Make sure your skiff complies with the International Building and Measurement rules
This year many clubs will be looking forward to attending local regattas and also the World Championships at Stranraer 6th-13th July.
It’s also the time of year when skiffs get repairs, maintenance and painting, so a good time to check that your skiff complies with all the rules.
The full set of rules is on the SASI website:
https://www.staylesinternational.org/building-and-measurement-rules-2023/
I will touch on a few of the main rules and concentrate on what the scrutineers will look at when skiffs arrive at Stranraer.
- The weight of the hull with all seats fitted but all other fittings and equipment removed needs to be at least 150kg, and if it is lighter than that will have to carry sand bags up to 150kg. All skiffs will be weighed at Stranraer on arrival.
- Oarlock fittings are to be made of timber and/or plywood or leather suitable for its purpose. In practice we accept metal fasteners like nails, screws or bolts but not things like metal or plastic thole pins, or loose plastic washers.
- Rudders need to have an underwater area, on one side, of at least 850cm^2 below a specified line which must be painted on the rudder blade in a contrasting colour. This is to allow boat umpires to check that enough rudder blade is in the water to steer the boat quickly enough to avoid a collision.
The rudder is hung on the boat and a line drawn on it projected from the keel rabet line, which is where the keel meets the garboard strake (bottom plank). The reference water line is drawn 390mm above this line, parallel. Alternately, the same line can be drawn parallel to the keel and passing through a point 25mm below the bottom of the fourth plank above the keel where it meets the sternpost.
The area below this line can be calculated by overlaying a 10cm grid and counting whole and part squares. There should be at least 8.5 squares. If the rudder has a lifting blade, it should be lifted till only 850cm^2 is below the line, and a 25mm wide band in contrasting colour painted with its bottom edge at the line. This is so that umpires can check that at least 850cm^2 is submerged.
- Rudder has to be hung from the aft edge of the stern post with the hinge axis no more than 25mm from the stern post at the fittings.
- Oar shall be made of timber and/or plywood. The use of thin plastic or leather sleeving, facing or wear strips fastened to oars to protect wooden parts is permitted. Plastic is to be no more than 6.25mm thick and must not project in its width or length beyond the wooden part it is covering.
There should not be any plastic parts like washers or plates on the gunwale or unattached, but leather is allowed.
- Footrests, where used, must be made only of timber or plywood, with other materials used for fixings such as screws and nails but not for adjustable parts of the footrests such as sliders or runners.
- If foot restraints are used, they should be easy to slip the foot out of without using hands.
- Race numbers need to be at least 200mm high.
- The International Rules of Racing for skiffs are also on the SASI website: https://www.staylesinternational.org/rules-of-racing-2021/ and they contain a list of equipment, rope, bailer, anchor, etc which boats must carryIf you have a new idea and wonder if it complies with the rules, check with the Secretary of the SCRA (secretary@scottishcoastalrowing.org). Photos or sketches are useful. Better to check than arrive at the Worlds with a problem!
Topher Dawson, SCRA.