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Balloting in March to Decide Fate of Sail Acquisition Rules

Latest on Proposed Rule Change…

From IECA website Dec 17, 2019

The Special General Meeting of the International Etchells Class Association was held on December 7, 2019. The required quorum was established to open the meeting.

Two changes to the Class Rules were proposed and discussed by those present. The changes include the addition of a sail royalty of $50USD for each new Etchells sail and the elimination of the annual sail acquisition limitation. A byproduct of this second change would be the elimination of the sail card as is presently in use.

Both proposed changes were approved by straw votes of 36 in favor, 1 against. With the majority approval, the proposals will be forwarded by electronic ballot in March, 2020 to all eligible voters for consideration. Any change in the Class Rules will only go into effect with approval by at least 2/3 of the votes submitted.

The proposed rule change introduces several conflicts into the rules – both Class and Association Rules. Hopefully, the class leaders use the time prior to the March balloting to resolve these conflicts; irregardless of whether they are ticky-tack, minor, or significant (see amplifying discussion below).

See below for more background…

The IECA website recently posted a proposed Etchells Class rule change that eliminates sail acquisition restrictions for the Etchells class.  The Class initially did not provided much information to the general membership on this proposed change (see subsequent supporting discussions reproduced in comment sections below -eds), and this seems like a big change that deserves a lot more discussion.

The submission puts forward three proposed changes to the Class Rules.

  1. Eliminate Annual sail acquisition limitations (delete Class Rules C.10.3 and section H.1)
  2. Eliminate the use/need of sail cards
  3. Add a sail royalty requirement (proposed addition of G.2.2(b) as follows: 
    • Effective January 1, 2020, a unique IECA sail royalty tag must be permanently affixed to every new sail near the tack for mainsails and jibs and in the head for spinnakers.
    • It is the obligation of the sailmaker to buy these sail royalty tags from the IECA Office at a price approved by the IGC from time to time for each sail. 
    • It is not an Etchells sail unless the sail royalty appears thereon.
    • Royalty tags shall not be transferred from one sail to another.

On the face of it, this proposed rule change simplifies the Class Rules by eliminating whole sections of the rules. But it seems that this change will further exacerbate the growing inequality in the class by permitting the well-heeled and elite sailors to further refine and enhance their sail wardrobes, while the mid-fleet sailors are left in their wake. On the other hand, the elite sailors and well-funded programs get around the sail limit rule by owning multiple boats. In any event, the issue likely will be up for a vote of the membership in December, so keep an eye here for future developments.

Apparently, several boat owners who sail many sanctioned regattas during the year feel disadvantaged by the current 6 new sails per year limit. But, since there is no information or discussion of the merits of the proposal (since this post was 1st written, supporting discussions by Jud Smith, Skip Dieball, Chris Hampton and others were distributed, and are reproduced below in the comment sections. -eds), the full intent of the change proposal, and any other options considered, are largely unknown. The initial dearth of information has changed, although there class has not published any arguments from anyone opposed to these changes. (I am not sure it is a good idea that IECA is advocating for a rule change, especially one the grows their role and gives them more money.) A potentially positive aspect of this rule change for the club racers could be that more used, but serviceable, sails might make it to the 2nd-hand market as the elite sailors run through their sail wardrobes.

Since the whole goal of the sail limit rule is to provide for fair racing, I can see that the boats that sail many, many regattas can wear out sails faster than others and could feel they are at a disadvantage, unless they own multiple boats. Countering Skip Dieball’s arguments, there are alternatives to eliminating the sail card.

  • Maybe we allow owners to buy “extra” sails for the Worlds.
  • Or maybe we take account or sail usage and award points to a sail every time it is used in a race – “frequent racer awards.”  
    • When the points get to a set number; say 15 or 20; the sail can be replaced.
    • I am not sure how this would be managed and if one accounts for sail changes during a race, but if that could be worked out the idea might level the playing field.
  • Alternatively, maybe it is not necessary to manage the sail usage… maybe every 15 or 20 races with the boat, you get an opportunity to buy a new jib for the boat, every 30 or 40 races you get to buy a new spinnaker and a mainsail – or something like that. I am not sure what the specific usage numbers should be, but the owner gets to manage the sails however he/she wants, and this encourages more sailing, at least for those who can afford to buy sails at will.

So, these, and probably several other options are available short of throwing away the whole rule, which has been in place for a while now and which has been a rule that has attracted new people to the class.

This proposed change to eliminate altogether the sail restrictions really benefits only the elite 5% of the class that are competitive in the big, sanctioned regattas.  The 50% that only sail club races don’t really care about the sail wardrobe arms race because they do not intend to sail in those regattas.  It is the remaining 30% or 40% that race both club and sanctioned regattas that probably will be most adversely affected by this rule change. These racers don’t have the time or resources or inclination or the skill to put unlimited effort to win the regattas. So, will they drop out rather than continue?

The Etchells was born to provide a lower cost alternative to the 5.5 meter International Class used in the Olympics, a boat which had become unaffordable for most people and therefore limited participation. So, for the class to change a rule that will make sails more expensive (the royalty fee), and encourage purchasing even more suits to remain competitive, seems like a change in the wrong direction. The other argument might be that, for those that sail all the sanctioned regattas around the world, the 6 sail limit does not allow them to be competitive with boats that are able to sail with new sails in a series.

So, is this proposed rule change a good idea for the class?  If a goal of the Etchells class is to keep the costs of campaigning a small keelboat within the reach of everyman, then this rule change seem to go in the opposite direction. The top couple of boats probably are always going to put in an extraordinary effort to win the Worlds. How far down in the finish order will this effort be seen? It seems to me like this change will be one more factor that allows the elite sailors to further separate themselves from the majority of the class who cannot or will not buy that many sails during a year.  Will this rule change improve the situation?  I think it will be one more reason why mid-level, amateur sailors will give up sailing in the big sanctioned regattas.  But it gives the elite sailors with unlimited budgets one more area to tweak to hopefully gain an advantage.  And, maybe the existing sail limit rule does not adequately level the playing field, anyway.

