Big Cutout in Deck – Chief Measurer’s Ruling

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The Chief Measurer ruled on an issue arising in AUS. The ruling is probably the right end result, but I question the basis of his logic, and the meaning of the governing class rules.

Rule C.7.1(d):

Holes not bigger than necessary for the installation of fittings and passage of lines may be made in the deck, bulkheads, knees or thwarts.

The Chief Measurer says the hole is not a fitting installation or a suitably-sized hole for a line. Based on what criteria? It seems apparent to me that the jib sheet turning block is a fitting and it is installed on the boat. The block is floating within the hole and (I assume) needs the size of the hole to cover the range of motion of the jib sheet bullseye. This seems to fit the criterion stated by the rule. The deck hole is put there with the function of supporting and enabling the fitting installation.

It seems as though his ruling in this case is arbitrary based on the wording of the class rule. Outlawing this type of installation should be accomplished with a more specific rule.

This subject applies also to the jib track system that Andrew Palfrey has designed and is selling. Andrew believes the “rulings” documented here and here prevent recessing the jib tracks into the cuddy. While it may be a good idea to prevent the tracks from being recessed into the cuddy, there are several issues that arise here.

1. Several fittings are already recessed inside the deck mold line, such as:
   • Jib tracks have been recessed into pockets molded into the side decks (below the mold line) in recent boats.
   • Mainsail traveller tracks are now recessed into a pocket in the aft deck.
   • Several jib control fittings are recessed into pockets in the cuddy
   • The spinnaker halyard is often recessed into a pocket molded into the top of the cuddy.
2. The only place this ruling is documented is in a news post on the class website. Shouldn’t rulings like this be documented in the rules, maybe in a document that is traced to the rules and with discussion from the ODTC?

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