New low-cost "hardware store" racing class; input on proposed rules

Discussion in 'Sailboats' started by Petros, Mar 19, 2012.

  1. macbeath
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    macbeath Junior Member

    By the way, is there still a plan to race on the 26th at the Center for Wooden Boats? I might bring Meerkat, she cost about $450 to build. Too small to be competitive, but I could flesh out the fleet.
     
  2. cor
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    cor Senior Member

    I haven't checked on this thread in a while, did you come up with a set of rules?

    C.O.
     
  3. Petros
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Petros Senior Member

    yes, there are rules for down load within the thread.

    I went to the Center for Wooden Boats website and could not find any information on the Norm Blanchard wooden boat Regatta normally planned for that weekend. there is times, dates, sign up info. for previous years, but nothing for this year. I have been meaning to email them to confirm they are not holding it this year, it does not show up on their calendar this year. My boat I started at the Pt. Townsend wooden boat festival will not be ready anyway, i t is a long way from done. and I do not want to throw it together with a bunch of temp rigged sails and rudder and arrive with it untested, so I am out this year anyway. I have other plans for saturday right now, sunday is open.

    Perhaps we can get together some time soon, where is everyone at on their projects?
     
  4. cor
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    cor Senior Member

    933 posts is a lot to sort thru, any idea approximately where they are?

    C.O.
     
  5. sharpii2
    Joined: May 2004
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    sharpii2 Senior Member

    I can fix that. Here:

    Challenge 600 class Rules 01-31-'13

    I. Challenge 600 class (aka “hardware store class”) basic definition: a developmental class of practical, good performing sails boats designed to be built with low cost materials in a typical home workshop. The
    boats can be designed for one or two crew, to perform in a variety of practical sailing events. The class is to encourage creative and innovative ideas for low cost practical sailboats.

    II. All equipment and racing rules not specifically stated will be generally according to the current Racing Rules for Sailing by the International Sailing Federation. The Definitions and figures from the
    rules shall be used to interpret these rules as applicable. Rules will be generally observed but not necessarily strictly enforced. http://www.sailing.org/tools/documen...[8222].pdf

    III Box rule:

    A. Monohull. (hollows or concavity in hull not to exceed 1”, below gunwale, aft of mid point)

    1. Max hull length 14' from bow to transom, max rigged overall length 16’

    2. Max beam 5' (including all appendages, hiking benches, etc)

    3. Max height measured from lowest point of any sail, to highest point any part of sails or rigging: 20'. Note: there is no overall height limit, but mast or other rigging is not to extent more than 20 ft above the lowest point of any portion of the sail.

    B. Multihull.

    1. Max length 18' (including all appendages).

    2. Max height from low point of hull to highest point of rigging or sails: 24’

    3. No beam limit but hull must be able to be reconfigured/dismantled to 8' towing width.


    C. Rigging/Configuration

    1. Number, material or configuration of sails or rigging is unrestricted (except as below)

    2. Sails and rigging must stay at or below height limit and within the max length/width rule when centered or aligned in the fore and aft direction for measurement. Sails, and rigging (booms or jibs, yards, etc.) can go outside the box rule when underway (not centered).

    3. The righting moment of the crew weight shall only be transferred to the sail through the hull, shroud, or sheet or similar, in which case it shall be through blocks attached to the hull (i.e. no windsurfer/sailboard configurations)

    4. No spinnaker, or trapeze allowed, but foot straps and/or bars or bench for hiking out are okay (as long as all appendages are within max size limits). Trapeze allowed for multi-hulls only.

    IV Materials/Equipment

    A. Wood or wood/pulp based materiel must be incorporated into the structure of the hull (but the building method does not have to use wood exclusively-other materials are allowed).

    B. Construction method is wide open, but should be suitable for building in a home shop without extensive tooling or costly machine tools (plywood forms or strong back acceptable, making parts in a numerically controlled mill is not).

    C. Approx half of races will require boats to accommodate a minimum crew-plus-cargo weight of 500 lbs, and have room for a typical 36 quart size cooler to be fixed in place yet accessible on the hull during the race. A box of approximately 24" x 14" x 20" tall may be built into the hull as an option. Any ballast necessary to reach the 500 lb crew-plus-cargo weight is to be carried in the cargo box. Races can be done single or double handed.

