First 40.7

4)         Area III Report.  Jay Muller gave the Area III report and handed out a preliminary Area III schedule for 2006. 

            After discussion, Jay said he would look into the rule regarding fleet participation at racing events which would enable the40.7 to have a voting representative at Area III.

5)         2006 Schedule

a)         It was voted on unanimously that the 40.7 North American Championship will be held once again concurrent with the Verve Cup Regatta in August.

b)         The six regattas comprising the Area III Buoy Boat of the Year series will be:

                        Sun.            May 28            Olympic Cup Regatta

                        Sat.            July 8                        Hobleman One Design Regatta

                        Sat.            July 15                        Fran Byrne Regatta

                        Sat.            Aug. 12            Kathy Zukasky Regatta

                        Sun.            Sept. 10            Frank Heyes Regatta

                        Sat.            Sept. 16            Sheldon Clark Regatta

                        Note: It was not decided which three of the above six Area III regatta would be included in the LMSRF BOLM series.  It was also not definitively affirmed that the West Marine/Columbia Yacht Club One-Design Regatta would again, as last year, be a racing clinic with one allowed Cat 2 or Cat 3 crewmember per boat .  These issues need to be decided at the next meeting. 

c)         The races comprising the Area III Long Distance Boat of the Year series will be the two races of the Waukegan race weekend and the three races of the Tri-state regatta.

            By a vote of 4-2 (Aye: Vayu, Finesse, Excalibur, Tsunami; Nay: La Tempete and Das Boot; and 1 abstention: Spanker) it was decided to include some long distance racing in the LMSRF BOLM series. 

            It was then voted on, between the Waukegan race weekend, Tristate, and the Mackinac, which would be included in the LMSRF series.  The final vote was:

            Waukegan 4 votes (Finesse, Vayu, Excalibur, Tsunami); Mackinac 2 votes (Spanker and  Das Boot) and no votes for the Tri-State. 

            The result is that the two races of the Waukegan race weekend will be included inthe LMSRF BOLM series.

6)         Americap Discrepancies.  Bob Vickery asked that at the meeting we examine why most of the boats in the fleet have different Americap II ratings.  This task was assigned to the technical committee.  Jay Muller asks that all skippers send him a copy of their current Americap II certificate. 

7)         Backstay extension.  There was a brief revisiting of the issue of adding a backstay extension to the top of the mast to allow the mainsail roach to clear the stay.  After short discussion it was decided to leave the boats as they are.

8)         Heavy Spinnakers.  There was a question raised as to whether heavy (1.5 oz) spinnakers are included in the 8 sail limit, as there was a difference of opinion among the skippers.  Jay will research this issue in the rules and Ron will research the issue in previous meeting minutes.

9)         Rules.  Jay Muller, the fleet rules chairman, handed out a printout of revised rules with his proposed changes which were then voted on.  Specifically:

a)         Allow  v-berth cushions to be removed from the boat for racing?

                        Vote:             Aye            2            (Das Boot, Tsunami)

                                    Nay            4            (Finesse, Excalibur, Spanker, La Tempete)

                                    Abs.            1            (Vayu)

b)         Allow 10 sails for long distance races?

                        Vote:            Aye            0           

                                    Nay            6            (Finesse, Excalibur, Spanker, La Tempete, Vayu, Tsunami)

                                    Abs.            1            (Das Boot)

c)         Allow classes of racing with one Cat 2 crewmember?  There was some discussion that Jay Muller’s daughter, Cate, may not be allowed to race in the future due to her being non-Cat 1.  It was the unanimous declaration of the skippers that an exception would be made for Cate and that Cat 2 & 3 crew would continue to be excluded. 

Don Hayes proposed an examination of the use of Dacron sales in the future.  This was rejected, without vote, by the skippers after a short conversation. 

Note: We need to finalize the rules as they are now and submit them for approval by the skippers for 2006.

10)       A brief discussion was held on the merits of requiring a minimum number regatta participation for qualification for the LMSRF series.  Without a vote, the skippers decided not to pursue this.

11)       Ron Buzil proposed making some sort of awards for overall Tristate performance for the 40.7 fleet.  By a vote of 4-2 (Aye: Finesse, Vayu, La Tempete, Excalibur; Nay: Das Boot, Tsunami; Abs.: Spanker) it was decided to award flags for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place overall Tristate performance. 

12)       Ron Buzil pointed out that the “With Class” award voting was not held this year, probably because nobody took  charge of it.  There was no interest among the skippers for  this award for 2005.

13)       The skippers unanimously chose Bob Vickery to once again be the chairman of the 40.7 North American Championship at the Verve Regatta.

14)       By acclamation, the skippers chose Ben Kramer to once again run the 40.7 Fleet booth at the Strictly Sail show this winter. 

15)       The meeting adjourned with the decision to hold the next meeting on the Saturday evening concurrent with the Strictly Sail show, as is the custom for our winter meeting. 

The fall 40.7 Fleet party then began during which the winners of the 2005 LMSRF Best 40.7 on Lake Michigan were announced and flags handed out:

                        1^st Place            La Tempete            Tom Weber

                        2^nd                         Hot Lips            Steve Mash (not present)

                        3^rd                        Collaboration            Bob Vickery (not present)

                        4^th                        Tsunami            Don Hayes