Rules

Lake Michigan Beneteau 40.7 Fleet

Class Rules

  • Objectives
    1. The Lake Michigan Beneteau 40.7 Fleet, as the governing organization for the owners of the Beneteau First 40.7 sailboats in Lake Michigan, in order to enhance one-design amateur sail racing while maintaining safety, the pleasurable aspects of the vessels and limiting associated costs, does establish these rules for class racing.
    2. Hereafter in these rules, The Lake Michigan Beneteau First 40.7 Fleet may be known as the “Fleet”, and the Beneteau First 40.7 sailboat may be known as “40.7″.   The term “skipper” as applied in these rules refers to the person aboard and in charge of the vessel.
    3. Participation in any race starting within the geographical boundaries of Lake Michigan, in which there is an independently scored section of 40.7’s and for which the skipper intends to be scored as part of the Fleet, implies that, the skipper of the 40.7 agrees to abide by these rules.
    4. All designs and dimensions of First 40.7 s hull, rudder, spars, equipment, keel, deck, weight and distribution thereof, sail plan, and interior should be alike. Only when exceptions are specifically cited in these rules will they be found acceptable.
    5. Unless cited in these rules, the Fleet prohibits all modifications and alterations to all yachts competing in one design or class sponsored events.
  • Administration of the Fleet
    1. Members.  The owner, or collectively “owners” (if there is more than one owner), of each 40.7 in the Fleet (see section 3.1 for definition of an owner) is considered as a single entity representing their vessel as a member of the Fleet.  Each vessel, through the owner(s), is a member of the Fleet.
    2. Fleet Officers.    The fleet will elect the following fleet officers:
      1. Captain of the Fleet
      2. Rules Chairman
      3. Secretary/Treasurer
    3. The term of the officers shall be for two years.
    4. An Executive Committee of Fleet Officers shall consist of the Captain of the Fleet, the Rules Chairman, and the Secretary/Treasurer, and shall decide upon issues of the applicability of these rules.
    5. Each member has one vote on issues pending before the Fleet (one vote per vessel).
    6. A member may designate another individual, who is either not an owner (a crew member) or another owner (another member), to vote as his proxy at meetings of members of the Fleet.  The Captain of the Fleet or other presiding officer of the meeting shall be informed of all proxies prior to the meeting.
    7. These class rules may be changed, or other issues decided, upon a majority vote of the members present at a general meeting.  If the vote is taken at a general meeting of the members, a quorum of a simple majority of all of the members of the fleet (or their proxy) must be present.  If the vote is taken while the members are not present at a general meeting (telephone, email, and/or postal mail) all members must be notified of the vote in the most expeditious manner and a majority of those responding within the set time limit is required to pass the issue at hand.  In the event that due to time constraints an issue must be decided and there is no time for a vote of the members the issue will be decided by the Executive Committee.
    8. Each member shall appoint a skipper (person in charge of the vessel) for each race.  The skipper is responsible for the safety, compliance with class rules, and deportment of the vessel and crew during all racing activities.
    9. As necessary, the Captain of the Fleet shall call for, schedule, and give notice of meetings of the members of the Fleet to discuss and vote upon issues pertinent to the maintenance of these rules and to the operation of the fleet.
  • Membership and Eligibility
    1. An “owner” of a 40.7 racing in one-design fleet races on Lake Michigan must be an individual legally owning 100% of the vessel, or be an equal partner in the 100% ownership of the yacht. A partner is one of two or three individuals that share equal shares and responsibility in the purchase of the complete yacht and the cost of its operations.
    2. A member of the Fleet shall comply with these Class Rules, shall pay annual dues, and shall be the owner (as defined in section 3.1) of a 40.7.
    3. The Driver of the yacht shall be a Group 1 competitor.  A driver is defined as the person or persons who, steer(s) the yacht during the 5 minutes prior to and including the start, and until the finish.  Exceptions for momentary absence due to personal or shipboard needs are acceptable.
    4. Crew eligibility.  Apart from owners of the vessel as described above, all crew must be categorized as Group 1 according to the ISAF Sailor Classification Code.
    5. Group 3 sailors are allowed to sail on a member boat participating in a class event provided that sailor is for publicity or media purposes only and does not assist with the actual racing of the boat.
    6. Crew limit.  Crew on each vessel shall be limited to 12 people.
    7. Immediate family.  Immediate family members of owners, and who are non-Category 1 sailors, may race in class events.
    8. If a member, or skipper of a vessel, feels that any of these rules have been violated, they may request an investigation by the Fleet Captain or Rules Chair.  The findings shall be reported to the Executive Committee who shall make a final determination. The penalty for a confirmed violation shall be an automatic 20% scoring penalty on the most recent race.
  • Equipment Rules
  1. Removal and Relocations
