F.3.3 (a) (11) Main Halyard Lock – Etchells Class Fumbles Again

[MattAdministrator]

A recent posting to the Etchells IECA website discusses the main halyard lock. The posting implies that someone is using or considering a main halyard lock made from “exotic” materials. First of all, I hate the halyard lock and think it is a complication not worth the trouble. But, it was Skip Etchells’ pet peeve to eliminate compression on the mast, and maybe also to eliminate “headboard droop” due to halyard stretch, and so it is part of our rules. And, since we are forced to live with it, I am probably opposed to seeing the halyard lock made from anything other than stainless steel or titanium alloy found in the standard, commercially available main halyard locks. BUT, if the class wants to restrict the lock material, then the Class OD Rules need to be written in a way to unambiguously specify the lock. There are a number of ways of accomplishing this. The current rule is insufficient (see below).

Furthermore, any Class postings need to clarify and reinforce the rules as they are written in the official rulebook. If there are going to be interpretations of the rules duly made in accordance with official Class procedures for interpreting the rules, these interpretations need to be codified and documented by the class leadership in a manner that boat owners can access now and into the future, not by ambiguous posting on the class website. This is just how it needs to be done. Anything else is slipshod and introduces unfairness.

After reviewing the International Etchells Class Rules, I believe the subject posting is out of order, as discussed further below. The class should first be looking to the ODTC to provide clarity to this matter, probably with a more definitive rule.

Some problems I see with the message of the post on the IECA website are:

1. The Class Rules mention the main halyard lock exactly once, in section F.3.3 (a) (11). And, with such a sparsely written requirement (what is the requirement?) one cannot differentiate the main halyard lock from a “widget.” This is a problem.
2. The only “specification” for the main halyard lock that I can find is listed on the spar drawing (see the attached thumbnail sketch). But, this drawing is not referenced at all by the class rules, so to me there is a question of whether the drawing counts as a source for requirements. This lack of traceability with the rules is the subject discussed in other topics. But, to the point, the spar drawing states that the design of the lock is optional! In my book, if the design is optional, the material is optional as well. The material choice is part of the design!
3. To the class measurer’s point, what, exactly, is an “exotic” material??? The word “exotic” does not appear anywhere in the class rules, nor does “exotic” appear anywhere in World Sailing’s Equipment Rules of Sailing. There are a couple notes on the spar drawing referencing exotic material. But, “exotic material” is not defined, and the first relevant drawing note appears to be discussing specifically the composition of the aluminum alloy used in the spars.
4. Materials are regulated in many sections of the Etchells Class Rules. Nowhere can I find a prohibition (or permission) for the material(s) used for the main halyard lock. Titanium halyard locks have been available for years. The titanium alloy ones are more expensive than the stainless steel ones, but supposedly the Ti ones don’t wear out as fast as the stainless steel ones. But, the Ti ones are a little bit lighter weight and some people consider titanium an exotic material. Is the Class Measurer now saying that the titanium locks are not permitted after all these years of use?
   1. In fact, since our halyard lock rule is found within section F.3 of the rulebook, one could surmise that any lock not made from 6061-T6 aluminum is illegal, since the material requirement for the whole section F.3 only permits that material (or the highly exotic HV-90WP, which is one of the unobtanium alloys!). While the F.3.1 material section in this instance is specified as applying to the “spar,” World Sailing’s official definition of a “spar” includes its fittings (see ERS F.1.3). So, as you can see, the class rules really unravel fast when they are looked at closely.
5. Furthermore to the material topic… There is a section in the Class Rules on mast materials – see F.3.1. You would think if a part of the mast (the main halyard lock) had a restriction on materials, it would be described in F.3.1, no?
6. Why is the Class unable to explain what the story here is? Why does the Class continue to put out vague missives to the world that don’t mean anything except to the one person involved?
7. The Class leaders should recognize the fragile state of the class rules and put in place a process to revise and strengthen them for the future generations of Etchells sailors.

 

[MattAdministratorAdministrator]

I did receive an e-mail about this topic from one of the Etchells builders, who stated:

Apparently some (main halyard locks -eds.) have been either rumoured to be (or actually) made from carbon. There are some fibreglass ones around, but the glass ones I have seen are not carbon.

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