On the administrative side, I note several areas where the proposed rule change seems to depart from IECA Rules, and is even inconsistent within itself:

  1. The proposed change states the “effective date” for the rule is January 1, 2020.  Is the 2020 a typo? The Class must mean “Effective January 1, 2021.”  Usually, the voting period ends (well before) before a new rule goes into effect.  By the stated schedule in the change proposal, the voting ends at the earliest, on January 6, 2020, which for the math-challenged is 5 days after the new rule is scheduled to go into effect.  Plus, there is absolutely no chance that World Sailing can approve a rule change by January 1, 2020.  The effective date cannot be before the new rules are approved.
  2.  I read IECA Rule 10A as meaning the Class Rules (the One-Design Rules) fall under the change process defined in the IECA Rules for the IECA Rules themselves (i.e., IECA Rules 13 and 14).  Therefore, IECA Rules 13 and 14 also govern how the Class Rule change process is supposed to work.  So, I read in IECA Rule 13 that members are entitled to 45 days for voting. The proposed amendment announcement on the website states 30 days will be provided to vote on this rule change.  The 30 days seems “out of order.”
    • Furthermore, IECA Rule 14 is pretty specific on how the ballots can be delivered to each member and when the 45-day timing period starts whenever electronic communications are used.  Assuming that at least some members do not get electronic communications and rely on mail, there is another 7 day buffer in the voting window for those members.
  3. According my reading of IECA Rule 13D, amendments to the Class Rules become effective on March 1 following the date the rule change gains final approval (including approval by World Sailing).  The January 1, 2020 effective date seems out of order for a couple reasons.  Maybe there is a way to have an alternate date, again that would be interesting to know.  World Sailing requires the class to provide an effective date for any rule change; I think the March 1 date specified in the IECA Rules fulfills that requirement.
  4. Apparently, the Class intends to vote each of the three rule changes up or down independently. Divvying them up makes little sense and, as a minimum, change 1 and 2 should be combined into a single change. What happens if Change 1 is rejected, but Change 2 is approved? That would prevent recording and tracking sail acquisitions. And, it would probably be best if all 3 changes were combined into one single change proposal to be voted up or down as a whole.
  5. This rule change will have an impact on Appendix A (Rules Governing the World Championship and other Sanctioned Events as Applicable), section 9. The impact should be formulated and voted on at the same time. IECA has put forward nothing in this regard. Also, if the class is thinking of re-working sail limits for sanctioned regattas to be more like the Dragon class, for example, that would need to be worked into this document.
  6. The “Association Rules” paragraph 5A specifies IECA income is derived only from member subscription dues (and para. 5D specifies income from an initial hull build fee). As I see it, the Association Rules currently do not allow for the possibility of income from sail royalties. I note that the J/70 class constitution is written more inclusively regarding income sources to allow royalties, and anything else they find appropriate. (Note, I am not in favor of a J/70 style constitution, but the Etchells Association Rules do need plenty of work.)
  7. The Association Rules define the roles and responsibilities of the IECA and the IGC. Those are currently very narrowly defined – mostly related to maintaining the one-design rules and interacting with World Sailing. The IECA is suggesting many new initiatives will be conducted with the income from the royalties. The Association Rules do not give the IECA or the IGC any authority to conduct the various development initiatives that the class is suggesting in Chairman Jim’s recent e-mail to us in North America. This is probably a controversial subject, as I suspect the IGC think they can do anything they want. It may be true that the boards of corporations can do almost anything they want in directing their corporation; however, boards of organizations like IECA (and Yacht Clubs, and Churches, etc.) can only do what their constitution and bylaws explicitly state they can do — and then only when their members further authorize the board to proceed. The IECA exists to serve its members. The roles of an association are explicitly stated in its constitution and bylaws, or in the case of IECA, in our Association Rules, which are published on the IECA website. It it is not stated, then the association cannot do it. As I see it, the only roles stated for IECA are to maintain the one-design integrity of the class, interact with World Sailing, set forth the rules for championship regattas, and manage the association. There is no mention anywhere of class development. So, a change is needed to these rules to add that responsibility, and stipulate how it is managed, reported, and kept from getting out of control.These initiatives are not supported by the current rules. IECA has not proposed a rule change which would be necessary to expand the roles of IECA.
  8. Any initiative proposed by the IGC or IECA needs to be approved by the membership, as is routine for a deliberative association, such as IECA. The Association Rules currently are silent on the process. The implication of the sail royalty proposal is that the class wants to raise $30,000 annually to sponsor youth teams, coaching sessions, advertising, etc. — whatever the IGC decides. Maybe these are all great ideas. But, the membership must have a say whenever (the members’) money is being committed. The Association Rules currently don’t have a mechanism for this today. Does your Yacht Club, or church, or neighborhood association give the governors/directors of that organization free reign to do what they want with the money? No, the governors usually put together a proposal and budget, and the members vote on it. Each and every initiative goes through the same process, most likely. The current Association Rules do not have this key mechanism in place, except for IGC election and rule changes.
  9. The IECA is supposed to act as a neutral facilitator in seeing to it that the majority of its members wishes are followed. However, with this proposed rule change, the IGC is clearly advocating for the rule change. The IGC have used the facilities of the class to send out only pro-change e-mails and postings on the website. There are no countering views provided – I am sure there are some governors who have reservations. This is an unfortunate subversion of the purpose of IECA to serve its members, and it is unfair to those members who are opposed to, or neutral on, the rule change.
  10. Finally, I think Jud Smith’s e-mail on this subject best describes the situation – the other written stuff is just chaff. Clearly, most elite Etchells programs get around the current sail limits. At the other end of the spectrum, club racers don’t care as they don’t buy that many sails. So, there is a small group who sail a lot, and who own only 1 boat who might be adversely affected by the current sail limit rule. For them, we can eliminate the sail card, etc. or we could make the sail acquisition trigger based on a number of times the sail is used instead of on a 12 months time basis. In any event, we are spending a lot of effort on a change that likely does not matter to a majority of Etchells sailors. When instead, the IGC should be working on the really hard problem of figuring out how to get new, amateur sailors hooked on the Etchells. Intimately tied to this is how to make the class work both for the elite sailors, as well as for the weekend warriors and casual club sailors. I doubt very much that $30,000 of sail royalties will make much of dent in solving this problem.

