BOW BUMPERS REVISITED 2016

[bigfoot55]

Following the holing and almost sinking of another boat at the Gone with the Wind, (no bow bumper) the subject of bow bumpers has come up again.
The conditions were high B rig and there were combinations of gusts and waves that caused several out of control situations.

Several people think there should be mandatory bumpers, and it would require a class rule change to mandate that. So if a class rule would be proposed next year, what should it be?

Bumpers should be mandatory -
As an all the time class rule?
In B+ conditions?
Be up to the regatta committee option for each regatta?

No change, bumpers should not be required.
Up to the skipper to put one on or not.

Other?
What happens if you sink someones boat?
Stuff happens or boat at fault(by the rules) pays?
Collisions caused by wild jibes due to wind and wave any different?

Does it need to be an approved bumper or can any bumper be used?

References-old discussion Anarchy
http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index. ... opic=35872

RRS Rule 68- no longer exists
US Sailing proscriptions-
Rule 67
After rule 67 add
US Sailing prescribes that:
(a) A boat that retires from a race or accepts a penalty does not, by that action alone, admit liability for damages.
(b)
A protest committee shall find facts and make decisions only in compliance with
the rules. No protest committee or US Sailing appeal authority shall adjudicate
any claim for damages. Such a claim is subject to the jurisdiction of the courts.
(c)
A basic purpose of the rules is to prevent contact between boats. By participating
in an event governed by the rules, a boat agrees that responsibility for damages
arising from any breach of the rules shall be based on fault as determined by
application of the rules, and that she shall not be governed by the legal doctrine of
‘assumption of risk’ for monetary damages resulting from contact with other
boats.

Do a search for Bow Bumpers from past discussions.
If after discussion someone wishes to make it a motion, it requires a second to amend class rules to require it, send your motion to the Class Secretary to sign off on it by January 1, only one motion should be on the ballot.

[The OZ]

I have been in favor of using a bow bumper on my boat for a LONG TIME. Scott Vernon and I have talked and e-mailed this on this site before. The reason I use a bow bumper is to protect my boat as well as any boat in our fleets with in which I race. WHY NOT

[Ragresen]

As the guy doing Rescue at Gone with the Wind I can attest that the boat with the almost sinking had more than one hole in his hull. Earlier in the day he had a hole the was above water unless healing to that side in the front foot of the bow area. the second hole that was the cause or the near sinking was a nice hole only put by a bow of another boat near the center line of the hull behind the rudder. I would not be certain all damages that are cause from out of control would be spared by a bow bumper, but I do feel it might have spared this one boat from having electronics loss from the water. I did my best to get to the boat and keep if from going under and just wish I could have done more to save the electronics too.

[yachtie]

Down under here in NZL where we regularly sail in conditions wind wise like the GWR we have had compulsory bow bumpers for years. No sinking or holing since!

The biggest fear is hooking up on another rigging in a collision - to stop this most of us here have the bumper hooked on with a piece of bungy cord so if it does hook up it generally pulls off the bow and then hangs off the side until a chance to reset occurs.

They are worth it.

[bigfoot55]

Chris- any particular bumper in use there, Berger or other, homemade? Maybe there are other options, someone could make a new 'better fit' bumper.

[yachtie]

Not sure Tom - we get through our Owners Association - All I know is they are moulded clear silicon ex USA