hey people,

i like to know before i go to the nationals, what are the black bands for, i think the measurement is 6900mm but where does the mesurement start and finish, eg start the the hook at the mast head? cos i sanded my marks off as i was refurbishing me mast
Can any one help me thanks
Matt

hi matt, the black bands are measured from the top of the front beam. therefore you need to allow whatever the distance is from the top of the beam to the bottom of your mast rotation point , and measure from that.

hi matt, i lifted tjis from the south australian website www.mossie.net
15 `BLACK BANDS'
15.1 A system of `black bands' 25 mm
wide of a colour contrasting with
that of the mast and boom shall be
used on the spars to mark the limits
of extension of the mail sail's length
along its luff and foot.
15.2 Two bands shall be painted in any
position on the mast with their inner
edges 6900 mm apart, except when
the mainsail is set to the mast head
in which case only one band shall
be used, with its upper edge
positioned 6900 mm below the top
of the mast.
15.3 One band only shall be painted on
the boom with its inner edge 2550
mm (measured along the length of
boom) from the aft edge of the mast
track or its extension.
15.4 When the mainsail is set on its spar
the luff and foot shall be wholly
contained within the inner edges of
the bands.
16

Guys,

Time to thro' this thought into the pot.

As we have a foot measurement on the mainsail, why is it we still have a black band measurement on the boom...after all, theorically if the main is to length it should not exceed the band length.

Over to you all.....

David
"Banh Sidhe"

The only document to look at is the official Building Rules and Regulations which are on the National Mosquito Association website's documents page.

NMCC Documents

Everyone should print out a copy of rules part of this document (the last 6 pages are just history), and read it. All the answers are there including black band measurement.

Hi David

There's no foot measurement that I'm aware of.

the black band is to stop the use of "stretchy" sail cloth which then allows people to overstretch their sails therefore increasing sail area after measuring.

hey guys
thanks alot, i am going to read thru it cos i dont want anything to go wrong at the nationals, again thanks
Matt

Hi All,

I made a start on painting the bands on and decided it wasnt going to end up looking too good.

Will the measurers pass a neat white (on black) sticker for the Nationals?

Trevor

As long as it contrasts with the mast colour so it can be seen, that's what matters.

It's not unusual for simple insulation tape to be used for black bands.

hi guys,
i beleive that insulation tape or stickers used for black bands should be classed as illegal as it allows for the band to be removed and placed elsewhere after measuring has been done. i have been measurer at national titles previously in other classes and that has been the case in every other class.
BIG HINT.. DO NOT ARRIVE AT WARNAMBOOL WITH ELECTRICAL TAPE ON YOUR SPARS!!!! PAINT THEM ON OR USE A PERMANENT MARKER.

is there a big deal with stickers as black bands? if u think someone has moved them request a re-measure. and besides the main sail luff is measured and that cannot exceed the 6900mm black band measurement. It would be alot of effort to go to for little gain.



With the types of laminate sail cloth used today the stretch is minimal by design to give better sail shape and duribilty so this is not a factor as to why the black bands exist anyway.

Hi all
David has kindly added the rules relating to the black bands in the second reply on this topic. The way I read them is the black bands have to be painted on.
As for removing them altogether we cannot until we change the way we measure our main sail. Simply because there are no measurements for the Luff or Foot on the main sail.

Peter

hi nat_prog, i agree with your point of latest technology in sail cloth, even though mossies are embracing the kevlar era, there are other sailors and classes who still use dacron. however the black bands are to be a permenant fixture on the spar and using electrical tape or stickers for it defeats the purpose of having them.
on the other hand how many of us sail past a competitor and check to make sure that he hasnt extended his sail past the blackbands???? who's side am i on anyway?
i hope you are not suggesting that cheating has never happened in a sporting contest before either ??

A painted or textered black band is really not much harder to move than a piece of tape or a sticker. Razor blades and solvents will make light work of anything.

tim, i think this argument has gone on a bit long, best we leave it here.