Maybe these issues are just an oversight by those sponsoring this rule change, or maybe I am misreading the Association Rules.  But either way, I am interested to know why the latest rule change process appears to be a departure from the process specified by the published IECA Rules. Or, alternatively, why the class is not providing rule changes to the Association Rules and the Championship Rules to allow these proposed Class Rule changes to go forward and be compliant with the various rules.

Based on how the rule changes from last year have been implemented, I don’t hold out much faith that the class will follow its own rules.  The class needs to keep in mind that sailboat racing is a game only because we have rules; no rules – no game.

Comments?

8 thoughts on “Balloting in March to Decide Fate of Sail Acquisition Rules”

  1. IECA Exec. Secretary

    All Active CAN and USA Etchells members,

    Class member feedback on the proposed rule changes.

    Regards,
    Sherri Campbell
    US Etchells Class Secretary

    *****************************************************

    Proposed Rule Changes – Member Feedback

    We thank Class Members for providing comments on the proposed rule changes. With these members approval we have reproduced their comments below.

    We have now distributed the following:
    Rationale for removal of the Annual Sail Acquisition Limit from Chris Hampton, IECA Vice Chairman;
    Need for Sail Royalty Income from Jim Cunningham, IECA Chairman;
    Proposed system for Sail Measurement from Andrew Palfrey, Class Governor;
    Sailmakers perspective from both North Sails and Doyle Sails;
    Member Feedback

    We reaffirm that the proposed rule changes have the overwhelming support of the Class Governors and advise that this is the last posting before the December 7 Special General Meeting.

    We hope you have had a chance to review the information and familiarize yourselves with the issues and perspectives presented.

    Jim Cunningham
    IECA Chairman

    ——————————————————————————————————

    Member Feedback – Thoughts and Perspectives on the Proposed Rules Changes

    The comments and views included here are representative of all the input we have received and we appreciate these member contributions to the discussion through their shared experiences and perspectives.

    Graham Bailey – Accomplished UK sailor with experience in the Etchells and Dragon classes
    I am pleased to be of some assistance and have always shared a deep interest in the class, having started racing Etchells with H over 27 years ago (maybe more?).

    By way of background: I have won the Edinburgh Cup 3 times (Dragon British Championship) and the British Etchells Nationals once so far. I have been on the International Dragon Association Technical Committee for fifteen years and chaired it for three years, delivering electric pumps and vacuum infused construction.

    As with any proposed rule change, the concern is as to unintended consequences, so the Dragon experience may be a good reference.

    Dragons have no restriction on the number of sails a team can buy.
    Each sail has to have a permanently fixed IDA royalty label which are bought from the IDA secretary. 2019 price is £45 per sail (note also that masts have a similar requirement at £20 per mast label)
    No more than 2 spinnakers can be carried on board whilst racing.
    No more than 8 sails measured in for a championship
    With no restriction on the number of sails, the question is whether this has led to an arms-race. The Dragon circuit has no shortage of high-budget teams. Whilst occasionally some have been said to turn up with their own tweaks to a sail design, by and large, the development has plateaued and anyone can buy the same sail as Lawrie Smith or Andy Beadsworth or the Russians etc, so the big budget teams are not managing to develop sails that are not available to the rest of us. Accordingly there is no arms-race in the development sense.

    The only question is whether enabling teams to turn up with new sails for every regatta will somehow harm the class. It seems to be no issue in the Dragons. At the main events all contenders turn up with good sails and nobody feels out-gunned.

    The great thing about the high budget teams is that their trailer boxes fill up over the season and so lower budget teams (like ours) can buy very good sails second hand. We have taken national events and races at big international events using second-hand sails.

    I am sure you will have healthy debates, but removing the sail card looks straightforward.

    Sherwood Kelley – Long-standing (40 years) Corinthian member – USA 1092 – San Diego Fleet

    This proposal is really a request for exoneration and regularization of rules that have been openly ignored for the last 10+ years. It is of value that individuals who have felt this behavior to be necessary to be competitive have come forward with a desire to fix this problem. These rules were set 50 years ago, and the Class thrived under them for many of those years when cost limits contributed to Class growth. That said, Jud is correct that the Class is not “your father’s Etchells Class anymore”, and those who now make up the Class should set rules they are willing to follow. They should also consider other electronic and manufacturing materials changes currently available.
    The main response to those who still think that restricting sail acquisitions builds class participation and new members is that it no longer does. It may have worked at one time, but there are other issues now.
    My view after 40 years in the Class: (a) set no limits on sail acquisition; (b) use measurement aka “royalty” buttons which are numbered and recorded by the sailmaker in an encrypted Class-controlled file; (c) sail with whatever sails are on file in sanctioned events, pre designated on participant’s entry form, ie, no more sail measuring at an event; (d) allow event administrators to determine sail restrictions, thus giving consideration to light or heavy air venues.

    Ian Trotter – Corinthian member – San Diego Fleet
    From personal experience in the 2017 worlds, we were not thinking we were going at the end of 2016 and we ordered a couple sails, by the time it got here and we carded those sails and another used one it was too late of be carded for 2016. When we decided to go to the 2017 worlds we were down to being able to only card 3 sails. Being San Francisco we needed more than that and it forced us to have to stick with a couple old sails and leave two brand new ones in the box uncarded. We don’t own two boats and we follow the rules and card everything. This forced us to not be as competitive as we wanted for the worlds while other boats were fully stacked with a full new inventory. I know poor planning does not make a good excuse but the way the card has worked did not favor the “Regular” non-pro boats like us.