    D. Cost Basis

    1. All the materials, fasteners and adhesives purchased for use in the construction of the complete boat, sails and rigging is limited to $600 monohull class, $1000 multihull class (not counting sales tax and shipping costs).

    2. The cost basis will be for normal retail cost available to anyone, purchased new in quantities enough for one boat, at retail prices from any mail order or national supplier, or actual sales receipts from such suppliers in quantities for one boat. Wholesale suppliers or bulk purchase materials may be used but the bulk price is not counted as the cost basis, but the normal small quantity retail price will be cost basis.

    3. The nominal purchase unit of materials shall be used: the cost of full sheets of plywood, fabrics or lines and rigging sold by the running yard or by the foot, counted in whole yard or foot increments. Screws, fittings or fasteners are counted by the box, pound, or each.

    4. The cost of paint, sealant or preservatives will not count toward the materials cost, any type of one-part paint or sealant is allowed. (Bright colors and attractive paint schemes are encouraged) The cost of the thread incidental to any sewing will also not be counted towards material cost.

    5. The entrant must supply documentation of value of materials. All entrants must submit copies of receipts or print out from a national retailer for the cost basis and a list of materials used when a boat is registered for the season.

    6. The cost of maintenance or repairs is not counted toward materials cost, nor the cost of replacing whole assemblies of items replaced (if a sail or rudder is replaced with one of a new design, but the cost of the materials is the same, than it will not affect the materials costs), experimentation is encouraged.

    7. If the replacement component costs more than that being replaced, than the difference will count toward the class limit (in IV.D.1.).

    8. Major repairs that significantly affect the cost of materials will require a judge to approve, with the intent that no advantage would be gained.

    V. Design/Plans

    A. At the end of each season, first, second and third placed overall winner must supply suitable plans, or allow design plans to be drawn from their boat, and published for next season and made
    available to anyone for a reasonable fee (Propose $60).

    B. Sales of the plans must be done through the race organization. The proceeds from the sale of the plans are to be split between the race organization and the boat designer. Or one third race organization, two thirds designer if suitable publish-ready plans are supplied by the designer.

    VI. Racing Events

    A. There shall be three or four race day events for each season (series), with at least one of them an all day “raid” type event.

    C. There must be at least three entrants for each class to score season points, but if less than three an entrant may run with other classes without scoring.

    D. Each short race day event shall consist of two or three (or more) races arrange, but not limited to, the following:

    1. Triangle coarse around 3 markers (with option of circling the "long way" around one, two or three of the markers).

    2. A rectangular coarse with a "bow tie" option around 4 coarse markers.

    3. A straight line coarse out and back around one marker. Each marker must be at least 660 ft (1/8 mile) nominally apart or distance from the starting line, longer preferred.

    4. At least one of the races on each race day shall be required to have crew and cargo equal 500 lbs, with cargo box carried on each vessel, for about half of all races. Crews may be either single hand or two crew.

    E. Scoring for the short race day events toward season total shall be as follows:

    1. The first place shall be awarded 100 points. Second place will receive 60 points. Third place shall receive 40 points. Fourth place shall receive 20 points. Each place after 4th that finishes shall receive10 points.

    2. DNF receives zero points for that race

    F. There shall be at least one Raid type event each season.

    1. It shall last 4 hours or more in duration, first leg out to a distant landmark or location (preferably a restaurant or park with a BBQ), and than back for the second leg.

    2. A beach "Le Mans" style start is required from "high water mark", and all skids, dolly, wheels or launching equipment (if used) must be carried on the boat for the duration of the event.

    3. All gear, refreshments, equipment, clothing, tools, supplies, etc. used during each stage of the race must be carried on the boat or the crew during each leg of the event.

    G. Scoring for the Raid race day events toward season total shall be as follows:

    1. First contestant to return will receive 300 points. Second, 180 points. Third 120 points. Fourth 60 points. Every finisher after fourth place, within the time limit (if any), 30 points each. DNF receives zero points.

