2017 New Rules

2017 Rules changes On March 1, 2016, seven proposals were submitted. Here’s the table of the approved rules changes (effective from January 1, 2017): 16-01 General Restrictions - ERS passed 16-02 Constitution - with Gen restrictions passed 16-03 Bylaws - w/ Gen restrictions passed 16-04 Constitution - new countries/fleets passed 16-05 Women's Committee did not pass 16-06 Roy Yamaguchi DoG passed 16-07 Carmen Diaz DoG passed The SCIRA website has been updated: https://www.snipe.org/class/rules-proposals Comments by Antonio Bari - SCIRA Rules Committee Chairman Dear Snipe sailors, manufacturers and measurers, As you all know the class is revisiting the General Restrictions to make them comply with both the ERS (Equipment Rules of Sailing) and the World Sailing template for the International Classes. ...

2017 New Rules Image

2017 Rules changes

On March 1, 2016, seven proposals were submitted.

Here’s the table of the approved rules changes (effective from January 1, 2017):

16-01

General Restrictions – ERS

passed

16-02

Constitution – with Gen restrictions

passed

16-03

Bylaws – w/ Gen restrictions

passed

16-04

Constitution – new countries/fleets

passed

16-05

Women’s Committee

did not pass

16-06

Roy Yamaguchi DoG

passed

16-07

Carmen Diaz DoG

passed

The SCIRA website has been updated: https://www.snipe.org/class/rules-proposals

Comments by Antonio Bari – SCIRA Rules Committee Chairman

Dear Snipe sailors, manufacturers and measurers,

As you all know the class is revisiting the General Restrictions to make them comply with both the ERS (Equipment Rules of Sailing) and the World Sailing template for the International Classes.

 

The procedure is still underway because our familiar rules and the way they were written are quite difficult to port to the new format without changing the boat, but we are now very close to the end of the process. Very few rules (really – only one) are still to be defined and a deep revision of the entire document will be necessary to avoid any misinterpretation. Anyway, too late to approve them for 2017. They will be submitted to the Board for approval in February.

Meanwhile the Technical Committee has made some changes to the current General Restrictions with the purpose to adopt the ERS terminology and help anybody to get familiar with the new wording.

For that reason some of the new Class Rules (that will be the future name to distinguish them from the old General Restrictions) are anticipated in the 2017 changes. Nothing dramatic, of course, the boat will remain the same. Take some time to read and understand the document showing the changes (in red) available clicking this link: https://www.snipe.org/images/2016/Proposals/16_01_General_Restriction_2017.pdf).

The most important changes (the true changes in the rules) are the following:

A8. Tha Snipe Class Rules are now closed class rules. Keep this in mind. If something is specifically allowed, then you can do it. If not, it is forbidden.

The following rules, to and including Rule 17, was mainly changed to adopt the ERS terminology. Just to say, no more Point 0 but Hull datum point; no more centerboard but daggerboard and so on. Some minor specifications are included to avoid future requests for interpretations.

In Rule 18 you will find the first REAL change regarding the daggerboard retaining system. From now on, the length of the security line will be fixed to avoid any cheating during the races. The upgrade will take few minutes. It was tested during the Europeans in Spain and it works.

In Rule 19.1 a new terminology has been added: the Rudder datum point. It’s the old “knuckle” which is not an ERS terminology.

The same in Rule 27: the old “sheer” on the mast is changed to Mast datum point. According to the ERS, all measurements start from a Datum point.

In Rule 30 it seems that a true change was made, but it’s not that. The ERS establish that the CG of a spar shall be measured from its datum point, not from a limiting mark (formerly simply “band”). That’s why you read a different measurement. But the real CG on the mast remains the same.

After some cosmetic modifications due to the use of a different wording, in Rule 39 you will find a small change. From now on, any sail number (of a registered boat, of course, not a number of fantasy or of a boat not paying the dues) may be displayed on the sails, but in case the sail number is different from the hull number the competitor shall submit a request to the RC. According to the RRS, this doesn’t apply in regattas (like the worlds, europeans, hemisphere championships) in which borrowed boats are provided.

Beginning 2017 the numbers on the sails shall be placed according to RRS. So, be careful to not have different colors between letters and numbers and to use the correct characters (Helvetica or similar).

Finally, Rule 54 will specify which kind of buoyancy aids can be worn. It’s a security rule and it is necessary to introduce it.

Some of the changes in the General Restrictions also affect both the Constitution (especially the Rules A6 and A7) and the By Laws, which has been modified accordighly. Be careful to read with attention Section 14. This rule has been completely modified to better specify the level of race we are sailing in a regatta. I believe it was necessary, as it was necessary to update other sections of the By Laws because they were no more current with the actual Snipe racing activity. You’ll find the updated texts on the snipe.org website

That’s all. Again, take the time to read and understand the changes in the General Restrictions. This will be a big step to fully understand the future Class Rules. First, read the document with the changes only. Then, when it will be available (approximately beginning mid January), read the whole rules to have the general view. If any question, doubt or suggestion (I’m sure that there will be someone who will find some mistakes) feel free to e-mail me your thoughts. This will be helpful to clarify the rules or to modify or correct the next Class Rules.

Have fun with our beloved boat

Share

0 comments

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Your comment will be revised by the site if needed.