    I sailed in the J24 fleet for years. With no limitations and only royalties I would purchase a full set of sails (main, genoa, jib, kite) and sail those sail for a couple regattas and then sell the entire set at a good discount and then purchase another full set. This helped boats that could not normally afford a full new set be able to get a very competitive set for a good price and I then had a new set again. I never ended up with a box full of sails and the rest of the fleet benefited from this. I also never had to worry about what happens when you ruin a sail and your card is full. Also, when the J24 class allowed for better materials the genoa lasted longer making for less wasted money and sails, it also brought the costs down and made selling them used a much better deal for the second owner.

    Gary Bunyard – Corinthian member – AUS 747 – Melbourne Fleet

    Whilst an experienced sailor I am relatively new the Etchells Class and compete primarily at Club level on a restricted budget.

    Our sails are nearing the end of their useful life. Notwithstanding we derive much satisfaction matching the performance of much better equipped boats at Club level and are of the view that our greatest percentage gains will be achieved through skills development and practice.

    We have no concern with the proposed withdrawal of the sail acquisition limit but consider that we will benefit greatly from the ability to acquire ex regatta sails in good condition from well funded teams at a large discount to new price.

    Eric Doyle – North Sails and long-standing Etchells sailor – San Diego Fleet

    I am in full support of getting rid of the sail card and putting royalties on the Etchells sails. Either the Star buttons or cloth stickers work well. It is not easy to transfer from one sail to another and if the class numbers the royalty sequentially, one can make sure that they do not end up on different sails for multiple regattas. The cloth stickers would be a better option for spinnakers.

    The class should include in their new rules that all sails used during any Etchells event must have a royalty button attached to it. We attach royalties to every single sail that leaves the loft in classes which require them. This ensures that even if the sail gets re-sold as a used sail to a different owner, the sail will be legal for any class race. We build the cost of the royalty into the overall price of the sail.

    We purchase the royalties directly from the class offices and generally supply a purchase order number that we must pay within 30 days. We generally buy in bulk and each class keeps records of what each sailmaker buys during the calendar year. This is a great indicator of how the class is doing overall and can be very useful to indicate trends in the class, both good and bad.

    Matt Reid – Tom Abrey’s “Jolly Roger, GBR 1352” Team – 2019 UK National Champs and winners of the inaugural Champion of Champions series on the Solent – Cowes Fleet
    We’ve had a good year on Jolly Roger…. I’d say it’s just down to consistent sailing throughout the last few years.

    So, an insight to our sail wardrobe. This year we acquired a main and two jibs that have sailed the whole season. Spinnaker-wise, we were running 2017’s which have now done 3 seasons. We also used just one main for the 2016, 17 and 18 season, but that was pushing it and you then run into issues like batten pocket failure. We only acquire 2-3 sails per year for the Cowes summer racing.

    So you can see our sail acquisition is under half of the quota, relaxing this limit would make no difference to us in Cowes.

    Ruairidh Scott – current J70 World Champion and accomplished Dragon Sailor of many years experience – Sail Designer at North Sails UK

    In my opinion, removing sail card restrictions is a good thing. Sail restrictions penalize people from actually going sailing which has to be a bad thing. Better to allow teams to get better by actually sailing and then getting a new sail when it’s required. The classes which do not restrict sails are the most successful OD classes. J70, Dragon, Melges 24, Star etc

    However an absolute top budget J70 team will buy 1 or 2 mainsail, 3 jibs and 1 kite per year, if they are doing a lot of sailing. The number of jibs is due to the damage that occurs in a bad furl rather than when sailing. This is not a lot and by no measure an arms-race. This is the number of sails we bought this year and did a lot of sailing with those sails.

    Realistically how many mainsails would you go through in an Etchells if there was no restriction? I’d say two at the most for very active teams, once you found the design that worked best for you. The lighter-used of those two would be fine for the following season. I don’t think you would go through many kites either. More jibs possibly, as these could be a bit more venue specific? San Diego vs San Francisco for instance.

    We sell our 2nd-hand sails (in both the Dragon and the J70 classes) on to teams all over Europe at half price or better. This is pretty common with a good 2nd-hand culture being well established. We sell these on when they are still in decent shape so the purchaser gets a good deal. Mains might be a year old but headsails are normally 3-4 regattas old.

    Laurence Mead – 31 years of Etchells sailing, with 7 years as a boat owner – former Fleet Captain of the Cowes Fleet – current Regatta Director of Cowes Week (the UK’s biggest and most prestigious sailing event)

    I previously expressed some skepticism about this change when I heard about it, but it’s true to say that the current system doesn’t work and the proposed rule changes will generate both revenue for the class and hopefully trickle down sails of usable quality.

    I’m happy to support on that basis.

  2. IECA Exec. Secretary

    All Active CAN and USA Etchells members,
    Sailmaker’s perspective from both Doyle Sails and North Sails on the proposed changes to the sail card limitation and the proposed sail royalty.

    Regards,
    Sherri Campbell
    US Etchells Class Secretary

    *************************************************

    Dear members of the Etchells Class,

    The IECA asked both North Sails and Doyle Sailmakers to provide their thoughts and perspectives on the proposed changes to remove the Annual Sail Acquisition Limit and Sail Card as well as the adoption of a sail royalty system. As the primary Sailmakers to the Etchells Class (as well as numerous other One Design classes around the world) they are uniquely positioned to share their insights and experiences.

    Webmaster

    Regarding the Sail Royalty initiative… Maybe a sail royalty is a good idea for the class… soak the elite sailors to pay for class expenses. But…

    This sail royalty rule change should be paired with a companion rule change to the Association Rule #5. Why? Because this royalty is an income source for IECA, thus is in conflict with Association Rule 5A, which essentially states that income may be derived (only) from member dues. Is there a reason the Association Rules did not include royalties in the income provision? In any event, unless there is a change also made to Rule 5 to permit funding from this source, the Royalty is not permitted if the class is to conform to the Association Rules. FYI – I believe the J/70 class states in their organizing rules that a royalty is an income option. Maybe a way around 5A would have the royalties go to the national organizations, and the IECA gets its cut under the same process used currently, if I understand Rule 5A (and assuming IECA is following Rule 5A). But that avenue would need to be explored some more.

