[MHml] ISAF Multihull Offshore Regs

[Ross Hobson]

Peter
re washboard
 -  as i understand your issue is the door/hatch arranagment 
reading the regs - as long as hatch/door is openable  from inside and out. that is OK.
if bottom of door is below the sheerline (and as this is not defined in the regs it is open to intrepretation - and it would be reasonable to argue that any opening level with a bridge deck is above the sheerline),  
 at worse you need to have a method to be 'capable of blocking it off to level of sheerline' 
- ie have a bit of ply, some screws and a tube of sealant that could do the job stowed somewhere
 
re headsail
heavy weather is larger (by definition) than a storm job, therfore it is the sail you would use in heavy weather. Not a bomb proof orange, non aramid, storm jib
in a Cat 4 race you would not expect to endure storm conditions (they are inhore races in protected waters) hence 'heavy weather jib'
if you have a storm job by definition, it is your heavy weather jib as it does not exceed the specified dimensions
To set a heavy weather jib inside the roller all you need is a halyard and tack point with a loose luff jib. you can add 'extras' eg velcro or rope lines to act as hanks to run over the furled jib
 
 
how any race inspector acts is always down to an opinion/intrepretation of the regs
if you are concerned, ask the MOCRA safety officer to inspect the boat and 'sign it off' at start of season
this is not a 100% guarentee, but it is as good as it gets.
 
To a large extent in the UK very few races inspect boats pre or post race, relying on self certification and honesty. Like driving the car without insurance, you may get away with it. My personal experience with safety inspections, RB&I; OSTAR;RdR, Fastent etc is that they are human and are open to reasonable discussion over intreperation of regs eg hatchways.
 
a prime example of reasonable action occured in 1998 when the ORMA fleet came over for the fastnet:
I was called into the race office by Alan Green (RORC) and asked (as were a number of others) to comment on the ORMA position of not carrying a storm trysail as the rotating wing mast was 'the trysail'
I and others agreed with the ORMA position - i like others had sailed multis in extreme conditions successfuly under wing mast alone - the ORMA's raced and subsequently the rule was modified  - see reg 4.16.4 (d)

it was not too awkward with the Formula 28 to bring her to Cat 3 and we carry quite a bit of stuff well beyond this ie survival suits, waterproof vhf, epribs etc
To me the bigger irritation is the MOCRA rating rule of having to have 1.5m headroom and 3 berths ......
 
Ross
 
ps always remember our 'worse scenario' is capsize - a monhull's is sinking. i know which situation i would want to be in