A number of International Class Rule changes have become effective on 16 April 2010. Among the changes:
–we can now carry and use a hand held GPS unit and mobile telephones
–if you don’t have an outboard engine (and of course you therefore have 21 kg of lead correctors) you no longer need to carry a fire extinguisher, but you must have pair of paddles
–weedsticks and a toolkit are now optional items that may be carried on board
Full details of 2010 INTERNATIONAL Class Rules and changes are on this page.
Additionally, two changes have been made to Safety Rules for Irish (32 County) events: No longer a requirement to carry a horseshoe buoy or a set of flares.
Our Ireland Class Measurer Roger Bannon reports:
The Committee of the Laser SB20 Class Association of Ireland, at its April meeting, passed the following bylaw which will apply for the 2010 season for all racing at Local, Club, Regional and National events unless amended otherwise by the NORs or SIs to cater for local requirements.
C.5.1 is amended to remove the requirement under C.5.1 (1) and C.5.1 (9) to carry a horseshoe buoy and distress flares. In Northern Ireland it is a requirement that the crew must at all times wear a PFD to the minimum standard ISO 12402-5 (CE 50 Newton’s), or USCG Type III. This requirement already exists under statutory regulation in The Republic of Ireland.
This bylaw shall be construed as part of the rules and regulations governing the Laser SB20 Class in Ireland.
• The revised rules for 2010 are published here as noted above. They contain a small number of changes, the most notable being the revised requirements regarding boats which elect not sail with an engine. It is important to note that the 21Kgs (previously 22Kgs) of lead correctors must now be securely located on the engine shelf and 2 paddles must also be carried on board.
• The use of a handheld GPS is now permitted unless its use is prohibited in the NOR’s or SI’s.
• For those of you travelling to events outside Ireland it will be important to establish the specified mandatory and optional equipment that will be carried on the boat as it is likely it will vary between different locations because of the impact of diverse localised regulations. Under the revised 2010 rules, variations to specified equipment are now permitted if they are notified in the Notice of Race and or the Sailing Instructions. So don’t throw away your lifebuoy and flares, you may need them.
Roger Bannon
Laser SB20 Class Measurer Ireland. 16th April 2010