    Furthermore, I do not see where the Association Rules empower IECA to conduct the various class development initiatives that were suggested in the IECA President’s earlier e-mail. These initiatives may be a great idea, the Association Rules do not authorize the IGC or IECA to conduct these tasks. The IECA may conduct only those tasks expressly stated in the Association Rules. Maybe “Object” 2D in the Association Rules supports the idea, but elsewhere in the Association Rules the specific language detailing the process for authorizing and executing such tasks, and how they get kicked off and managed, etc. But, there is not a paragraph anywhere in the Association Rules stating that IECA should conduct tasks such as this. Moreover, membership-based organizations usually require the approval of the members to spend $30,000 on anything. The Association Rules are silent on this type of procedure. The Rules need to provide explicit authority to proceed in this area.

    This should not be a big deal to remedy. The Class just needs to put forth some amendments to the Association Rules, as well.

  3. Webmaster

    Here is the proposed sail royalty process. The change-over date process seems to be in conflict with the Association Rules (13D). It would be interesting to know what the royalty fee is for other classes.

    All Active CAN and USA Etchells members,
    Further information on for the implementation of the proposed sail royalty.

    Regards,
    Sherri Campbell
    US Etchells Class Secretary

    ******************************************

    Dear members of the Etchells Class,

    There have been messages released by the IECA over recent days explaining the rationale behind the proposed changes to the Sail Acquisition rules and also why Royalty Fees are required for our class and the plans for what the revenue will be put towards.

    In this message I would like to address plans for the implementation of the Sail Royalty system.

    Several of the one-design classes that have similar systems have been canvassed, as have the sailmakers that service those classes. Their advice and suggestions have been given due thought and adapted to what we think will work best in the Etchells Class.

    Hopefully the points below will provide some clarity.

    • Amount of Royalty:
    • Shall be US$50.00 per Royalty tag.
    • This amount frozen until Jan 1st 2023, after which time the Royalty fee may be reviewed.
  4. How sails are tagged:
    • Every Etchells sail manufactured and/or supplied after the change-over date shall be affixed with tamper-proof cloth Royalty tags prior to leaving the sail loft.
    • These tags shall be affixed via adhesive and stitching. Royalty tags will be printed with a serial number.
    • Royalty tags shall also be signed by the sail-maker with a permanent marker. The signature to extend beyond the tag and onto the sail itself
  5. Certification:
    • By affixing and signing the tag and sail, the Sailmaker certifies that the class sail-royalty fee has been paid for that sail AND that the sail has been measured and is in complete compliance to Etchells class rules
  6. Logistics:
    • Sailmakers order the Royalty tags directly from the International Etchells Class Association (IECA).
    • The IECA will keep a log of serial numbers.
    • Sailmakers will report back to the IECA, detailing the sail type, dispatch date and customer relating to serial numbers.
  7. Implementation:
    • If the vote to implement the proposed Sail Royalty scheme were passed, the change-over date of the new rules will be the later of the following dates:
    • 30 days after the rule-change is ratified by World Sailing or
    • the 30th June 2019
    • After this time, all sails declared for use at IECA sanctioned events shall be either:
    • Sails manufactured and/or supplied prior to the change-over date:
    • stamped and signed with a measurer’s signature, as per the existing rules.
    • The date noted within the stamp shall pre-date the change-over date.
    • These sails are effectively “grand-fathered” and exempt from tagging.
    • Sails manufactured and/or supplied after the change-over date:
    • shall be affixed with the Royalty tag.
  8. Event Registration procedure:
    • Sail declaration forms will be filled out detailing sail type, sailmaker and royalty tag number.
    • In the case of sails pre-dating the change-over date, the date on the measurement stamp shall be noted.

    Regards,

    Andrew Palfrey
    International Etchells Class Governor

  9. IECA Exec. Secretary

    All Active CAN and USA Etchells members,
    Further information on the proposed sail royalty.

    Regards,
    Sherri Campbell
    US Etchells Class Secretary

    *********************************************************

    Need for Sail Royalty Income

    One of the proposed rule changes put forth for discussion and consideration is the adoption of a sail royalty on all new Etchells sails. Some background information on the current finances of the International Etchells Class Association (IECA) as well as a discussion of the needs and uses may be helpful in consideration of this proposal.

    History
    The sources of income to the International Etchells Class are Membership Dues and New Boat Fees. Expenses include Class management, Measurement Expenses, Website, World Championship Expenses and World Sailing Fees. Over the past twelve years the average annual income has been $61,132 with average annual expenses of $63,694. Over this period the Class has been running a slight operating loss on average of $2,561 per year. Over this timeframe the cash position of the Class has dropped from approximately $88k to an estimated $65k at the end of 2019.

    Summary: Over the last dozen years the trend in our cash reserves is down and our average annual net income is negative.

    Need
    A healthy and successful Class requires investment be made in to the Class itself. The IECA has had no excess funds for investment back in to the Class for over a decade.

    Sources
    Sail royalties provide income which benefits the Class administration and all the Etchells owners and participants. The system works well in other longstanding large worldwide fleets such as the J24, J70 and Star class. A US$50 royalty would be applied to all new Etchells sails. Between North and Doyle Sails the number of Etchells sails sold this year is estimated to be 550-700. This example would generate US$27.5K-$35.0K in income for use by the Class.

    Uses
    Royalty revenues will provide a dedicated pool of funds for strategic investment in to the Class. This revenue stream could be used for current initiatives such as:

    • Training and support to bolster class measurers worldwide
    • Communication initiatives (quarterly or semi-annual newsletters, social media development, etc) to help promote the class and serve our members, etc.
    • Class rules/document review
    • Support National and regional initiatives with emphasis on promoting fleet, Corinthian and youth team growth/development, examples:
      • coaching or clinics at certain events
      • funding youth teams to campaign in the host countries at each worlds and lead up regattas to be competitive

    Note this list is not in any way exhaustive and will expand as ideas are generated and priorities take hold. The point is that the Class needs to generate a source of income to fund initiatives such as these which further the interests and health of our worldwide Class.

