Power-Assisted Sailing - the Slippery Slope

[solosailor]

This thread is to put out information to the SSS members about a slippery slope that in my opinion has now become an edge of a cliff.

This has to do with one of the US Sailing rules which is:

52. MANUAL POWER: A boat’s standing rigging, running rigging, spars and movable hull appendages shall be adjusted and operated only by the power provided by the crew.

I think RRS 52 is a vitally important rule as it limits the operation of a boat to the crew.

So the slippery slope is this:

Should the SSS allow a PHRF rated boat with partial or fully powered sail controls to race along with those that use manual power?

I am very adamant about not racing against boats where the person doesn’t need to hoist nor physically trim the sails.

The SSS has already allowed power-assisted devices that would break rule 52 by allowing them in our Standing Sailing Instructions for a number of years now.

There are already boats in the fleet that use powered winches while sailing with the SSS.

Stored energy and power assist has been out there for some time… canting keels, powered above-deck winches, etc.

The PHRF committee has been rating boats “with” non-manual powered devices for many years. I think the benefit would be even more amplified while singlehanding vs. the fully crewed “rating” the PHRF issues.

So the slippery slope starts with a few powered halyard winches, then jib winch and now the slope becomes a cliff ….. there is a boat entered in Saturdays Around the Rocks Race with a fully powered sail handing system.

By fully powered I mean ALL the sail handling is power driven and controlled via a handheld remote. The below deck fuller, self-tacking jib sheet, jib-boom rotation, jib traveler, main trailer & sheet, halyards, backstay, vang, outhauls, etc. are all fully powered. The only above deck powered winch you can access and ease a control line manually is the cabin top halyard winches. There is NO WAY to manually trim or ease the sails as all single-line sheets, etc. disappear below deck to its powered winch.

I think the SSS Mission Statement has some key works that back up my opinion and they are “fair”, “equitable” and “sportsmanlike”.

The Singlehanded Sailing Society (SSS) was conceived to provide a forum where sailors and others interested in the sport of singlehanded sailing could share their ideas and experiences. It is the intent of the SSS to make it possible for such sailors to compete in seaworthy sailing vessels of various types and designs on a fair and equitable basis. The purpose of the races is to provide an organized arena in which ideas, equipment, designs, and vessels specifically created, built, modified, or equipped for long distance singlehanded racing may be tested and evaluated through friendly sportsmanlike competition. The development of personal skill in singlehanded sailing is encouraged through sailing events and seminars.

My personal opinion is the SSS shouldn’t allow boats rated with powered devices to race using them but if they do they should be in their own division and not eligible for the overall trophies.

What say you?