Предложения Российской ассоциации для включения в повестку дня общего годового собрания

Dear Mr Chairman,

With present letter the Russian Dragon Association officially submits its proposals to be included into AGM 2016 agenda and voted for at the next scheduled AGM meeting.

Proposal 1. Change Support Boat Regulations.

Proposed new language of the Regulations

Support boats, regardless the ISAF Grade of the driver or support boat passenger, are allowed to follow the race cource on any side on every leg of the race not closer than 50 meters to any racing boat. Race Committee has the right to demand support boats to execute its requests if necessary.

Reason for proposal:
One year after implementation of the present Support Boat Regulations we see a decline in the level of safety of conducted events. The majority of the sailors are of senior age and that fact should determine the focus and language of the Support Boat Regulations. Safety for these dragonists in stormy or calm weathers before, after or during the race has never been targeted and provided by the event organizing authorities. On the race course we usually see one or two Jury RIBs, Measurer’s RIB and Race Committee boats that have to stay at race course marks — this is all that the organizing authority is providing, and all these vessels are provided to run the race, not to provide safety. Spectator and press boats, if existing, are not skilled to approach a sailing yacht and provide assistance if needed.
Before the present Support Boat Regulations were put in force we had 5 -7 support boats following the race on the sides of the course and watching the teams of its owners. Positive effect of such handling was that these boats were very close to the fleet and could provide assistance. Many times they helped boats in trouble or saved men that went overboard in difficult weather conditions. This is a historical fact that cannot be denied.

The prohibition of the support boats has taken place out of the concern that the drivers of such boats, majority of whom are themselves sailors, would inform their teams about the wind speed and direction at the weather mark, as well as about the current thus giving such teams a competitive advantage.

However, the introduction of good race committee practice to inform all sailors from the principal race committee boat about wind speed and direction as well as current at the weather mark has successfully closed such gap for any competitive advantage the owners of the support boats were suspected of.

Consequently, there is no more need to prohibit the support boats along the race course. Rather, the need of safety provision as the main requirement of good seaman practice continues to exist and should be approached without any further delay. Life of the sailors is precious and should be protected by all existing means.

Proposal 2. Amend definition of a corinthian and non-corinthian sailor

Proposed language of the Definition

In Dragon class a non-corinthian sailor is any sailor that has been a member of their national sailing teams and participated in Olympic Games and/or World, European or their respective continental Championships in olympic classes of boats.

A corinthian sailor is a sailor that at no time has been member of his or her country’s national sailing team in olympic class of sailing boats and has never competed for his or her country at the World, European or his/her respective continental Championship nor in the Olympic Games in olympic classes of sailing boats.

Reason for proposal:
At present we see on the corinthian scoring entry lists and on corinthian podiums sailors with proven track of successful sailing career in olympic classes, which means that their skills, gained through therir extensive sailing practice in the past, give them strong competitive advantage over the teams of true amateurs that have learned sailing as a hobby or part of their family recreational habits and traditions taking away their chance to win.
As a result the Corinthian scoring fails reaching its target to provide equal chances to win also for amateur sailors
The new definition would eliminate this mismatch and restore justice for the true amateurs that entered the Dragon class not as a follow-up of their professional career in their respective national teams.

Proposal 3:
Ensure IDA active involvement in supervision of preparation and implementation of onshore part of Grade 1 events to provide their full compliance with IDA Championship Regulations.

An IDA appointed person, with extensive knowledge of Dragon class Championship organization (not only participation), would be of great advantage and a clean and easy solution.
The class has many people with such experience, an appointment should not be a human resource problem

Reason for proposal:
At present IDA is actively supervising the preparation and implementation of the onwater part of Grade1 events. This has brought visible quality improvement of the racing component and isn being well appreciated by the fleet.
However, onshore part is left out of attention and as such considerable deviations in event quality take place from event to event.
The reason is that full power of decision making and standard keeping is left with the organizing authorities of respective events. No knowledge transfer takes place from event to event.
The organizing skill level of the Organizers as well as their knowledge of Dragon class likes, dislikes, habits determines the quality of the event ashore.

Active supervision of the onshore part of the events would contribute to their better organisation, better standard and general better satisfaction of the sailors. This in all would make the class more attractive to the newcomers and present Dragon sailors

The Russian Dragon Association believes the acceptance of the above proposals would successfully contribute to the prosperity of the class and make it more attractive to newcomers as well as to existing dragonists.

Sincerely

Tatiana Kurbatova-Lueders
Secretary
Russian Dragon Association