    If over time we have sufficient resources to fund these and future initiatives and have excess we could look at lowering the current system of membership fees.

    Implementation
    Initially a proven and effective method is proposed which incorporates the following:

    • A US$50 royalty to be placed on every new Etchells sail
    • A unique sequential IECA sail royalty tag/patch must be permanently affixed to every new sail near the tack for mainsails and jibs and in the head for spinnakers.
    • Sailmakers to buy these sail royalty tags/patches from the IECA Office at a price approved by the IGC from time to time for each sail. Initially US$50 per sail.
    • Sailmakers to attach royalty tags/patches to every new sail that leaves their lofts.
    • It is not an Etchells sail unless the sail royalty appears thereon.
    • Royalty tags shall not be transferred from one sail to another.
    • The IGC would determine on an annual basis how the royalty income would be utilized based on an annual review of suggested initiatives and agreed to Class priorities.

    Summary
    It is imperative for the long term viability and success of the International Etchells Class that we make investments in strategic initiatives such as the ones listed above. Sail royalties are a proven and successful technique used in other large, longstanding fleets. Those who are actively sailing and buying new sails are the ones who will be funding the royalty income to the benefit of all Etchells owners, associates and participants.

    “The royalty tags are a win win for the class administration and all the Etchells owners. The system works very well in J24, J70 and Star class. I don’t see any downside to this at any level from beer can fleet to active campaigners”. — Jud Smith, Doyle One Design

    Jim Cunningham
    IECA Chairman

  10. IECA Exec. Secretary

    All Active CAN and USA Etchells members,
    There are several important messages that have been passed along recently to the Fleet Captains for circulation to fleet members. In case you haven’t received this information, I am also sending it along here.

    Regards,
    Sherri Campbell
    US Etchells Class Secretary

    **********

    ANNOUNCEMENT OF A SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING ON DECEMBER 7, 2019 AT 1800
    A request has been submitted to the Class Chairman and Secretary calling for a special general meeting of the International Etchells Class. This is permitted by the Class Association Rules section 8.B. The required signatures accompanied the submitted request. The signatures came from class members from AUS, CAN, GBR, USA and represented both Corinthian and non-Corinthian members.

    The submission has been reviewed by the members of the Class International Governing Committee and all proposed changes have the overwhelming support of the governors.

    The submission put forward three proposed changes to the Class Rules.

    1. Eliminate Annual sail acquisition limitations
    2. Eliminate the use/need of sail cards
    3. Add sail royalty requirement

    The special general meeting will be held on December 7, 2019 at 1800 during the Louis Piana Cup Regatta at the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club in Miami, Florida. At that time, if a minimum of 21 Active members are present to constitute a quorum, the three proposed changes will be discussed and a straw vote may be taken. If approved, the proposed changes will go to the full active membership for a vote. Approval of the proposed changes would only occur if approved by a 2/3 majority of the votes submitted.

    Further to the Special General Meeting on December 7, 2019 concerning proposed changes to Class Rules, we propose to share relevant contributions including:
    Rationale for removal of the Annual Sail Acquisition Limit from Chris Hampton, IECA Vice Chairman;
    Need for Sail Royalty Income from Jim Cunningham, IECA Chairman;
    Proposed system for Sail Measurement from Andrew Palfrey, Class Governor;
    Sailmakers perspective from both Doyle Sails and North Sails;
    IECA Recommendations
    Anyone interested in making their own contribution should email the International Class Secretary, Sherri Campbell at [email protected].

    The first post concerns the removal of the annual sail acquisition limit. The others will be released on finalization and in advance of the December meeting.

    Jim Cunningham
    IECA Chairman

    ************

    Rationale for Removal of the Annual Sail Acquisition Limit

    It is encouraging to see a considered discussion now underway on the proposed rule change. It would have been preferable to commence this at fleet level with a detailed position paper. We are however a volunteer association and as usual the load falls on a few to drive any initiative. We know that the proposals represent a major change from tradition and are controversial.

    The positive is that Etchells Owners and Associates are now engaged and that the conversation is in full swing with discussions recently held at the UK Nationals in Cowes and open forums planned for forthcoming events including the Piana Cup at Miami in December, the Australian National Championship at Brighton in January and the NSW State Championship at Lake Macquarie in February.

    The following observations are worthy of note:

    Fleet racing
    Almost everyone uses ex regatta sails for fleet racing other than when testing new sails. There is no arms race at fleet level;
    With fleet racing the courses are typically shorter and it is all about skill (starting well, picking the wind shifts, tuning the rig and trimming sails optimally, managing the fleet …), rather than requiring the latest model or newest sails;
    To the extent owners over-capitalise on new sails for fleet racing they are arguably wasting money. Under a royalty system they will at least be helping to fund the Class. If there is a perception of an advantage in any particular fleet, that fleet is free to introduce its own rules;
    Fleet teams do not usually use their annual six sail acquisition limit and tend to only participate in national and world events when they are conducted locally;
    These teams will have fresh sails available to them whenever they choose to compete in regional, national or world championships. They are in as good a position as anyone else and would not require additional sails to remain competitive in the event of the removal of the acquisition limit;
    Fleet teams would not be disadvantaged from the removal of the sail acquisition limit.

