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Over the years the International Office gets a steady stream of questions about the rules. Often these do not warrant official interpretations, because the answer is within the existing rules as they stand.
However, since no question is only asked once, we thought you would like to read some of the questions that have been asked and the answers that have been given.
Sails
Q : Who am I allowed to buy Laser 2
sails from?
A : Laser 2 sails can only be purchased
through Vanguard (USA) or Performance Sailcraft Europe (UK), or their
authorized dealers.
Q : I sail in Europe, but ordered a set
of sails from America over the internet because they were much cheaper
than the European sails. But I’ve now discovered the material is
different to the European sailcloth and much lower quality. Why is
this?
A : There are two licensed sailmakers for Laser
2s, one in North America and one in Europe. The sails they produce are
made from different material. This is because in the mid 1980’s there
was widespread dissatisfaction with the Laser 2 sailcloth. We worked
with the European sailmaker to develop new sails out of a stronger,
better lasting sailcloth. After much testing, the class voted
overwhelmingly in favour of the new material. However, the North
American manufacturer refused to change their sailcloth and so they
still make sails out of the old sailcloth.
Q : Do we now need to have national
letters on Laser 2 sails?
A : An amendment to RRS
Appendix H 1.1 means that national letters are now required at all
international events except when boats are provided to all competitors.
International events are ISAF events, world and continental
championships and events described as international events in their
notices of race and sailing instructions.
Therefore national
letters are now required on Laser 2 sails for the World and Continental
championships. According to a World Council ruling (approved by ISAF),
the national letters shall be placed above the sail number and class
insignia on the mainsail and are not required on the spinnaker.
Q : Where should the sail numbers be
placed, particularly with regard to the class emblem?
A : The rules are pretty flexible as to where the numbers may be
positioned provided :
Realistically, this means there are two options : either have both numbers above the emblem (the most common), or have the port ones below and the starboard ones above.
Q : Can the Laser 2 top batten be
replaced by a different batten?
A : All Laser 2
battens have to be those supplied by the builder.
Q : Is it legal to use a nylon olive
inserted in the mainsail tack eye?
A : This is not
specifically allowed under Part 2 of the rules, so unless it is supplied
like this, it is not allowed.
Compasses & Other Gadgets
Q : If I taped off the header/lift bars on the
Tacktick Race Compass to disable the programme function, would it be
legal?
A : Taping off the header/lift bars would not
disable its ability to be programmed and it would therefore not make it
legal.
Q : Can you use GPS on a Laser
2?
A : Using GPS is totally illegal on a Laser 2!
Q : I have a GPS which gives readouts of
course and speed and also logs this data for download after the race. I
was wondering if this would be classified as a digital compass since it
can be linked to a screen that gives readouts of headings only during
the race. Also it would not be programmable since you can’t put any wind
headings, or stuff like that, that could give you an advantage in any
way. It would be exactly the same as a digital compass during the race,
but allow track downloads after the race for analysis.
A : The system you propose is not allowed in the current Laser 2
rules because it is not explicitly allowed in Part 2 of the rules.
Compasses are explicitly allowed, GPS is not explicitly allowed and is
therefore illegal.
Foil Repair
Q : We have
some damaged centreboards which we would like to repair. Are there some
templates available or design specifications to allow us to rebuild
them?
A : There are no templates or design
specifications available because they are the commercial property of
Laser. You simply have to repair them to be as close to the original
shape as possible.
Q : Someone damaged their centreboard,
repaired it with epoxy resin and then painted it with a high quality car
paint and polished the whole thing. Is this legal?
A :
Painting the centreboard with a high quality car paint is not
allowed.
Non-Slip
Q : I would like
to know if you may paint an anti-slip coating on the cockpit
floor?
A : The rule states that "non slip paint,
tape or material may be added to the gunwales". Therefore anti slip
coatings are not allowed on the cockpit floor.
Q : Would surf-board wax added to the
deck as non-skid material be allowed?
A : Surf-board
wax can only be added to the gunwales, not the decks.
Hull Surface
Q : Can the
hull be sanded to reduce skin friction, and, if so, to what
degree?
Q : Is polishing the
hull with sandy car wax legal?
A : Cleaning or
polishing the hull is not illegal, unless it alters the hull form.
Lines
Q : What kinds of
material are prohibited in rule 12a when it says "Aramid fibre or
similar material is prohibited for all sheets and lines except spinnaker
sheets"?
A : Aramid fibre or similar materials refers
to kevlar type materials and these are prohibited (except for spinnaker
sheets) because they tend to fail without warning at points of
stress.
Q : Are the new expensive non-stretch
rope materials (Spectra, Dyneema) legal?
A : They are
legal everywhere because they are not aramid fibre.
Q : Are spliced lines legal to attach
ropes rather than knots?
A : I cannot see anything
wrong in using splices to attach ropes to sails/fittings instead of
knots, providing their only purpose is attachment.
Q : Are splices on the core
allowed?
A : In view of the above, I cannot see
anything wrong with this.
