I don't think I will cut my dearly procured Hobie 20 arms down so I can sit father back on an occaisional screeming reach.

I've been reading all the tiller extension threads and have been reserving comment for a couple of reasons.

1.) I wanted to check it out on the water.
At our Fleet race Thursday night, my buddy (EZ locks) and I, (old style) were racing downwind in, light air, to finish, discussing the tiller's pro's and con's. We ended up agreeing. It's a huge comfort asset and a huge speed asset.

2.) I was surprised that a forum post proposal from an anonymous "stranger" to the forum could have constituted a major rule change. It took me forever to figure out it was Don Thomson. Rick cleared that up

As for the rules proposal, here is how a rule is changed:
b. Changes to the class rules:
i. Proposed permanent rule changes shall be submitted, by any member to the Rules Chairperson, for consideration at least 30 days prior to the annual meeting. Upon consideration of the change, the rules committee may either:
1. Recommend the change.
2. Reject the proposed change.
3. Modify the proposed change.
ii. Upon b.i.1 or b.i.3 above,
1. A Web site posting shall occur stating the proposed change, at least 15 days prior to the meeting.
2. A "YES" vote by a two-thirds votes of the membership present, providing there is a quorum, including absentee ballots and proxy votes at the annual meeting shall be sufficient to change the class rule.
3. To take effect on March 1st of the following year.


3. ) Weight Is a VERY big issue, tiller or not. Racing Hobies for 35 plus years has forced me to stay in relatively good shape, a bottom line “Keep it simple” rule. All the different equipment in the world will not take the place of a fit sailor that spends tons of time on the water.

Sincerely,
Mimi Appel
Fleet 204
Syracuse, NY

A bunch of things:

1. You tried discussing tiller extensions while racing without trying one? I think everybody knows that the old style tillers are better for racing. It appears that all serious racers have the $1500 downgrade. Now let's talk about tiller extensions. Or maybe try them.

2. The rules say that even an anonymous "stranger" can make a change proposal. Not so anonymous and not so much of a stranger when he submitted everything to this forum before doing anything with it. And incorporated suggestions.

Has the rule change been submitted to the Rules Chairperson? Will the Rules Chairperson notify the class members of the proposal? Has the rules committee discussed the proposal? Who are the members? Who has to post the proposed change? Has that been done by Don putting it up here?

How do we submit absentee ballots and proxies? How many members are there in the IWCA (I can do the 66% myself).

Since this forum exists maybe we could discuss, propose, modify, vote, and change a little more rapidly. Rather than just letting the folks who go to the Nationals vote.

3. I know that weight is a VERY big issue. But some folks grew up to be the right size to play college ball and some didn't. It might be nice to make an effort to be inclusive for recreational sailing.

Rules were put into place so we would have a good one-design class. Sorry you don't like them, but they were voted in unanimously.
Rick

Wow, that was certainly non-responsive to his legitimate comments and questions. Sounds an awfull lot like a response from Hobie in the old days, Rick. You used to hate that kind of thing.

First of all, I have no intention of embarrassing myself by arguing about what makes a catamaran go fast with the man who literally “wrote the book” on catamaran racing. Yes, I have a copy.

I appreciate the struggle that took place back in the days when I bought my first Wave to try and develop a Wave class association. Hobie Co. just wasn't interested. It wasn't what they envisioned for the Wave. Since then, the H17 has gone out of production and the class is in decline. The H18 was superseded by the Tiger and other F18s, and as a class, it is facing extinction.

Similarly, the Wave that the IWCA established the one-design class rules for has been out of production for a number of years. The EZ LOC Waves now being produced are not equivalent boats to the older models. It seems to me that without a successful effort to attract EZ LOC Wave owners to IWCA regattas, the Class Association is doomed to wither.

As an EZ LOC Wave owner, I have to ask myself if it is worth the time and expense to attend an IWCA regatta in a boat that I believe is slower by design than others on the start line. Does the IWCA even want me there?

I don't believe the outcome of the vote on my Rules proposal is a foregone “No”. Despite Rick's well-deserved influence and the fact that a majority of the IWCA in attendance at the Wave Nationals will be sailing with older style rudders, I think enough IWCA members will agree that my proposed rule changes are in the best long-term interests of the Association.

Also, I don't see what harm would be done by inviting EZ LOC Waves with tiller extensions to a few regattas (on trial basis) to evaluate their boat-to-boat competitiveness? Those voting on the proposal would have more information to base their decision on.

The next IWCA event nearest me is the Wave North Americans in September in Indianapolis. It's a 14 hour drive each way, but I have a brother living at the half-way mark. To put put my money where my mouth is, if I am allowed to sail with my tiller extension, and in the absence of inclement weather, I will attend the regatta. I don't care if my results form part of the official standings. I am certain to get my ass kicked anyways

Finally, (to Mimi) I still don't think I have figured out how to get the word “stranger” off my profile. I'll post this and see.

Don Thompson
Fleet 298
Hull #189
Kanata, Ontario, Canada
Profession: retired (yippeee!!!!)

Does unanimously mean the rules were cast into stone? Manufacturers change stuff, conditions change, etc. Were the rules writers all seeing where their final submission for a vote addressed every contingency possible for the life of the boat?

Any set of laws or rules is a best guess to cover the conditions when they were written. The IWCA does, per its constitution, recognize that there can be changes. Specifically:

4. Meetings:
[...]
vii. New Business.
1. New motions.
2. Vote on rule or bylaw changes.

v. Rules Chairman
1. Be responsible for keeping the class rules current and organize any proposed rule changes.
[...]
4. Monitor class rules and recommend changes to the committee

So, let the petitioners for a tiller extension state their case, work through through the process, and put it to a vote.

Hilarious!

Certainly rules can be changed, but not on this or any other forum. There is a specific way to do so. We set it up that way so changes wanted by a few would have to be accepted the majority.

We (HCA) is in the 'testing' phase of this project right now. We have a boats of both variety with tillers added and using them in up/down wind situations to see if it a good/bad deal to propose a change to IHCA. Mimi is heading this up but hasn't given me the scoop on what she thinks just yet. I'll post or ask her to post her findings.