    Campaigning
    Everyone will start Race One of a world championship with fresh sails unless they elect otherwise;
    Those that compete in multiple events nationally and in some cases internationally, need to manage their participation to ensure that they have competitive sails available at championships;
    The first priority is to have the best sails available for the world championship. These sails will be no fresher than those available to local teams that are competing in the same event;
    How to achieve this outcome? For those with one boat, they may choose not to participate in certain events. For those with multiple boats, they may be in a position to move boats around to reduce the problem;
    For example, the next world championship is being held in Perth, Western Australia in November 2020. At a sail management level the first priority is to set aside five of the six new sails available in 2020 for the Perth World Championship. Preceding this, Australian sanctioned events include:

    • 2020 Nationals in January;
    • NSW States in February;
    • Victorian States in March;
    • Australasian Winters in June;
    • Syd Corser on the World’s racecourse in September;
    • Pre-Worlds in November 2020;

    Some owners have the capacity and interest in competing in most of these regattas and will need to rely on their carryover sails from 2019 that have done multiple events. As a rule they are not prepared to do championships with uncompetitive sails and will need to allow for the likelihood of some races occurring in sail damaging winds. A common response for 2020 is to delete the NSW State and Australasian Winter Championships from their program, contributing to a reduction in entry levels;
    This disadvantage is lessened for those who own multiple boats and are able to move them around accordingly. They will however incur additional cost and inconvenience and will not start the World Championship with any fresher sails than any other competitor. It is worth noting that the one design classes that are succeeding internationally, including the J70, J24, Melges, Star and Dragons in Europe, are the ones without sail acquisition limits;
    Teams most disadvantaged by the current rules are those that compete in multiple events.

    Other observations
    Sharing has evolved with the one boat being sailed intensively by different helms and crew over the course of a year, especially with youth teams. These different teams are required to share the same six new sails each year. It would be preferable if each team was permitted its own sail allocation. The sharing of boats lowers the barriers for entry into Etchells sailing and should be encouraged as a means of introducing new entrants into the Class;
    Having gone through the process of preserving the new 2020 sail allocation for the World Championship, it is noted that others may not have experienced the same limitations through involvement in non-sanctioned events. While these other competitors will have no fresher sails available at the World Championship, they may not have been forced to limit participation in events or race with uncompetitive sails. One response could be to push for these events to be conducted with measured sails. However, such pressure is unlikely to succeed and will only serve to quicken the decline in participation.

    Status quo
    Statements advanced for the retention of the current system include “level playing field”, “protect investment” and “has served us well”;
    The facts are that the playing field is not currently level, no one loses any value in their sails from removal of the acquisition limit and overall participation is in decline;
    Much of the opposition to the proposed changes is driven by concern in other areas including the cost of new boats, recent innovations and the dominance of well funded teams with professional crew;
    The proposed changes should be considered on their merits. Although not the solution to all issues, the changes will serve to establish a better platform for the Etchells Class to move forward. They are also consistent with and supportive of the widely held aspiration to support corinthians, promote youth teams and rebuild fleet participation.

    Upside
    Etchells regattas worldwide would be brought back into the fold and conducted under the same rules. There would be no need for events to be conducted as non-sanctioned. Campaigning teams would no longer need to own multiple boats, except for geographic considerations, or push the spirit of rules that do not accommodate their requirements;
    North Sails and Doyle Sails both agree that:
    the current system encourages hoarding of sails, and
    the removal of the acquisition limit would create a vibrant second hand market that would provide non-campaigners the ability to acquire quality sails at a fraction of the cost;
    Andrew Palfrey recently stated that “the most effective way of improving the competitiveness of older boats and teams operating on low budgets is to provide them with reasonable sails at low cost”. This will be achieved if the proposed change is adopted;
    Royalty revenue will provide a dedicated pool of funds for strategic investment in the Class. The biggest beneficiaries will be youth teams, Corinthians, low budget teams and fleet participation.

    Summary
    Sail equality will be achieved by the removal of the acquisition limit. No one will have an advantage over their fellow competitors and everyone will compete on an even footing. Those teams that compete in more events help the Class and underwrite the success of those events. They have a legitimate need for additional sails and, importantly, are not arriving at events with any fresher sails than those who compete in fewer events. However with the sail royalty system in place, as teams purchase more sails they fund more of the Class. The fleets, Corinthians, youth and low budget teams will all be supported to a greater extent, a “win win” without detriment to anyone.

    We encourage members to review the proposals in the context of what is best for the future of the Etchells Class worldwide.

    Chris Hampton
    IECA Vice Chairman

    1. Matt

      I think I understand the points that Jud and Chris are making, and maybe the end result makes some sense. But there are several aspects in the various written discussions that are flawed, in my mind. The process the class is following does not comply with several class rules. In the rush to make a rule change, they may be short changing the class and preventing a better outcome if a more deliberate approach were followed – one where input from the whole class was solicited before proposing the rule change.

      Some specific comments…

      1. My view is that this rule change is encouraging the take-no-prisoners campaign executed by Ian Murray and Graeme Taylor leading up to and including the 2019 World Championships. Kudos to them for superb execution and leaving no stone unturned. But is that what the class wants? Competition among and for the elite (only). And, if as the Yachts and Yachting article implies, they participated in some races with unmeasured sails, were they in violation of RRS 78 when doing so?
      2. The idea that clubs can “make up their own sail limit rules” is flawed, I believe. A fleet cannot change those Class Rules while still sailing under the Racing Rules of Sailing and under the Etchells Class Rules. RRS 87 (also appeal US121) covers changing the Class Rules. It can be done ONLY if the Class Rules state that that rule can be altered by the sailing instructions. And, if the club is racing under the RRS and Etchells Class Rules, then the owner violates RRS 78 if the boat is raced with unmeasured sails. So, if Fleet imposition of sail limits are being encouraged, then as part of this proposed rule change, the class should be inserting language into the Etchells Class Rules to allow local clubs to implement their own sail restrictions so as to be in compliance with RRS 87 and with the Class Rules.
      3. This rule change will impact Etchells Class Rules Appendix A, Rule 9. The change language for that rule should be put forward with this proposed change, as well.
      4. The IGC are not addressing the underlying issues, and changing these couple of rules without addressing the growing inequality between the elite sailors and the club sailors is unfortunate, and probably short-sighted. The noticeable downturn in participation in sanctioned regattas by club sailors is a problem that the elites and the Governors should be addressing at the same time.
      5. The timeline for approval in the original posting is wrong. By Association Rule 13c the class needs to provide 45 days for voting, plus another 7 days for those that use the mail. If approved, the rule goes into effect on March 1 following the date that World Sailing approves the rule. What the class did with the halyard diameter rule change from 2018 is not in accordance with the rules of the Etchells class.
      6. Changes 1 and 2 need to be combined into a single change. If the change (1) is rejected, but change (2) is approved, then there will be no way to track the sails. The two changes go hand-in-hand.
      7. Where is this “secondary market” for slightly used sails? I have not seen it.
      8. There are several possible alternate approaches for sail limits (and relief from limits) that would address some of the specific issues discussed, yet I see no discussion of those alternatives and why throwing out the whole sail limit rule is the best approach. Not that what is being proposed is the wrong approach, but it would be better to have several alternate approaches lined up with pros/cons and a rationle decision-making process applied to select.
      9. How come there has been no discussion of the cost of the sail royalty medallions? At least a ballpark range. $10? $100? $1,000? More?
  12. IECA Exec. Secretary

