe (unofficially, of course!) that the current rule simply has a typographical error here. As far as I know, the issue has the attention of the joint RSD-IOMICA committee, although (again only as far as I know) I have not heard that a request for an interpretation has formally been made.

I expect that the necessary advice or interpretation will be issued in due course.

Why are we tip toeing around this?

Lester and Charles have admitted there is an issue. They allude to something going on but also seem comfortable that the issue is being "informally" addressed. Both of these individuals are charged with participating in the day to day operation of the class.

The CR's as published today once again seem to preclude a certain style of attachement of the jib to the boat. The AMYA pursued an Interpretation on the exact style in question prior to the rules being published. I would like to have the issue be formally addressed by the ICA.

Roy asked the question about present day boats being affected. What should measurers do for the time being? Is it legal or isn't it at this present time as the rules are written? Typo-graphical error or not the rules are the rules. How are the NCA's to proceed?

The RSD-IOMICA committee has issued "Interpretation IOM 2004-2", available for download from the ISAF-RSD Web site. In essence, it says:

1. A boom swivel which is a piece of cord knotted on the boom at one end and with a hook attached at the other is class-legal.
2. The SAILSetc 120d headsail swivel with ball race is class-legal.
3. A boom swivel detachable at the boom is class-legal.

i have a ball raced sailsetc jib boom on my no.1 rig and the same for the no.2 rig jib boom. i understand that this is class legal. i would like to ask if fitting a same ball race swivel on the head of the jib(part that attaches to the mast) is class legal.

edmorales wrote:i would like to ask if fitting a same ball race swivel on the head of the jib(part that attaches to the mast) is class legal.

Hi Ed

Time to get to know your friendly IOM class rule book... (smile). A search in the PDF file yields:

IOM class rules wrote:F.2.4 CONSTRUCTION
(c) Ball and/or roller bearings may be used for: kicking strap fiiting; gooseneck; mainsail boom sheet blocks; headsail boom sheet blocks; headsail boom swivel.

If the idea you have in mind isn't listed, then it isn't permitted.

hello lester,
thanks for the info. seems that i have to spend more time reading the book. but i still wonder why not. its relatively cheap to add.
regards
ed