Tuesday, 19 December 2006

Hi everyone,

I thought I would try out the poll feature in Mailspaces.
I am not sure how it works exactly so my apologies if it results in lots of emails.

To kick off – a poll on the Batten Rule...

My Thoughts on this lively & interesting debate.
1) While the sails are computer cut there will be manufacturing tolerances in the sail and battens. If you know what your doing or wish to experiment why not be allowed to sand down battens for a better shape? If you don't know – ask – I am sure someone here will help.
2) The important thing is the shape of the sail – does this matter how it is achieved?

On 1 Design I am all for it however...
There is nothing on the Blokart Battens to identify them as of Blokart manufacture. This is something Russell has pointed out – with his windsurf shop ones you can't tell the difference. So where parts are not identifiable or are of a custom design for a Blokart I think any similar replacement should be OK. This would include tires, tubes, bearings, pulleys, cleats, ropes, battens. Parts you would have to buy from Blokart would be: Pulley whips, wheels, stub axles, front forks, keels, cranes and mast sections.

I believe the tricky part is writing clear rules everyone understands that will allow some room for individuality. There is a lot of skill in sailing a Blokart around a course quickly. Do we also want to include some skill in setting up a kart to be as quick as possible for your sailing style, weight & wind conditions? Else you end up with in the situation where all competitors hire standard karts that are drawn for each race, and everyone is weighted to the same weight – then it is simply sailing ability.

I am running Standard Blokart Battens & I managed to beat Haydn in a race. I also have no problems with Ross running carbon fiber battens. I haven't tried different battens yet since I don't want to change too much and not understand the effects of the change or have two changes cancel out. No prizes for guessing what I am voting for!

Nicholas
(ABC)

Well I just tried to vote and the poll works... But it wouldn't let me vote more than once.

I only noticed after clicking around 50 times though!

Interestingly I don't use carbon battens now that I had to shave a set of blokart battens for the NZOpen this year, Not because I think that blokart battens are better, but because they are the same and I am too lazy to change them over.

I point of clarification on the carbon battens though.. It seems that some see them (and other things I do on my kart) as against the spirit of blokarting as it has given the impression of the "deepest pockets"
This is not the case. My battens cost me nothing as I am in the yacht building industry. I would not have done them if they were more expensive than other battens.

As for some of Nicks comments, The latest revision of the equipment rules which is before the international committee I believe is quite well spelt out in terms of what can be done and what cant.

"So where parts are not identifiable or are of a custom design for a Blokart I think any similar replacement should be OK"... Well we cant do that otherwise front forks, keel bars, stub axles & pulley whips (all custom blokart parts with no identifier on it) all of which I could have made at material cost and only Paul and the blokart boys could tell the difference (if at all)

Despite what some may think, I actually believe that ALL parts should be blokart parts. Tyres, Bearings, battens the whole lot. But I do have the reservation of it turning into other complete one design sports where the suppliers take advantage of the monopoly situation. Thanks to Blokart for so far keeping price realistic.

I think the bigger issue of blokarting at the moment is, and should be, the sailing rules rather than the equipment rules.

Ross.

On 19/12/06 7:09 PM, "Nick ABC" <(Address removed)> wrote:

Allow me to play devil's advocate for a few minutes and offer a rather different perspective.

As bog-standard out-of-the box blokarts are practically non-existent in blokart racing circles, why don't we consider any kart with unaltered approved blokart accessories, irrespective of the type and number fitted, as 'standard or production' blokarts?

A 'modified ' blokart would therefore become any kart where equipment, original or subsequently fitted had been altered to improve performance. Modification could be determined by the scrutineers and any cheating such as non-declaration of changes would bring about immediate disqualification.

I think I've proved the point that any number of 'bolt-on goodies' won't significantly improve performance without the skill to manipulate them to take best advantage of wind conditions

The poll "Batterns – what should be allowed?" has been closed. The results are:

 Standard Blokart Only – no modifications.: 0 votes
 Blokart Batterns Only – allowed to modify (sand / shave to change shape).: 2 votes
 Anything goes as long as it has similar plastic endcaps.: 5 votes

The total number of votes cast was 7.

Man! that was fast! The batten poll was open, voted on, voting closed and counted before I even read the opening message. As the world turns I guess. Anyway, I would have voted for #3 any batten modified as you please.

Cheers,
MM

Hi everyone,

well I didn't increase the time to run on this un-scientific poll from the standard 6 hours...my apologies to the international guys who probably slept though it and I hope Ross didn't get OOS from trying to vote to many times before he realized that it only counts you once!

"So where parts are not identifiable or are of a custom design for a Blokart I think any similar replacement should be OK"...

Oops sorry got that wrong should have been..
"So where parts are not identifiable or are NOT of a custom design for a Blokart I think any similar replacement should be OK"...

or even better
"So where parts are not identifiable or are generic I think any similar replacement should be OK"...

So I agree with Ross's comment that front forks, keel bars, stub axles & pulley whips (all custom blokart parts with no identifier on it) need to be supplied by Blokart.

Also for those that don't know me I am the secretary of the Auckland Blokart Club and the BAI. For the record the opinions expressed in the poll posting were my own and I am looking forward to seeing the rules that the International committee develop.

Nicholas