F18: Info on SI Sails issue
The Formula 18 Class has issued an Emergency Ruling regarding SI sails issue at Balaton.
https://www.f18-international.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=144:emergency-ruling&catid=1:headlines-
These Facts are a brief resume taking the feedback of Pim Niewenhuis, Alex Udin and the actions held at Balaton by the Class:
#Sail Innovation has been using these polyester patches (No carbon or exotic material at all) for a while.
#No official protest was presented at any previous event.
#Pim says that SI has been warned before on this matter.
#Sail Innovation sent a request to add these cloth to the list of cloths in 2009 , these cloths remain off the list.
# The F18 Class TC is formed by many sailmakers (Ullman, Performance, Goodall) for ie SI and Landenberger are not part of this commitee
# At Balaton the SI issue was raised by a member of the TC during the TC meeting, held on Monday afternoon, when registration was closed by Sunday, and all sail sets used by competitors duly stamped, and measurement certificates checked.
#Pim Nieuwenhuis – NED 1910 lodged to the International Jury, IF18CA Chief Measurer, IM and Organizing Committee a written request, not a protest, on Thursday morning, the day before the finals.
# Sail Innovation representative was requested to give clarification by Thursday 1:00 PM deadline in order to check all sails used by FRA 36, NED 007, FRA 004 and FRA 33 were actually built complying to IF18CA Class Rules, including Sailcloth Appendix.
Alex Udin did recognize in writing the use of DP PSA XI in building the mentioned sails.
# Event measurer, did immediately transmit a report to the Race Committee, according to RRS 78.3.
# The Class chairman finally address a letter to the RO kindly asking him to act as prescribed by the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS 60.2)
# The RO lodged at last a protest on Friday morning, before the final races, and the hearing has been lead once the Championship being fully completed.
The IJ judging the sailors being not guilty, and taking no penalty accordingly as it would have invalid all the RC work of the whole week as mentioned in PRO arguments.
The F18 Class acted within the rules, the issues were reported onsite with the event running at Balaton.
The SI patches are not carbon or any other exotic material, as some false reports said but they are not on the list. They are polyester based made fibres.
SI has recognized at Balaton the use of these patches on those specific sails and also has fully colaborate with the class identifiying the serial numbers as not all sails from SI have these patches (see link above for a list).
SI has reported some not allowed patches on other sailmakers sails, report being analyzed by the class.
A sail with cloths not on the approved list cannot be certified. And this applies to any sailmaker.
Not all sails from SI are using these patches, please check the list at the Class website. Link below.
Of course this is not a good situation but is better to inform in a clear way than having people accusing the class on false statements and without the whole picture.
If you need further data, please contact your local F18 country Chairman or the IF18CA itself www.f18-international.org , I can forward you also to them if you need further info.
This is an informative report on my behalf.
The official statement for the class is the one linked above: https://www.f18-international.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=144:emergency-ruling&catid=1:headlines-