    All North American Etchells Fleet Captains,

    As a follow up to the message announcing the Special General Meeting set for December 7, 2019 at 1800 at Biscayne Bay Yacht Club in Miami, International Etchells Class Chairman Jim Cunningham has requested circulation of the following information. Please distribute to your fleet members.

    Let me know if you have any questions.

    Regards,
    Sherri Campbell
    Executive Secretary
    International Etchells Class Association
    2812 Canon Street
    San Diego, CA 92106 USA
    Phone: +1-619-222-0252
    Skype: sherriodm
    http://www.etchells.org

    *******************************

    Attention: Etchells Class Officials,

    As you are aware the proposed rule changes are generating considerable discussion both for and against. This has been very useful in drawing out issues and alternative proposals that may not have otherwise appeared. As Chairman I am keen to promote this discussion and receive considered feedback.

    This should be viewed in the context of what is best for the future of the Class rather than what may not have been done correctly in the past. Pending the release of a position paper, I propose to share with you insightful input that may assist with your local conversations. To kick this off I have shared below recent input from Jud Smith representing the views of Doyle Sails. Please feel free to distribute this to your local members to promote an informed discussion.

    ————————————

    Hi Jim and Chris,
    I undstand the conflicting arguments for saving the sail card and acquisition limits. Reducing cost of participation, keeping the competition fairer for all sailors and all those concepts matter. However, this system we have now is broken. It’s become irrelevant. Let me explain my experience with the sail cards and offer an alternative.

    As a sailor and sailmaker for the Etchells class for 40 years I have seen the sail acquisition habits in many classes at both ends of the fleet. The Etchells sail card may have been relevant 20 years ago with sail limits and fleet racing but that no longer applies. Owners that wanted more sails just own more boats. It’s not your father’s class anymore. That was more relevant in the fleet racing days. Fleet racing is essentially limited in a few solid areas and they can have their own sail limitations within their fleet if they wanted to regionally. I see no issue with that.

    I believe as a first step the sail card and 6 sail limit should be abolished. Doyle One Design support the class leaders on this proposal and here’s why.

    Limiting sails at Regattas is the only real controlling factor in most other successful classes. Star, J70, J24, Lightning, Snipe, Melges and many more have only regatta sail limits. The second hand sails turn over quickly at a huge discount to other teams. The system works very well in the aftermarket. That is a proven winner and helps the teams on a budget that in turn get great sails at a huge savings. Conversely, The Etchells sail card encourages hording of measured sails and they don’t make into the aftermarket until there is no more room in the garages and the trailer boxes.

    Unless Etchells owners are limited to only one boat there is no limit to sails currently. Because there is no limit to boat ownership. This is not a new phenomenon it has been this way since the get go. The sail card accomplishes nothing at the travelling campaigning level of the class. Most owners lose their cards anyhow and the whole thing is an unmanageable sham. The truth is the teams that want 6 or more sails a year buy them now for multiple boats anyhow. They currently don’t make it to the aftermarket until they are no longer relevant.

    If you really wanted to control sails purchase. One suggestion I have been advocating is to limit the regatta inventory to one jib and main and two kites. That works in the J70 and will work in the Etchells class. This is the only way to actually reduce the arms race. Back in the day we used to measure three mains for a regatta and we don’t miss that. The reality is one jib would be just fine too. It works in J70 just fine and keeps the cost down. I recommend that Miami should trial that concept at one of their non-sanctioned regattas.

    In the meantime I think the sail limits at the class level should be controlled at the regattas only and at the fleet level they can all control sails as each individual fleet wishes. They’ll find out that the second hand market fixes all that automatically. The aftermarket works like any free market and takes on a life of its own. It’s self-regulating.

    I know this is causing much angst around the globe but I “speakith” the truth. The sail card and 6 sail limit controls nothing. It is merely a mythical bureaucratic instrument that has zero impact on sail purchases. Whether or not the sail card remains or not will have virtually zero impact on new sail purchases with the top of the fleet. If we do away with the sail card it will put a lot of good sails into the second hand market and that will make those teams more competitive. Empty out the trailer boxes and put those sails in to the hands of teams that could benefit from them.

    Doyle One Design also supports the Etchells sail royalty proposal. The royalty system is what has worked in all successful one design classes. It’s a long overdue proposal.

    Sail purchase limits are used in J111, J105 and Farr 40 and Farr 30 classes and they use buttons to control sail acquisition. I don’t see how that has helped any of those classes endure. Those fleet sizes are much smaller and shrinking. They are much larger one design boats with more exotic sail materials. Sail acquisition limits have not saved those classes.

    The classes that have endured are the Star, Dragon, J24, Lightning, Sonar and Snipe. None of those classes have sail acquisition limits. Much of the fleet are very happy buying very competitive one or two regatta used sails. That system has withstood the test of time in Star, J24, and J70. I don’t know how it is with Dragon class in regard to sails acquisition. I’m not aware of any class limitations only limited at regatta level.

    Jud Smith
    Doyle Sailmakers, Inc.

    96 Swampscott Road Unit 8
    Salem, MA 01970
    Office: 978-740-5950 – Press 5

    ————————————

    Regards,
    Jim Cunningham
    [email protected]