SMERALDA 888 CLASS RULES
1. CLASS RULES AND OBJECTIVES
1.1. The “Smeralda 888” is a one-design boat designed by German Frers.
The boat has been developed to promote competitive sailing activities among yacht club members.
The boat has a fixed keel with ballast and sloop rig for a crew of 4 or 5 persons. It is suited to both fleet and match racing and can be handled by smaller crews where the hiking position of the body is strictly controlled. The design characteristics make the sloop suitable also for short-distance cruising with two persons. The boat is watertight and self-draining under normal weather conditions.
1.2. The Smeralda 888 boats constitute a Class called “Smeralda 888 Class”.
The Class emblem is an emerald green bow cutting through a wave. This emblem must be reproduced on the hull and on the mainsail of each boat.
1.3. The Class Rules have the following objectives:
2. MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION OF THE CLASS
2.1. Class Authority
2.1.1. The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda is the Class promoter and maintains control of the production moulds (which remain the property of Costa Smeralda Yachting S.r.l., a YCCS subsidiary), and therefore the licensed boatyards, Class rules and activities.
2.1.2. The YCCS maintains the contact with both the Italian Sailing Federation (FIV) and the IYRU who must be informed of all national and international Class and racing Activities.
2.2 Class Management
The Class’s affairs shall be managed by a five member committee.
This committee shall consist of the Smeralda Class president and four of its owner / members.
2.3. Language
The Class’s official language shall be English.
2.4. Construction and Purchase of “Smeralda 888” Boats
The right to build a Smeralda 888 One Design shall rest exclusively with boat builders duly licensed by the Class association. The current licensed builder is Cantieri Galetti, Italy.
The YCCS will determine, on a case by case basis, which boatyards will be granted use of the moulds for Smeralda 888 construction.
Contracts will precisely define the builders’ working procedures as regards to the rules herein and the attached specifications.
“Smeralda 888” Class boats can be purchased by YCCS members and members of other recognized yacht clubs or sport associations which guarantee the constitution of a fleet of at least two boats within the club itself. Purchase applications must be forwarded to the YCCS through the offices of the members’ club.
The owners and their clubs must agree to faithfully adhere to all Class rules as stated herein.
2.5 Measurements, Certificates of Origins
The Class Measurer will be appointed annually by the YCCS and will be responsible for assuring that all boats that are built conform exactly to the technical requirements defined in these rules.
Each boat constructed must be fitted with an identification plaque containing its serial number, which corresponds to its sail number, permanently installed on board, as well as a Certificate of Origin reporting the weights of the keel, rudder, complete hull, mast, boom and spinnaker pole, plus the presence and location of any corrector weights.
The Certificate of Origin must be signed by both the Class Measurer and the builder.
Copies of the certificates will be kept with the association secretariat at the YCCS.
After the completion of the measurement checks any modification to the boat its rigging and fittings or its equipment is prohibited. In the case of repair work being undertaken following any damage, a recertification by the Class Measurer may be necessary.
2.6 Measurement Controls
The Measurement Controls of the boats are entrusted to the Class Technical Delegate who is appointed annually by the YCCS and who is responsible for the management of all boats belonging to the Smeralda 888 Class. When considered necessary, or upon the request of a competitor before an event, the Technical Delegate, who may be assisted by the Class Measurer, can carry out the following checks:
2.7. Restrictions and Penalties
These Rules are binding for both clubs with Smeralda fleets and for the boat owners. The technical specifications, in particular, must be rigidly adhered to and the rules relating to the use of the boat in regattas must be applied in all regattas in which boats of the Class take part, even when other Classes are racing.
A club or an owner who violates the letter or the spirit of these rules, either regarding the technical specifications or the use of the boat, can be brought before a Disciplinary Committee appointed by the YCCS which, in the most serious of cases, may decide :
3.5. Mast and Standing Rigging
The mast must be made using an approved cross-section type aluminium extrusion, and in compliance with the measurements, weights and centre of gravity indicated on the attached Plan 2 and follow its specifications with a tolerance of +/- 5 mm. Any needed corrector weight must be reported on the Certificate of Origin, as must the weight and centre of gravity position of the mast including standing riffing, but excluding running rigging.
3.6 Other Spars
The boom and spinnaker pole must conform to the specifications reported on attached Plan 1. Their weights must be reported on the Certificate of Origin, and cannot be less than 12 Kg and 4 Kg respectively.
3.7 Running Rigging
The running rigging must be in compliance with the attached Plan 2 specification in terms of materials, layout and dimensions.
3.8 Sails
The rights to provide the Sails for Smeralda 888 One Design shall solely rest with Sailmakers duly licensed by the Class association. The current licensed sailmaker is North Sails Italy
The approved sail inventory is as follows:
With the exception of the paddles, the safety equipment will be kept whilst racing in a bag located below deck in front of the mast step.
3.10 Electronic Devices
The on-board installation of any electrical or electronic instrument other than a compass is prohibited.
4 USE OF THE BOAT
4.1. Competition Levels
Three levels of competition are foreseen:
4.3.3. Crew Placement
The use of hiking straps, trapezes or other devices to move the weight of crewmen overboard is forbidden.
Two of the crew members must keep their legs within the cockpit whilst racing.
4.3.4 Crew Classification
Free.
4.3.5 Helm
Except for Owners or for emergencies involving the safety of either the yacht or the crew, Group 3 competitors are prohibited from taking the helm while racing in sanctioned One Design Class events, or in any One Design Class racing. Group 1 Owners and Group 1 alternate helmsmen may helm any Smeralda 888.
4.3.6 Limit
The mast spinnaker wind limit is fixed at 18 knots. There are no restrictions for the use of the genoa. The security limit is fixed at 25 knots maximum, beyond which no racing may take place.
4.3.7 Championship Classification
An owner can be substituted for a regatta by a member of his normal crew; however the substitution must be approved by the other owners. His substitute may not be Classified in ISAF Group 3.
All races of the season program are to count for the championship.
4.3.8 Advertising on Boats
Advertising on Smeralda 888 Class boats is totally forbidden.
Upon written request of the organizing body of particularly important sponsored events, the YCCS may allow the application of article 1.9 Appendix 14 of the IYRU rules.
Individual advertising is prohibited
Advertising is only permitted when applied to the complete fleet.
4.3.9 Class Contribution
For the 2015 season, the regatta entry fees for the Class will be either 150 Euros per boat per regatta or 800 Euros per boat per season payable at the first regatta.
4.4 Race Penalty / Foul Reparation
If a foul is committed within a distance of three boat lengths of a mark, the applicable penalty shall be will be TWO turns (720°).
If a foul is committed out of the three boat length distance from a mark the applicable penalty shall be ONE turn (360°).
Any failure to perform the applicable penalty may result in race disqualification.
Last modified: 10th February 2015