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-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Thorne
Sent: den 18 maj 2003 10:54
To: All 505 Accociations
Subject: 505 NOTICE OF BALLOT
Dear all,
Attached is the Ballot notice for the removing the current ban on spars made from any thing other than aluminium or wood. This is a Word file. If anyone cannot open it please let me know.
Please ensure that this is circulated to your National Association members NO LATER than 16 June. Only boat owning members may vote, and only one vote per boat is allowed. Ballot forms must be back to me by 18 July. NO BALLOT PAPERS RETURNED AFTER THAT DATE WILL BE VALID.
This subject has been debated for the last few years and a huge amount of research undertaken into the implications that this change will have. One thing is has become clear is that other international classes are also moving towards allowing carbon spars and that as aluminium masts become less common they will become more expensive. It is not a question of whether we allow carbon, but when. If this ballot is rejected, under our rules it is unlikely that we will consider it again for three years.
Please encourage your members to vote!
Chris
International 505 Class Yacht Racing Association
Notice of Members' Ballot
At the 2002 AGM in Fremantle, the members approved a proposal put forward by the Carbon Spars Working party to remove the restriction that spars may only be made from aluminium or wood. This will permit the use of spars made from carbon fibre, which although more currently more expensive than aluminium in some parts of the world, is increasingly being used to make spars in other classes.
The proposal approved at the AGM included provision for a temporary rule during which time any mast made of material other than aluminium or wood would have to carry corrector weights. This would allow experimentation and development work on carbon masts for the class but would also reduce any immediate competitive advantage from their use until sufficient time had passed for suitable masts to become generally available. It would also prevent aluminium masts becoming uncompetitive immediately if carbon spars proved successful, important for people who have recently invested in a new one. However, whilst the principle of the temporary rule was passed, it was subject to the International Rules Committee (IRC) finalising the detailed wording of the rule on mast correctors prior to the ballot.
The wording has now been finalised by the IRC and the proposal overleaf can now go to postal ballot.
VOTING PROCEDURE
All members who are either boat owners or part boat owners are entitled to vote. Only one vote per boat is permitted, (Class Rules A 4.14 and 4.2.2.)
National Secretaries should send copies of this Notice (or a translation of it) to all boat owning members of their National Association no later than 7 June 2003.
The closing date for the ballot is 7 July 2003.
C G Thorne
International Secretary
5 May 2003
[email protected]
PROPOSAL
Delete Existing Rule;
7.1.3 Except for fittings, spars shall be constructed solely either from aluminium alloy containing not less than 90% by weight of aluminium or from wood. Construction is otherwise unrestricted
Change Existing Rule:
7.2.1 The mast may be stepped on the deck or into the hull. With the mast perpendicular to the base line, the after side at deck level shall not be less than 3048mm and not more than 3202mm forward of Station 11. The mast may not rotate about its length. The mast spar fore and aft dimension shall not exceed 102mm and the transverse dimension shall not exceed 64mm.
Add New Rule:
7.2.6 Until October 1st 2006 a mast spar constructed of a material other than an aluminium alloy or wood shall carry a corrector weight or weights of lead weighing in total not less than 2kg, affixed externally to the mast or a mast attachment and wholly above 3000mm above the deck band at B-7.2.3.1. Such corrector weights shall be permitted under Rule B-5.8.2, and may be included in the sailing weight. After October 1st 2006 these corrector weights may be removed from the mast, in which case they shall be attached to the hull in accordance with Rule B-5.8.3 until the boat is reweighed in accordance with Rule B-5.8.5.
Except as modified by this Rule, Rule B-5.8.2 applies at all times.
This Rule is to be deleted with effect from October 1st 2008.
Change Existing Rules:
8.2.1 The mainsail shall conform with the Class Rules and the measurement diagrams, except that a sail smaller in any dimension is allowed. No part of this sail shall be set above the lower edge of the band on the mast identified at B-7.2.3.3. The leech or its extension shall not intersect the upper edge of the boom beyond the outer limit mark of the boom identified at B-7.3.2.
8.2.2 The luff shall be secured to the mast over at least 80 per cent of its length.
8.2.4 The mainsail shall have not more than four battens, and these may only be placed at the leech. At the leech the centre of the top batten pocket shall be between 1450mm and 1550mm from the head point, and the centre of the bottom batten pocket shall be between 1250mm and 1490mm from the clew point. No batten pocket shall be located less than 1000mm from any other batten pocket. No batten or pocket shall exceed 1180mm in length.
Explanatory Notes on Proposal
7.1.3
This rule was introduced in the early 1980’s. It followed the use of experimental carbon and carbon composite masts at two world championships. At that time few mast makers had access to carbon technology and therefore the masts were both expensive and difficult to obtain. In the last 20 years the use of carbon fibre has become much more common generally, and an increasing number of other dinghy classes now use carbon fibre spars. Aluminium spars are now becoming more difficult and expensive to obtain in some parts of the world, especially outside Europe. Although aluminium itself is cheaper than carbon, the cost of the plant and tooling to make masts is high compared with carbon, making it likely that the trend towards carbon from aluminium will continue. Because the initial investment in machinery is lower for carbon, there are likely to be more suppliers to choose from, especially as a number of other established classes are also considering allowing carbon which will increase the size of the market. Whilst carbon masts have yet to be proved as being suitable for the 505, the technology is developing all the time. The IEC now considers that there is no justification for continuing the ban, and to do so could be harmful to the future of the class. For a
copy of a paper prepared by the Carbon Spars working party setting out its investigations and conclusions see:
http://int505.org/CJ-CarbonSpars505v3.htm
7.2.1
The current rule allows a rotating mast. No-one has so far developed a rotating mast that has been successful. Carbon technology could make this feasible, but the cost would be very high compared with a fixed mast. At this stage the Carbon Spars Committee did not feel that allowing development of this type was in the interests of the class. Also the maximum width of the mast is reduced to prevent the development of expensive large section “wing” type masts.
7.2.7
This is the new temporary rule. The IRC discussed measuring the centre of gravity and weight of carbon masts but concluded that there were many practical difficulties, particularly in making a rule that could be easily checked in a regatta environment. The lightest aluminium masts are between 9.5 and 10 kg fully rigged. Carbon spars are generally at least 2kg lighter. As this is a temporary rule it was felt that it should be as simple as possible. The decision was made to simply require a fixed weight corrector to be carried at a minimum height above the deck. In practice this is likely to be on, or at, the spreaders.
8.2.1, 8.2.2, 8.2.4
The Carbon Spars Committee recognised that many people would want to try a carbon boom. However, the kicking strap (vang) or the mainsheet could not be attached using the bolted or riveted fittings used on aluminium as they would pull out. The best way is to pass a strap around the boom to spread the load. However, this would not be possible without having a loose footed main. The changes to these three rules permit a loose footed main to be used, and regulate where the battens may be placed to prevent a batten being placed in the foot or lower leech to support an excessive foot round.
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