Nacra 17 Worlds - Equipment issues settled by mid-regatta sailor vote

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World/Nacra 17 Assoc on 6 Sep 2017 The Nacra 17 class continues to deal with the speed wobbles associated with a fast tracking start major changes to the class across all competitors rather than taking a more measured and slower approach.

With the fast-track approach, not surprisingly any shortcomings with the supplied gear become very public very quickly. The usual response is to implement modifications and fixes on the fly to make progress and then re-test, without resorting to the more pedestrian process of thorough testing, and release using just a few boats, and then still having to endure the testing in-competition.

Those who have been involved in this process before know that intense class racing throws up a pile of issues because of the sheer weight of numbers and different sailing styles that are impossible to replicate in a measured test situation.

The class (in the widest sense including the manufacturer) raised a few eyebrows with its decision to stop racing short of the conclusion of the World Sailing Championships test event in Denmark, last month.

The disqualification of a crew from early racing in the World Championships, this week, over a minor matter would seem to be over the top. Accepting that the Jury have no choice when there is a rule infringement, but against the backdrop of fluid change in the class, provision should have been made in the NoR/SI for some form of discretionary penalty.

From the report below the class seems to be (quite properly) using a democratic process to rule changes in and out of class as an interim measure. But it is a curious approach to be taking the same hard line on minor measurement discrepancies - as would be the case in a class which was stable and had supplied gear which didn't fail.

If they can determine whether or not you can use a gennaker upwind, by a democratic vote, why can't you also determine whether rubber brushes on the top of the daggerboard could not also be approved by democratic vote, instead of a copping a two race disqualification?

The equipment dilemma is probably 18 months away from resolution - based on previous experience with new Olympic classes, developed by some very clever and capable people.

The current process should not be stifling progress in sailing technique using street-legal equipment, but should be taking heed from the mistakes and successes and treating all as learning experiences. That way the Olympic Sailing Regatta will be as spectacular as it can be, and two years out from the start of the 2020 Olympics the equipment issues will have been resolved..

The class reports:

Two Class meetings were held with all members and entrants over the first two nights of the Nacra 17 World Championships, where Class members voted in a series of stabilizing measures.

The open forum meeting agenda was cut short after the allotted time was spent debating a single but very important topic: the use of the gennaker upwind. After two hours of debate, a sailor only vote was held. This vote changed, on a short-term basis for this World Championships only, the Sailing Instructions so as to rule out the use of gennakers upwind. The vote was very tight with both sides having some very valid arguments.

Four weeks ago, New Zealand’s Jones and Saunders initiated the use of gennakers upwind at the Europeans. Some fleet members took the concept forward, while others worked on trying to foil upwind with just the main and jib. While both concepts have had their moments in training, a 9-knot day at the worlds venue where the use of gennakers upwind won the practice racing worried the builders and some of the fleet enough to ask the Class for the practice to be reviewed.

To date, sailing upwind with the gennaker has not broken any masts. However a couple of spinnakers have blown up and it is clear that they are not designed for this mode of sailing. After a lot of debate among the Class Executive a last minute vote, though inconvenient, was scheduled.

The following night, on the eve of racing, the Class held its AGM. An update was given to the World Council on topics not covered the previous night during the Open Forum. The Class discussed the future event schedule and other topics relevant to the Class. Three Vice Presidents and the CFO were elected to the Executive. One new VP was elected, Lisa Darminian (AUS), as well as re-elections of Murray Jones (NZL) as CFO, Sofia Bekkatorou (GRE) and Iker Martinez (ESP) as VPs.

Thereafter a series of debates and votes were taken on a number of equipment topics from the use of gennakers upwind, board position, mandatory and optional safety gear and foot loops. Much debate discussed having a period of stability in the Class. While evolution to remain current, and for performance, is desired the crux of the debate centered on the correct balance with a period of stability.

Most of the sailors agreed that we should evolve to get the most out of the new boats but they really need as much certainty as possible about the platform over the next few years in the lead up to Tokyo. Ultimately a series of votes on various proposals emphasized stability over broad evolution, but with a focus on looking at low-cost and easy “quick wins” and a priority list of all potential options with full investigation into longer term and more significant changes.

A number of proposals for specification changes to optimize sailing with the gennaker upwind were withdrawn after the debate, with the Technical Committee and designers to investigate in more detail the various options. The Class reviewed its earlier decision to sail with the boards down at all times and ultimately decided to a Class Rule change to have more flexibility and to allow the Race Officers to prescribe times when boards may be raised in lighter airs. This change will allow the Class to test the impact of raising boards and further Class guidance will be developed to guide the Race Officials.

A vote to change the Class Rules to allow an extra foot loop was unanimously approved.

A number of Class Rules votes were conducted concerning safety. For the events in 2017, helmets, safety knives, and impact vests doubling as floatation devices were governed by each event’s Notice of Race. The Class proposed changes to its Class Rules to cement these issues. Of note is the ability for the Race Officials to determine when, in lighter winds, it is safe to race without helmets.

These Class Rule changes will be submitted to World Sailing for approval in the coming days.

In a positive development showing a new level of engagement of the sailors, the Class will meet again, informally, on Saturday, September 9, to review a list of small “quick win” improvements that can be investigated as well as some longer term investigations.

The sailors will help set the priority list for Nacra Sailing and the Technical Committee to investigate with the goal of making simple and cost-effective improvements to keep improving the performance of the Nacra 17. An example of such improvements may be to allow a 3:1 traveller system, filling the screw holes in the rudder elevator and to look at the rudder gudgeons to see if we can reduce drag, weight and play in the system