Chip would be the right person. But, I have not heard from him about this issue. I will drop him an email.

Rick

Sorry for the delay, I didn't know I was still the rule chair.

In the short term, I'll discuss the issue with the other members of the rules committee.

Ultimately, it is going to need to be discussed and decided at the class meeting this December, so we might as well add it to the agenda now.

Thanks, Chip

FYI:
HCA-NA has submitted a proposal to the International Hobie Class Association requesting that a tiller ext be allowed and the option to shorten the tiller arms at the owners discretion.
This was approved by the HCA board and is in process with the IHCA rules committee. We hope for an answer fairly soon, so I'll keep you up on developments.
cw

COOL!!! Thanks Chris.

Mike

I remember there was a post on here several years ago (maybe the first time the subject came up) from someone with a European Wave. The tiller arms on their version were WAY shorter, like only one foot; but the boats came standard with a tiller extension. The poster said their Waves would be un-sailable without the extension. He posted a photo of his boat with snow on it, showing the short arms with the extension; and people joked about the white sand.

Perhaps the IHCA and IWCA could use their configuration as a reference (if they are truly "International").

Edit: I found the post, but I don't know how to imbed it. From "2006 Draft IWCA Class Rules" thread on 11/4/06 by "Bengtos" from Stockholm. Here's the photo.

Try this (copy the address of the old thread from the top of your browser, paste it into your new post):

http://www.catsailor.com/forums/ubb...;Words=Bengtos&Search=true#Post87493

I don't think I have the nerve to take a hacksaw to my perfectly good tiller arms.

Mike

Awwwww. Madcatter is going to be *so* much fun next year. Of course, it's not a done deal yet, but here's hoping! I'm thinking Rochester too...maybe Flying High.... I'm even going to go on a diet

I am confident this will go the way we want with our rules committee (but you never know) but I hope this stimulates that wave 'racers'.

The Euro version Wave has the tiller arms too low. You really want to be able to get back on the Wave. I get right under the tiller arm sometimes.

I didn't mean the Euro arms should become the "standard", but the rules should be written to allow European Waves to compete with North American or Australasian boats. Maybe a window of allowable lengths, with tiller extensions for arms less than the length of the original US Waves.

I wll add my opinions to this.

I have raced Portsmouth with a tiller on the old style Wave. I did not find them to be an advantage except during light gusty conditions when I was scrambling around.

Ronstan type connectors work and tillers well on Waves. I would suggest mounting them on the front or the bottom of the tiller cross bar because of how close the sail can be to the bar. I found that a Marstrom A Class extension, collapased is about the right length.

If you are worried about drilling a hole in the crossbar, you can surface mount a Ronstan style connector.

I think this a good proposal overall.

Holy cow! Why didn't I pick up on this sooner? The IHCA class rules absolutely should allow a tiller (without us needing to ask), since boats are being sold with this configuration already.

What else do we need to do to standardize these boats for worldwide racing? I know they're not going to change how they build them in CA, and I know they're not an ISAF class, and there are no events (currently) where boats would be shipped between Regions for events; but the IHCA rules should be equal everywhere (sans CompTip, obviously), so we can modify the boats to meet the class rules.

Just a thought...

Mike

As far as tiller length goes, the way we've asked for the rule to be written, its whatever the sailor wants. As far as not asking for permission, we're really the only games in town (HCA/IWCA) regarding organized Wave racing that I have been privy to, so we should do what we're doing.

Things seem to be moving along....

http://www.hobieclass.com/site/hobi...0%20HW%20rule%201.3%20for%20comments.pdf

I think we'll be golden on this, the only thing I may ask for is a change on the effective date as we'll have as many as 3 events prior to that date that Waves may want to participate in and might want to take advantage of the new rule.

Great write-up about this IHCA proposal in the new Hobie Hotline that I received today, on page 4. Thanks Chris and Matt!

It says to send comments to: [email protected] before December 1, 2011.

If the IHCA approves it, will the IWCA be far behind? (or ahead?)

Time to get serious about this. If you're going to the Nationals then be prepared to vote. If you're not here's a proxy form cobbled up from a financial site someplace. You should fill it in and mail it to Chip Short ( [email protected]) and ... somebody else. Any volunteers to carry these in? I'll do it but my internet access is gonna be dodgy while I'm travelling.

Here's the proxy:

PROXY FORM
National Class Meeting of the International Wave Class Association
Be it known, that I, _______________, sail number _____, member in good standing of the International Wave Class Association (IWCA), hereby constitute and appoint by this email
Charles Smith (or change this to some other name)
as my agent for me and in my name to vote as my proxy at the National Class Meeting of the IWCA, to be held on 1 December 2011 or any adjournment thereof, for:
1) the matter of a change in the class rules to allow tiller extensions. To vote in my name for/against the change.
Dated: _______ day of _______, 2011.

There you go!

I gave two proxys in support of the change to Steve Abbey.

One for me (100)and one for Barbie (101)

Jack
I am in support of the change if you can vote or tell me how.
Reggie Poplin
Hobie Wave #28