I bought a camelpack hydration thinger the other day from a national outdoor retailer's "half off" rack two weeks ago thinking it would work well on the boat. Can't say that its first use was a complete success because it kept getting disconnected from the bladder, but I'd have to say that anyone that races or is on the water more than a couple hours at a time should invest in one of these cool things. Don't ever have to worry about losing your drinking water over the side or being able to reach it when you really want. I put a couple ice cubes in it and it stayed ice cold all day long.

It gets the Maugan Seal of Approval.

I wouldn't race with it on your body, though.

Hobie Class Rules:


Try explaining to a Jury that it wasn't being used to increase your weight (especially when it works just as well attached to the trampoline).

I guess they'd have a problem if I drank a liter of water before a race considering my stomach could be used as balast :rolleyes:

Seriously - US Sailing has the same kind of rules and camelbacks and such fall into such a category. I have one and live by it for long distance racing but for around the bouys I leave it in the trampoline bag. Race organizers should put an exception in the racing instructions to allow them and while I usually check with them ahead of time, I have yet to see a written exception.

I'm in the process of sewing on (figuring out how to) some heavy duty velcro and a nylon security strap so I can velcro my camel back to the back of my life vest so I can eliminate the additional straps around my torso (that could get entangled).

That has got to be the most inane rule I've ever heard of in my life.

"Next ruling up for debate: Mandatory bladder voiding before launching from the beach! Bulemia enforced at least 30 minutes prior to start gun. Infractions will constitute DSQ for all remaining races that day."

:rolleyes: x 100.

I'll drink to that one!

I got one for long distance bicycling. I did my first century (150 mile ride) with one. Had no previous long rides. Man, that water bag gave me new legs.

Try some of the stuff they have in Bike shops to give some taste and energy to the water. If you choose the mixes carefully, you won't glow in the dark or anything!

I like the idea of attaching it to the lifejacket, as long as it won't make you go face down if you land in the water. Maybe put it on the front? (I realize it would be less convenient)

it's full of water so it has neutral bouyancy in the water -it shouldn't affect the life jacket's righting moment. Besides, most of the life jackets we use will not orient you face up anyway (try it). I always bleed the air out of my camelback after filling it so it doesn't slosh and disturb the beautiful wooshing wind and water sounds.

As far as the rules go - I can identify with it...I mean what's next? A jacket full of lead to give more righting moment? Granted, I think an exclusion should be made for camelbacks given that they fall below a certain weight or volume limit.

Another thought is to partially fill with liquid the night before and throw it in the freezer, laying it flat so it hardens with the flat on your back... side. (no other way of saying it.)

Then top it off before you go. You'll have a full day of icewater. We used to do that for hang gliding excursions.

You don't ingest lead to stay alive in the heat of a windless day. Your body isn't composed of 80% lead.

Although, thats probably what happened. Some jackass filled his camelpack fulla buckshot and when he got back to shore after winning a race where the wind was blowing the dogs off chains, he accidentally dropped the pack on the RC's foot.

This is from the ISAF web site
here


This was from the November 1996 Centerboard Boat Committee meeting minutes. The prohibition was placed in the 1997 rule book when they dropped the clothing weight limit from 15kg to 8kg.

The problem with water jackets is not while you are in the water. It's when you try to get out of the water that there's a problem. Anybody that's gone for a swim in a leaky drysuit can attest to that.

Inanity.

Thumbs down to that one.

Maybe I should get my non-class legal carbon camel pack and really break the rules, what a renegade I'd be!

I think you need a little backround on the prohibition of water ballast. Water ballast was outlawed because dingy sailors were carying water ballast on boats that required hiking like the fin and laser. A signifigant fraction of them incurred knee injury due to the extra leverage and strain. ISAF banned water ballast to stop this. Next people started wearing 3 or 4 sweatshirts over their other gear so they got wet and were ballast. Same problem. To counteract that, a maximum wet weight for all clothing was enacted.
When camelbacks were first becoming popular Isaf spesificly outlawed them except in windsurfing, because they are considered water ballast. In distance racing people have been looking the other way for years. I do believe NORs for distance race should alow camebacks, but should set a reasonable weight limit, maby 70 oz.