Q : Are stripped control lines legal
(cunningham,outhaul and kicking strap)?
A : What are
stripped control lines?
Q : Would it be legal to use two lines,
one as a cunningham and one as an inhaul (instead of a fixed
tack)?
A : It would not be legal to use two lines, but
a "floating cunningham" made from the same line is allowed under
12i.
Q : Is it legal to pass the outhaul
around the mast, like on a Laser I?
A : Rule 12m
clearly states that this is not legal on a Laser 2.
Q : What are the restrictions on the
kicking strap?:
A : You have to use the blocks supplied by the builder. As Rule
12k states, you can add one stainless steel eye and describes how the
rope should be rigged.
Q : The vang attachment to the mast
sometimes breaks. Is it allowed to replace the original loop with a
stronger one? Is it allowed to secure the vang with a rope around the
mast, to prevent the loss of the vang in case the loop
breaks?
A : You cannot change the type of loop, but I
would allow preventative maintenance (Rule 29) of securing the vang with
a rope around the mast in case the loop breaks, as is common
practice.
Q : Is a 4:1 purchase constructed of two
double sheaved blocks allowed to tighten the traveller?
A : The two double sheaved blocks are fittings which are not
specified in Rule 12f and are therefore illegal.
Q : Is it allowed to have a separate
spinnaker halyard and a separate retrieval line?
A :
You can have a separate spinnaker halyard and retrieval line (Rule 20b).
However, while I would allow the retrieval line to be tied off another
fitting (provided it did not affect the function of that fitting), I
would not allow it to use another fitting in its function (i.e. it could
not go through a pulley, even the ones allowed for the spinnaker
halyard).
Q : Can you have a continuous jib sheet
system like 470 sailors use, with a fitting attached to the crew that
could hold the jib sheet without making too much friction when you
move?
A : This would be illegal because the fitting on
the crew's body is a fitting not supplied by the builder and not
permitted under Part Two of the rules.
Wire Rigging
Q : Can you
replace the wire shrouds with 7 x 19 wire.
A : The
construction of the wire shrouds should be 1 x 19 (Rule 12b).
Q : Can the trapeze wire be replaced
with spectra lines?
A : The trapeze wire has to be
wire (i.e. metal) (Rule 18a).
Miscellaneous
Q : I sail
with a spinnaker bag and find the spinnaker halyard keeps getting caught
on everything. Do you think a "take up" system, similar to
that of the 470’s would be legal?
A : I am not sure
what is meant by a "take up system", but it is unlikely to be
legal on a Laser 2. The spinnaker halyard has to be rope, of uniform
diameter, and the class rules clearly state how it can be controlled. I
would have thought this would prevent any other "system"
unless you reckon that the rules specifically allow what you are
proposing.
Q : In the class rules about the mast it
says about changes to the last rules but does not mention what the last
rules are. Do you have any information as to the exact rules governing
the set up of the mast?
A : Rule 1 is quite clear that
the mast should be "as supplied by the builder", and can only
modified as explicitly stated in the class rules. Rule 30 is to allow
ancient spec masts to be updated. This does not allow anyone to change a
current mast to the old spec.
Q : Do you think it is legal to attach
both the helmsman’s hiking straps with each other?
A :
They can only be attached to each other at the rear.
Q : Is it legal to replace the spring at
the centre mainsheet attachment by half a tennis ball?
A : No, only what is explicitly stated in Part 2 of the rules is
allowed as replacements to any fittings. Most people solve the problem
of the spinnaker halyard in the spring by covering the attachment in
plastic tubing, as is allowed in Rule 25b.
Q : Would a very soft sail batten, with
a rubber cap, be allowed as a spinnaker sheet catcher; provided it will
break without splintering in a collision?
A : This is
acceptable and quite often used. The main thing is that it can easily
colapse. This means it should be able to bend easily or to come
unattached on impact. For example, I would allow a Laser 2 batten which
is attached with tape which would cease to be attached on impact, but I
would not allow a Laser 2 batten which is fixed by screws.
Q : Are plastic balls at the end of
control lines and halyards legal?
A : These are not
allowed at the end of control lines or halyards unless the rules
specifically state they are allowed. So they would be allowed on the
trapeze system because Rule 18c says this is unrestricted. They would
also be allowed on the spinnaker pole because Rule 19a says this is
unrestricted. But I don't think they're allowed anywhere else.
Q : Is it legal to replace all shackles
and the chainplates used to adjust the length of the jib halyard with
3mm line?
A : Shackles may only be replaced with
another shackle or shackles performing the same function (Rule 13f),
unless specifically allowed in Part Two of the Rules. I think there are
only two places where this is specifically allowed:
Q : Is it allowed to remove the shackle
attaching the jib to the bow U bolt and attach the jib directly to the
bow U-bolt?
A : No, for the reasons above.
Q : Is it allowed to switch the right
and left spinnaker deck cleats so that they are open inwards?
A : Given these are supplied opening outwards, and there is no
option on these in Part Two of the rules, swapping them around would not
be allowed.
Jeremy Atkins
Chief Measurer.