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RRS 43.1b Trapeze harness and sailing kit weight

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2016 2:18 pm
by Bruce
Hi,

See RRS below for weight requirements of sailing kit. I did an experiment a few months ago where I weighed all my kit according to appendix H. I found one of my old harnesses was over 2kg and my sailing kit weighed according to appendix H was just over 8kgs (this was for an average temp day in April). My sailing kit is quite light and I don't wear full length steamers like some others do. I have also since learned that one of the popular harnesses used by many skiffs sailors is also over the 2kg limit. I haven't heard of anyone being DSQ for sailing kit being over weight since 1996, so perhaps World Sailing just turns a blind-eye these days? My opinion is that the rules either need to be changed or adhered to, otherwise it just makes a mockery of having them in the first place. I see a few options:

1) Leave it as it is. Some people may inadvertently be cheating, but unless you start putting lead weights in your sailing kit (which is illegal under 43.1a) then who cares. (You could still be protested by another competitor though)
2) Enforce the current rules which will mean some have to buy new kit.
3) Change the class rules (we can allow up to 4kg for harnesses and 10kg for sailing kit, as per rules below)

My personal opinion, after weighing a few harnesses, is that 3kg is a more sensible limit in order to cover the ones currently available on the market today. For sailing kit weight, I think 8kg is fine as long as we have our major events in warm places. Perhaps this should be increased for races held in less than 14 degrees C? (Stone Nationals in 2012 is one that springs to mind)

COMPETITOR CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
43.1 (a) Competitors shall not wear or carry clothing or equipment for
the purpose of increasing their weight.
(b) Furthermore, a competitor’s clothing and equipment shall not
weigh more than 8 kilograms, excluding a hiking or trapeze
harness and clothing (including footwear) worn only below the
knee. Class rules or sailing instructions may specify a lower
weight or a higher weight up to 10 kilograms. Class rules may
include footwear and other clothing worn below the knee
within that weight. A hiking or trapeze harness shall have
positive buoyancy and shall not weigh more than 2 kilograms,
except that class rules may specify a higher weight up to
4 kilograms. Weights shall be determined as required by
Appendix H.

Re: RRS 43.1b Trapeze harness and sailing kit weight

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2016 8:50 pm
by Rick
That's really interesting Bruce. Which harnesses are over 2kg?

I think we should amend the rules, I am against the culture of known infringement.

Re: RRS 43.1b Trapeze harness and sailing kit weight

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2016 9:00 pm
by paul manning
WS do enforce the weight rule, well they do at Weymouth..., as they do to ensure compliance with PFD's (buoyancy aids).

Bruce, did you include or exclude your shoes / boots in that weight?

I agree with Bruce and Rick, if the weight is too low for cold weather sailing, then we can change the limit in our class rules and / or SI's, so why wouldn't we have a rule that people can comply with rather than having one they may inadvertently not...

Before posting the brand of harness that had a problem, I'll ask the manufacturer whether it has been addressed and report back...

Re: RRS 43.1b Trapeze harness and sailing kit weight

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2016 9:25 pm
by Rick
paul manning wrote:

Before posting the brand of harness that had a problem, I'll ask the manufacturer whether it has been addressed and report back...


If you have a heavy harness how can you address it without buying a new one?

Re: RRS 43.1b Trapeze harness and sailing kit weight

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2016 9:57 pm
by paul manning
Often the harnesses have additional lumber support panels that can be removed or moved with Velcro.
If you take these out you may well find your harness is OK...

Re: RRS 43.1b Trapeze harness and sailing kit weight

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2016 8:19 am
by Bruce
Hi Paul,

Yes boots excluded, as well as trapeze harness.

For my old harness there is no way to make it lighter. Maybe Fabsil would help to stop it absorbing as much water? I doubt it would get it under 2kgs though.

Re: RRS 43.1b Trapeze harness and sailing kit weight

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2016 5:18 pm
by Bruce
As reference this is what the 470s have in their class rules:
C.3.2 OPTIONAL
(a) Trapeze harness. The weight shall not exceed 3 kg, measured according to current
version of RRS, appendix H.
C.3.3 TOTAL WEIGHT
(a) In accordance with RRS 43.1(b), the total weight of personal equipment worn,
excluding trapeze harness and clothing (including footwear) worn below the knee
shall not exceed 9 kg, measured according to current version of RRS, appendix H

Re: RRS 43.1b Trapeze harness and sailing kit weight

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2016 7:08 pm
by paul manning
I've suggested we have a bit of a weigh in during the UK Nationals and see what people's clothing typically weighs.

We can then make an educated decision which may well require a rule change to accommodate the reality.

The World Sailing RRS currently states -

43
43.1 (a)
43.2
COMPETITOR CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
Competitors shall not wear or carry clothing or equipment for the purpose of increasing their weight.
(b) Furthermore, a competitor’s clothing and equipment shall not weigh more than 8 kilograms, excluding a hiking or trapeze harness and clothing (including footwear) worn only below the knee. Class rules or sailing instructions may specify a lower weight or a higher weight up to 10 kilograms. Class rules may include footwear and other clothing worn below the knee within that weight. A hiking or trapeze harness shall have positive buoyancy and shall not weigh more than 2 kilograms, except that class rules may specify a higher weight up to 4 kilograms. Weights shall be determined as required by Appendix H.
(c) When an equipment inspector or a measurer in charge of weighing clothing and equipment believes a competitor may have broken rule 43.1(a) or 43.1(b) he shall report the matter in writing to the race committee.
Rule 43.1(b) does not apply to boats required to be equipped with lifelines.

The World Sailng procedure is as follows -

APPENDIX H
WEIGHING CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
See rule 43. This appendix shall not be changed by sailing instructions or prescriptions of national authorities.
H1 Items of clothing and equipment to be weighed shall be arranged on a rack. After being saturated in water the items shall be allowed to drain freely for one minute before being weighed. The rack must allow the items to hang as they would hang from clothes hangers, so as to allow the water to drain freely. Pockets that have drain-holes that cannot be closed shall be empty, but pockets or items that can hold water shall be full.
H2 When the weight recorded exceeds the amount permitted, the competitor may rearrange the items on the rack and the equipment inspector or measurer shall again soak and weigh them. This procedure may be repeated a second time if the weight still exceeds the amount permitted.
H3 A competitor wearing a dry suit may choose an alternative means of weighing the items.
(a) The dry suit and items of clothing and equipment that are worn outside the dry suit shall be weighed as described above.
(b) Clothing worn underneath the dry suit shall be weighed as worn while racing, without draining.
(c) The two weights shall be added together.

Re: RRS 43.1b Trapeze harness and sailing kit weight

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2016 8:09 pm
by Rick
Who wants their kit washed?