    H. Highest point total for crew and boat at the end of the season shall
    be the season winner

    I. Paddles, oars or other muscle powered propulsion may be used on "raid" events, and whenever the judges deem there is inadequate wind during any of the short race day events

    J. All competitors must wear PFD, and immersion gear for the long distance events. The race officials may disqualify any boat if it appears unsafe (especially for the longer distance events).

    K. If both crews agree, a demonstration "crew swap challenge" can be made between two or more crew and boats. No points except bragging rights earned

    L. Event organizers or event sponsors are free to add other awards or prizes, such as best new design, or most innovative use of non-boat hardware, winner of any individual race, people choice award, etc. But these will not add points toward season total

    VII. Rule Changes. Will be announced by January 31 for that season’s rules. Rule changes should be done by committee, to meet the purposes of the class objectives.
     
  6. cor
    Joined: May 2008
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    cor Senior Member

    Thank you for posting the rules. Sounds like fun.
     
  7. macbeath
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    macbeath Junior Member

    Instead, they are having an instructor's regatta. I asked if they were giving the hardware store boats a start, and never got a return email. Maybe you could piggyback on the Sunday goose bump races when they start. I believe the Sloop Tavern sponsors those.
     
  8. Petros
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Petros Senior Member

    last year I was told by Dick Wagner, the executive director of the Center for Wooden boats that if we can get 3 or more "hardware class" boats to register for the Norm Blanchard regatta they would create a class for us. He likes the idea of low cost wooden boats and thinks it consistent with the CWB mission. Some of the others only want to teach and build "traditional" wood boat building (IOW, obsolete construction methods that have no useful application, nor meaningful career opportunities). A class like this could show that modern construction methods and low cost materials can make decent little boats, and why Dick Wagoner likes the idea.

    I can email he directly with the state of our little group building these boats, and see if he has any events planned for the next year that might fit in with our concept.
     
  9. macbeath
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    macbeath Junior Member

    Dick is the founding director and still have a lot of pull, but he's semi-retired. Now that Betsy Davis is gone, the Executive Director is Michael Luis.

    The guy who was the moving force behind the regatta was Vern Velez, who has retired to Puerto Rico. No one seems to have taken his place. However, there are plenty of buoys around the lake, and if you can find someone with a reasonably comfortable committee boat and a little expertise, it wouldn't take much to have a regatta based out of CWB.
     
  10. Segler
    Joined: Apr 2015
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    Segler Junior Member

    To have a regatta, you have to have boats. At this point, we don't have any. Hardware Store Class boats that is.

    What we do have is, maybe, as many as four ongoing efforts to build, at varying stages of progress.

    Here is the status of my entry, the BLUE HERON:

    I didn't get much done this summer, travel and other distractions. But, I am happy to report, that I am back on task and pretty much done building. All the major components are completed. Hull, mast (wooden), boom, center board, rudder stock and rudder, tiller, main sail, head sail ( almost done), as well as a bunch of blocks, made from plywood scrap and pad-eyes and cleats made from red oak.

    All that's left is putting it all together and I have no idea how long that is going to take. My experience in dinghy rigging is a little thin. If we have an El Nino fall it might still happen this year.
     

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  11. ImaginaryNumber
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    ImaginaryNumber Imaginary Member

    Spelling police on the loose...:(

     
  12. Petros
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Petros Senior Member

    Nice looking boat Segler.

    We have the start of a fleet anyway. there are other regatta's in the area, perhaps we can convince one of them to add a class for us so we can piggy back on their larger event since they will already have officials and time keeping happening. I will give Dick Wagner an email and see if he can convince the CWB staff to accommodate us at one of their regular events.
     
  13. Segler
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    Segler Junior Member

    Thanks.

    I think, the first competitive event is going to be the first two completed boats meeting on the lake.
     
    dsigned likes this.
  14. macbeath
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    macbeath Junior Member

    Richard has finished his, and yours is looking good. Peter at least has a hull.
     

  15. Aubigny
    Joined: Oct 2015
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    Aubigny Junior Member

    Sounds like a Windmill. It was 17 feet though but meant for entry boat sailing. You could take one and add width shorten 6" on both ends. $300 can't even buy sails though. Use a bird beak mast/boom. I just purchased epoxy and some glass for my build. It was almost $100.

    A Windmill Fleet would most likely be a good start.
     
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