    1. Items which may not to be removed from the vessel while racing are standard factory supplied furnishings and equipment, including but not limited to:
      1. Tuff Luff
      2. emergency tiller
      3. two 12-volt batteries
      4. refrigeration system
      5. pressure water system
      6. propane stove
      7. propane tank
      8. holding tank
      9. head
      10. bilge pumps (manual and electric)
      11. any of the interior or exterior components
      12. ancillary plumbing and wiring
      13. cabinetry
      14. floor boards
      15. aft cabin and salon cushions
      16. bulkhead/cabin doors
      17. swim ladder or replacement rigid swim ladder
    1. Items which may be removed from the vessel during races as indicated:
      1. jib roller furling
      2. bow anchor roller
      3. salon table
      4. the two removable cockpit lockers
      5. v-berth cushions
    1. Cushions may be relocated to another part of the vessel during races but except for v-berth cushions, they may not be removed from the vessel.
  • Sails
  1. The intent of these rules is to discourage rule-beating sails. Therefore, any change that is not established practice or specifically covered by the sail plan and measurements is considered illegal until a ruling has been obtained from the Chief Measurer and the Executive Committee have concurred.
  2. Sails shall be measured and constructed in accordance with IMS rules WITHOUT PENALTY and ISAF Equipment Rules of Sailing, except where otherwise stated herein.
  3. Sail Measurements
    1. Main Sail
      1. P= 48.85
      2. E=17.71
      3. Maximum upper quarter girth, measured from upper quarter leach to the nearest point on the luff rope =6.73
      4. Maximum mid girth, measured from mid-leach to the nearest point on the luff, including luff rope =11.51
      5. A maximum of five full-length battens may be mounted in the mainsail.  The battens must be approximately evenly spaced up the leach. Batten material can be composite
      6. One set of down reef is mandatory
      7. The US Sailing number or hull number must be displayed on both sides of the main.
      8. The mainsail shall be set within the bands on the spars at all times.
      9. The tack ring of the mainsail shall be affixed in the standard tack fitting. The mainsail foot may otherwise be loose.
      10. Fabric limitations shall not apply.
      11. The mainsail shall be attached to the mast with sail slides or boltrope.
      12. The mainsail may be fitted with a cunningham ring and flattening rings
      13. The class insignia shall be a contrasting color to the mainsail.
    2. Genoa
      1. I=51.61
      2. J=14.47
      3. Maximum L.P. = 153% of J measured forward edge of the luff tape to the extension of the clew.
      4. Maximum girth, measured from mid-leach to luff tape shall not exceed .50 of the foot length.
      5. The US Sailing sail number or hull number must be displayed on both sides of the #1 Genoa.
      6. View windows, trim stripes, and tell tale windows permitted.
      7. Leech and foot lines permitted
      8. Tacking lines not permitted.
      9. Leech Battens not permitted.
      10. Fabric limitations shall not apply.
    3. Working Jib
      1. I=51.61
      2. J=14.47
      3. Maximum L.P. =100% J measured from the forward edge of the luff edge of the luff tape to the extension of the clew.
      4. Maximum mid girth, measured from mid-leach to mid-luff including luff tape shall not exceed .50 of the foot length.
      5. No reef is allowed.
      6. A maximum number of four (4) optional battens of any length may be fitted.
      7. Batten material can be composite.
      8. View windows, trim stripes and tell tale windows permitted.
      9. Leech and foot lines permitted.
      10. Fabric limitations shall not apply
    4. Spinnakers
      1. Maximum luff length SL=50.92, SMW= 26.05, Foot = 26.05 (asymmetrical spinnakers not exceeding these measurements may be used (Number of Sails in section 5.3)
      2. The sail number or hull number must be displayed on both sides of the spinnaker.
      3. Spinnakers to be woven Nylon or Polyester. Laminated fabrics shall not be permitted.
      4. Adjustable leech, luff and foot lines shall not be fitted
      5. Pull down patches not permitted
      6. Headboard not permitted
  4. Sail Limits
    1. For closed course buoy events, each boat will be limited to carrying on board, a total of 8 sails per race day.  For all distance races, a heavy spinnaker of 1.5 ounce material (or heavier) may be carried as a ninth sail.
    2. The sail inventory shall be further limited as follows:

One mainsail
One jib of less than or equal to 100% overlap
Up to three overlapping genoas
Up to three spinnakers.
Asymmetrical spinnakers, jib top reachers, code zeros, and wind seeker sails may be carried and counted as either one of the three overlapping genoas or as one of the three spinnakers so long as the limit of 8 or 9 sails is met.

    1. Storm sails and tri-sails may be carried and will not be counted against the eight sail limit. Storm sails include #4 jib and smaller.
    2. Damaged Sails.  In the event that one or more of the eight sails is significantly damaged during the regatta, then another sail may be substituted for the damaged sail.

Approved:  June 5, 2000

Revised:  April 14, 2001

Revision approved:  February 1, 2003

Affirmed:  October 19, 2003

Revised:  February 4, 2006

Revised:  October 20, 2007

Revised:  February 5, 2009

Revised:  February 8, 2013

Revised:  February 22, 2014

Revised: March 15, 2018

Copyright © 2000 – 2019, Lake Michigan Beneteau 40.7 Fleet. All rights reserved.