Now if you are wondering if a camelback could realy help out, on an A class cat, a 128 oz camelback on a 160 lb sailor increases righting moment by ~6%. Something to think about.

For buoys racing I have a hard time justifying why you need a camelback. On the otherhand, multihull sailors were not the ones the rule was enacted to protect

Eric

You obviously haven't been stuck on a race course in the middle of a august afternoon on a North Carolina Lake.

In full gear.

While a canteen or other gear is nice, I've already lost three overboard. I've clipped them into the tramp lacing and everything but it gets hairy when its time to drink up.

Outlawing wetjackets and the like is fine, they don't serve an alternate purpose like a camelpack does.

If people are concerned that I'm going to outweigh them on the rail, then I'll go ahead and drink the equivalent of a load of bricks before the races and hold it.

Plus, my diabetic condition makes me more thirsty than your average competitor. I drained a 200oz bladder in under 2 hours.

OK so why not get breast implants? Get the surgeon to insert empty ones and then you just fill em with water...

Is that legal?


Regards

Mrs Doubtfire

Anybody read the Worrell 1000, Atlantic 1000 or Great TX rules?

"BLADDER PACKS

One (1) liquid filled bladder or similar device (commonly called a “Camelbak”) with a capacity not exceeding seventy (70) liquid ounces may be worn by each sailing team member for the purpose of liquid consumption. These devices shall not serve as Crew Weight as defined by Rule 20"

The exact same rule is posted in the Great TX SI's/Rules.

The Atlantic 1k states it a little different, but same rule anyway.

"7.3 The combined weight of the sailing crew shall be a minimum of 325 pounds. Crews not meeting minimum weight requirements may elect, at the discretion and approval of the Race Committee, to place weights on the front beam of the race boat. No other additional weight with the exception of prescribed equipment and 5 pounds of potable liquid per crew member, contained in bottles or “bladder” type packs will be allowed" (The Atlantic and TX races allow 4.55lbs of water)

By the time you put all your required gear (VHF, EPIRB, knife, whistle, strobe, GPS(s), Cliff bar(s), multi tool, spare parts) on your person, the thing feels like a weight vest.

I think the best configuration I have worn has been with the pack stitched to the life jacket. I know a few that wear it under their PFD, but I think the stitched version is a better deal. You will be hard pressed to find any serious distance sailor that does not routinely wear one.

Depending on the weather, 1 or 2 32oz Gatorades and 1-2 16oz waters on a typical buoys day. Don't think I've ever lost one while on the water.

Read the way this is worded, "Weight and water jackets for the purpose of adding personal ballast are not permitted, shall not be considered clothing or equipment, and shall not be allowed for meeting minimum crew weight"

They are saying you cannot carry it to make weight. "adding personal ballast" is the key.

What's an EPIRB?

I think water jackets are fairly common in dingy racing; not sure what the rationale for this rule is on cats.

Speaking of a convenience item worth it's price! EPIRB = Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon.

It's an emergency transmitter. Originally they used to send out a homing signal on emergency frequencies that were monitored by aircraft. Since the modern satellite area, in addition to the homing beacon, they communicate with the satellites to get the distress signal to the coast guard. There are different types; some even interface with or contain a GPS to send out exact positional data; some work only in coastal waters (these are being discontinued), some out to sea and all over the place. Even backpackers and hikers are beginning to carry them.

Water jackets used to be common in dinghy racing until they were banned by ISAF in 1997. See the posts above.

Jake

Are they the same as aircraft ELT's (Emergency Locator Transmitter) in that they transmit on 121.5 (aircraft band) and I believe double that on 243?

We monitor that freq on our second VHF on our aircraft. We (and everyone else) refer to it as "On guard".

The reason I ask is that when we hear an ELT signal we automatically assume it is an aircraft, so this is a different twist.

I have seen those transmitters somewhere in a boating store, but I didn't notice what freq they were on.