Doesn't matte to me, as long as it is applied the same to everyone, everywhere.
The 18' rule only has an exclusion for the rudder assembly, so therefore the strap is interpreted to be part of the hull.
What if I made a strap that continued down the back of the transom and then flared out at the water line to effectively extend the water line? I could argue that it was part of the footstrap design, if footstraps were excluded from the 18' length rule...
Mike,
I'm not sure if you were talking about F18 rules, but your post gave me pause. I went back and reviewed them and nowhere does it say the hull measurement should exclude the rudder fittings (or anything else). The reference drawing has a hull, rudder stock, some sort of casting and a tiller arm and indicates the measurement is from a vertical plane tangent to the bow to the furthest aft point on the hull. There are no rudder pintles/gugeons (or obviously, footstraps) referenced on the drawing either - page 31.
The only text that references the hull measurement is as follows:
D.6 ASSEMBLED HULLS
D.6.1 CONSTRUCTION
(a) The hulls shall be joined rigidly by a front beam and a rear beam.
(b) Non slip surfaces, built in or applied to the hulls, are allowed.
D.6.2 DIMENSIONS
(a) The maximum hull length shall be 5.52 m.
(b) The maximum boat beam shall be 2.60 m.
(c) The boat centre plane is the vertical longitudinal plane of the boat that
passes through the centre point of the front and rear beams.
If they are indeed making disqualifications (or requiring modifications) on it, the issue should be reviewed and a rules clarification issued.
