Carbon

[Colin Parkstone]

With the use of carbon in cleats and fittings in our boats today,
do we think it would a good time to change the rules with regards to the use of carbon in spi poles and tillers.

With the use of a twin pole spi system on one of the leading boats at the championships,be it in noisy alloy and the ready availability of carbon tube for lots of purposes at a fair price,carbon is not the expensive item it ones was.

It can be repaired, is helpfully light to handle and can be worked by most people.

Now do not think this is a thin edge of a wedge,I do not want booms and masts made out of the stuff for our boat,
Not! what the Wayfarer is about to me!

It just maybe a time with the new boat with us and looking so modern that some of the extras could be due for a re think?

CP ❓

[88]

If you look around the fleet you will see carbon tiller extensions already so going to tillers and spi poles is not going to break the bank when it comes to replacements.

[Fantasia]

I like the sound of this, but I can see little performance benefit – maybe just trendy gadgets? Carbon spin poles would be a bit more crew friendly and quieter, but would probably require a rule change before introduction.

[Colin Parkstone]

Are John, you have worked it out!!!

Yep!,trendy gadgets our what we all like for our boats, I would like it seen as an option,rather than a performance enhancment.

Carbon spi poles would be very crew friendly, and not that it maters,does it float?

Rules changes would be needed yes! Anyone able to say when and what the time is to do this ? Bet the Dutch Veg Man can say!

CP 🙂

[Swiebertje]

Didn’t we vote on this in 2003 or was it 2004? I seem to remember Mike Mac making a good argument against carbon fiber at the AGM. Or was that only about the mast and different bending characteristics? Or was it that we don’t want to force people to spend their money on a hype? I seem to remember you were present at that meeting too Colin? 🙄

[Colin Parkstone]

That may be true and I may have been at a meeting but time moves on.

The Hype as you call it has become the norm for so many classes and fittings are being made of all kinds of materials now, what was once exotic is now the norm.

We have no need to shy away from new things, 🙄 look what a success the new boat has been!!!

As you have read in my post before,I am not talking about masts and booms. It is the fittings that I feel the class could consider being open too and people will not be forced, as you say into using them.

We all do things and sail in differing ways and as we sail a restricted class boat and not a one design boat we have the option to differ as a look around the dinghy park will show.
CP

[Colin Parkstone]

491 views of this post.

More views would be handy for me to know if I am wasting my time ?

Thanks

C P 😕

[Dave Bevan]

I’d have one if it meant my crew didn’t bash the deck each time he launched the pole 🙄

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