The Wayfarer Nationals Notice of Race says that competitors must present a valid measurement certificate with a current buoyancy endorsement at registration. This documentation is checked at every Poole Week.
The first Wayfarer I owned initially had no certificate. I found no major difficulty or costs involved in getting it measured apart from passing the buoyancy test, which was needed anyhow for the boat to be seaworthy. This is essential, as if buoyancy tank(s) fill with water the boat is not recoverable without outside assistance/rescue. This is obviously a hazard to the crew and ties up safety boats which need to be available to assist others.
@kgough wrote:
I was once told (by a measurer) that my rudder was illegal because it was rounded at the tip, not within 5mm of the tolerances or something like that – due either to shark bites or being dragged up the beach – take your pick) – but definitely not some kind of tweaking to increase speed. There was no way I was going to shell out a new rudder just to be race legal for opens – so that was the end of that.
Repairs to foil shapes can easily be made e.g. by rebuilding the tip using filler, or glueing on a small piece of wood to replace what has worn away and sanding it to shape. It is quite possible to go racing on a limited budget. Usually measurement issues only require minor changes to be made that are not expensive. For the buoyancy test, once it has been passed initially, it should be possible to maintain it without too much difficulty. Admittedly it does help to be part of a club with a large Wayfarer fleet, with people who can assist with the easiest way to resolve any problems, however you can also ask for advice from class measurers.
To get back to the original question about getting club sailors to support open meetings, in my opinion it is important not to stage events that may be too challenging for all but the most expert racers (I am thinking multiple races on the open sea). Hopefully the ‘estuary conditions’ Nationals at Poole Week with its round-the-harbour type courses will be more accessible. Secondly, running race training would increase racing numbers.
Dave8181