Annual General Meeting (AGM), February 3, 2001

The purpose of this report is to provide highlights of the AGM meeting so skippers will know the results of the measurement issues prior to this season and to include other general information. Each of the officers gave a report, which you will find in the next International Newsletter. Secretary Steve Bunnell stressed the need for improvement of the international web site and a person to make improvements and maintain the site with the objective of providing newsletters in the web site. Vidas Stukas said that he had about 2 e-mail requests a week for information, which he answered. Fleet reports were made from Victoria, Seattle, Nanaimo,Vancouver, Whitby, Ontario and Port Phillip Australia.

Old business issues were 1. Self-measurement brought up last year by John Monk, the Loose Footed Mainsail allowance passed last year and the availability of aluminum masts. Vidas Stukas said that he would provide guidance to individual builders not a member of a fleet on self-measurement. It was thought that self-measurement should provide the owner with assurance that his boat would measure in when subjected to Fleet Measurement with measuring templates. There were no requests to the International for a loose footed mainsail allowance. It was voted that this item would be dropped from the agenda but would be honored if again brought up by a fleet. The possibility of the International investing is some Spartech mast extrusions was tabled pending an investigation into whether an existing extrusion would fall within this years revised mast cross section specification.

Under new business voting on the proposed specifications occurred. The measurement of Genoas and Jibs to account for material shrinkage passed. The revised black band on the boom passed. The mast measurement tolerance change passed. The mast weight issue vote was clouded by some voting irregularities so no vote was recorded but the issue will probably come up for vote tabulation at the next annual meeting.

No fleet requested sanction from the International to host the Pacific Northwest Regional Championships. The Victoria fleet said that it was the Nanaimo fleets turn. Bob Britten from Victoria said that the Cowitchan Bay

Regatta provided the best racing he has seen. The Pacific Northwest Thunderbird Fleet presidents are to decide among themselves who will host this year’s regionals and where it will be.

Bill Stelp owner of Sirocco, #1140, Victoria was elected our next International President and Kathy Yardley owner of Thunderstruck, #1110, Victoria was elected International Treasurer. Many thanks were given to Hugh Townsend retiring president, and Stuart Burnell retiring treasurer for all of their good work.

A letter received from George Trusk and John Dewey requesting that as International Thunderbird Archive be established was passed on to the new president.

Sunday out of town sailors were invited to race as crew on Victoria Thunderbirds. John Edell had Hugh Townsend and John Monk aboard Cuatro Vientos and Jeb Mc Lean had Dave Killen (Tacoma Fleet) and Sandy Pratt aboard Euphoric for three races. All out of town guests had a chance to skipper one race. The Victoria Thunderbirders were very gracious hosts

ITCA Measurer's Report,February 2001 AGM

The annual general meeting held at the Royal Victoria YC was well attended and produced some lively discussions on mast weights. From the emails received earlier, we knew that the mast weight issue would be a contentious one. In contrast, the suggested rule changes for shrinking sails, for the official recognition of the Comalco mast section, and for the location of the Black Band on the boom were virtually unanimously accepted ( only one No vote ). These changes should improve the clarity of the Black Book or the actual measurement procedure itself.

The prime issue that was raised just prior to the 99 Internationals was the grandfathering of mylar genoas, as well as old dacron genoas, that had initially measured in but had now shrunk past the acceptable range. This shrinkage had occurred mainly in the leach area. This was exacerbated by the tendency of sailmakers to build sails close to the minimum leach length in order to maximize the achievable rake. This issue had only one nay vote from a dacron sail user! The new rule for inclusion in the Black Book is:

A minor measurement problem was brought to light by the interpretation of where the black band on the boom should actually be measured from - the aft side of the Aluminium mast or from within the sail groove. The revised form of Rule 7.7.6, which was unanimously passed, now reads:

7.7.6 The forward edge of the black band shall be 13' ( 3.962 m ) aft of the fair extension of the aft face of the mast sail track. For masts with internal sail tracks, the aft face of the sail track is the aft face of the mast.

Another bit of housecleaning was the amendment of rule 7.4 on Mast Section Measurements so that we include the dimensions of the Comalco mast used in Australia ( one example in Seattle ). This section was ruled as legal some 15 years ago, but was never included in the Black Book. The revised rule, unanimously passed, now reads;

7.4.1 Except for existing wood masts measured before August 15,1972, mast sections shall be as per plan, with a tolerance of –0" + 5/8" ( 15.9 mm ).

One of the most contentious issues this year was the request for the elimination of the lead corrector weight in the mast. The unofficial vote was so close to the 2/3^rd majority required for passing measurement issues, that even one vote ( Florida!! ) would have made a difference. However, voting irregularities and technicalities ( does one person with two boats get two votes or one? ) scuttled this issue.

Here’s how the discussion and voting went. The weight of a wooden mast was considered a motherhood issue by one respondent. Otherwise, respondents dealt mainly with the technical aspects of the issue. While most of the racing Thunderbirds now have aluminium masts, there is now a variety of approaches in attaining the existing 94# minimum; and, this was reflected in the voting. The Comalco mast, with its larger section, requires little in the way of correctors. Those with reinforced Spartech sections ( an aluminium stiffening rib was bolted to the inside, right up to the hounds ) and the Aussies voted against the reduction. Those with the regular Spartech section , which typically had 15 # of lead added to the spreaders and the butt, tended to vote yes. Of the latter who voted NO, most thought that the weight reduction was too severe, and suggested that a reduction of 5# to 9# would have swayed their voting. In the end, it was probably a good thing not to have passed a revision that could potentially have been divisive. As a post mortem, I measured a new Spartech mast after the AGM. It’s a time consuming affair. Perhaps I was mad to suggest remeasuring all of the mast weights!

The trial of a loose footed main was shelved due to lack of interest.

One project that themeasurement committee is going to try to undertake is the development of a video on a ‘How to Measure a Thunderbird’. This could help the beginning boat builder as well as the measurer who has not been exposed to all of the rarer points.

Vidas Stukas

ITCA Measurer

Email : vstukas@seastarchemicals.com