Class Rules

Ruling regarding Jarkan boats by the National J24 Association

The aim of this ruling is to encourage owners of older Jarkan boats to bring their boats back to a more competitive life, back onto the water and racing.

We have in the past made various considerations and variations on what can be done to lighten some of our older J24s to make them more competitive and attractive to sail.

These decisions have been many and have mostly become confused in the mists of time and changes of boats and official personnel.

Ruling:

It has been decided by the National Committee to formalise the opportunity to allow owners to improve and lighten their J24s under certain conditions. To be effective as of 18/12/15.

What boats this applies to:

Australian Jarkan built J24s that have not been re-decked

What conditions apply:

Boats must weigh in at or over the dry weight limit of 1270kg

Boats must not have any lead correctors installed

Boats so altered will not be allowed to compete in overseas regattas

What is allowed to be removed:

Forward V-berth, cupboard doors, water tank, vermiculite, shelves, metal sink, water pumps, rear deck hatches (provided the deck is permanently and securely sealed and is seaworthy), middle rails of pulpit and pushpit provided structural and safety integrity is not compromised, middle lifelines, deck mounted halyard winches and associated cleats and fittings.

What is NOT allowed to be removed:

Side berth cover boards, fixed interior furniture other than specified as allowed above, any part of any bulkhead, flooring in the main cabin, any part of the external or internal hull, required safety gear.

What is NOT allowed to be altered:

Anything which in any way compromises the safety of the yacht structurally, fixed interior furniture other than specified as allowed above, any part of the hull internally and externally.

This ruling is to be read in conjunction with and in addition to the existing J24 rules. This ruling modifies only those items specified above and does not change the requirements set down regarding fairing, coring and correct placement of lead in the hull and keel stub.

All changes are to be conducted within the ‘spirit’ of the class rules to enable these boats to become more competitive, changes not listed as permitted here and considered to be outside the ‘spirit’ of the class will not be allowed and will be required to be rectified. Remember that it is your responsibiltiy to advise your State Measurer of any of these changes you may make to your boat and your changes will need to be ok’d and recorded prior to any State level or above regatta.

Enquires regarding these allowed changes should be directed to your state measurer of the National Measurer Peter Stevens.

JSpot's Unconventional Finish

After checking with the international committee, and referral to our local international judge, the following decision has been made:

There is no breach of any rule – including 42, 47.2, 49.1, 49.2, and the definition of finishing – as follows:

§         There is no breach of rule 42 unless, of course, the person in the water is kicking his legs to propel the boat.

§         There is no breach of rule 47.2 when the person who fell overboard is making a reasonable attempt to get back on board – as opposed to swimming away or making no attempt to get on board. There is also no definition of what constitutes ‘back on board’ and a person hanging on to the boat is, arguably, back on board within the meaning of the rule. The rule is intended to prevent someone (a crew member) from leaving the boat and swimming away / going ashore / getting on to another boat / etc. In those circumstances, the rule is breached if leaving was deliberate and, if not, the crew member must be back on board before the boat continues in the race.

§         There is no breach of rule 49.1 as the pulpit is not a device designed to position a competitor’s body outboard.

§         Rule 49.2 does not apply to someone who has fallen overboard. In this situation, the person overboard is not ‘positioning’ himself outside the lifelines in the context of the rule. For what it’s worth, there is no difference between a wire lifeline and a stainless steel tube pushpit as far as the restriction on positioning a crew member outside them is concerned.

§         The definition of finishing reference to ‘in normal position’ refers to equipment and not the crew.

Therefore NO rules were broken – just a crew member!

Peter Stevens

ITC Committee

Recent J24 Class Rule Change

I wish to advise the following class rule change recently approved by the ITC.
 
Harken has recently made changes to their winch product line. They have discontinued the 32B that has been one of the mainstays of the winches used as primaries, and replaced it in their product line with the Radial 35.2 PTA . Also the model 16 that has been a common secondary winch for the class has been replaced by the model 20. Both the 32B and 16 are no longer in production and there is very limited to no availability of either winch.

 
We have processed an emergency rule change through ISAF to allow
1. The Harken Radial 35.2 PTA winch which has a drum diameter of 79.4 mm. The existing class rule accommodates the 32.2 winch 75 mm drum diameter but not the 35.2.
2. The Harken model 20 winch which has a drum diameter of 73.4 mm. The existing class rule accommodates the 16 winch 70 mm drum diameter but not the 73.4 mm of the model 20.
 
Following is the text of the rule change issued by ISAF:
 
The following amendments to the Class Rules have been approved to be effective 16th July 2010 by the Class Rules Sub Committee.
 
Class Rule 3.8.3 (Fixed fittings and equipment to be carried when racing) Amendment:
Change the following sentence to read as follows:
Two primary sheet winches positioned on deck between the mainsheet traveller and the aft face of the forward end of the cockpit well with a drum diameter not exceeding 80 mm.
 
Class Rule 6.1.2 (Optional Equipment) Amendment:
Change the following sentence to read as follows
Two secondary winches with a drum diameter not exceeding 74 mm. These may be used to sheet the tails of all running rigging.

Peter Stevens – National Measurer/ITC Delegate 0417 802 640