Peter Roos received the following message from the ISAF rejecting our request to drop the requirement to have numbers on our spinnakers.  The class rules have been amended by reinstating the previous clause and the latest version is now on the website.  There will be a forum topic to discuss this on this site.

“Apologies for the slight delay in replying to you; the Class Rules Sub-committee requested the views and opinions of the Race Management Sub-committee on the matter of numbers on spinnakers and how this would likely affect their ability to run races.

Opinion of RMSC

A STRONG recommendation from the RMSC is that the numbers must stay.

We must have numbers on the sails. Bow numbers do help but do have a tendency to wash off. Numbers also help the spectators identify the finishers, if the racing is close enough to the shores.

We should legislate to prevent these submissions in the future

Opinion of CRSC

Reject this proposal.

Without the numbers on the spinnakers it would make it incredibly hard for a race officer, jury member or competitor to identify each other whilst sailing.

The photo accurately highlights this point. http://www.sailing.org/images/news/09_505WC_fleet_360.jpg

It was not felt a convincing enough argument that the second-hand sale of spinnakers between boats warranted the complete removal of numbers from spinnakers.  The photo in the link above demonstrates exactly why numbers are required; it makes identification of boats very, very difficult.  It is for these reasons the proposal was rejected.”