Boat Selection for the Olympics (Equipment)

The Offshore Mixed Doubles Event will take place in strictly controlled one-design boats. The 2020 World Sailing Annual Conference adopted Submission 30 comprising three proposals regarding equipment and more in depth reasoning for each under “Rationale”. You can also download a PDF copy of the submission. Watch for the next step which will likely be an Invitation to Tender by the World Sailing Equipment Committee as soon as they are ready.

Submission 30: Purpose / Objective

Council approved the selection process for the Paris 2024 Mixed Two Person Keelboat Offshore Event at the 2019 Annual Conference in Bermuda. The process is documented in Regulation 23.1.9.
“23.1.9 Notwithstanding any other Regulation, for the Mixed Two Person Keelboat Offshore Event at the 2024 Olympic Sailing Competition:
    (a) no later than 31 December 2020, Council shall approve the criteria that Equipment usable for qualification shall meet. A list with examples of equipment which meet the criteria will be provided at that time.
    (b) no later than 31 December 2020, Council shall approve an additional set of criteria that Equipment for the Olympic Event shall meet;
    (c) no later than 31 December 2023, Council shall select the Equipment for the Event using the criteria approved under Regulation 23.1.9(b).”
This Submission addresses the decisions to be taken no later than 31 December 2020 and further defines the selection procedure.

1. Equipment Criteria

  1. One design monohull sloop, rigged to use asymmetric spinnakers
  2. Hull Length 6.5 to 11 meters.
  3. Fixed keel while racing.
  4. No foils.
  5. Spars – either carbon or aluminum.
  6. Rudder – single or double rudder allowed.
  7. OSR Category 2 compliant in every respect. OSR 3.04.1 will be used regarding stability.
  8. Sail inventory (in compliance with OSR Category 2):
    1. Mainsail with three reefs, deepest reef to be 50% of luff length.
    2. Jib with hanks, and zipper reef.
    3. Heavy weather jib with hanks, and zipper reef.
    4. Storm jib, with hanks, usable as staysail.
    5. A-Sail, furling.
    6. Code Sail, furling.
  9. Sustainability considerations:
    1. Blackwater tank for toilet.
    2. Minimum renewable power source required.

1.1  It is expected that this criteria will give the widest possible choice of suitable Equipment for the Olympic Event, giving multiple manufacturers the opportunity for their Equipment to be selected for Paris 2024.

1.2  To set the characteristics of the equipment that will guide what equipment tenderers will be able to propose. Not intended to cover all technical details and obligations. (Further requirements will be included in the Invitation to Tender and supply contracts)

1.3  By requiring a fixed keel, one or two rudders and no foils, the selected equipment will reflect conventional sailing and reflect the widest choice of equipment accessible for training purposes. (This precludes canards, daggerboards, DSS foils, and lifting curved foils).

1.4  Lifting keel for transportation purposes allowed.

1.5  OSR Cat 2 details include: plan review, scantlings, propulsion, electronics, safety, stability, and equipment. The full 2020 Monohull Cat 2 OSRs are available for review here: https://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/mo2-[26062].pdf

1.6  The reason to specify OSR 3.04.01 for stability is to require demonstration of compliance with ISO 12217-2 design category A or higher. (OSR 3.04.2 not applicable)

1.7  The reason to specify a mainsail with three (3) reefs is that a 50% reef makes a trysail unnecessary under OSR Cat 2, reducing costs.

2. Equipment Selection Procedure

The Equipment Committee will produce a recommendation to Council on the Equipment to be selected no later than 31 December 2023. Such recommendation will be made following a tender process carried out by a Board appointed Working Party formed from members of the Events, Equipment and Oceanic and Offshore Committees, and the Executive Office. Eligible equipment shall comply with criteria stated in this submission and any other requirements deemed necessary and included in an Invitation To Tender.

Evaluation of tenders shall be against these criteria and evaluation principles included in an ‘Invitation To Tender’ document approved by the Equipment Committee and Oceanic and Offshore Committee that will include but not be limited to the following considerations:

  1. Event:
    1. A commercially viable scheme to supply the required fleet and spare equipment free of charge for sailors at the 2024 Olympic Event.
    2. Commitment to provide boatyard services and maintenance services at the 2024 Olympic Event.
  2. Equipment:
    1. Appealing to offshore sailors, media and the general public. The boat shall handle and sail well, be modern and attractive.
    2. Proven suitability for shorthanded racing, inshore and offshore; in one-design fleets and under IRC and ORC.
    3. The selection process will not make speed, high performance or cost a decisive factor.
    4. One-Design production process adherence, evaluation of production capacity, methods and tooling, including inspection control processes.
    5. Commitment to performance equalization requirements and compliance with any applicable World Sailing one-design quality control policies, as expected of any one- design equipment used for Olympic Games events.
    6. Sustainability considerations including life cycle assessments, policies, and environmental improvement programs.

2.1  The objective is to define the process by which Council selects the equipment, providing the means to consider and evaluate all alternative options that meet the criteria.

2.2  There shall be requirements to commit to the equalization of equipment and quality controls, agreeing to a defined set of building specifications, tolerances, correction methods, and production schedules.

2.3  Although performance is of interest, speed, high performance features and materials, and initial cost are not decisive factors. As illustrated in the examples below:

(a)  An expensive, high-tech, large boat shall not be precluded if a vendor finds a way to fund a fleet, possibly as a way of introducing a “concierge sailing” business or by pre-sale to owners.

(b)  A small, simple, low-cost, low-technology boat is not precluded so long as the boat meets the criteria and is a modern, attractive, good handling boat.

(c)  Both high-tech and low-tech boats might be good options, so long as they are good handling boats and meet the equalization and other criteria above.

3. Equipment for Qualification Events

Equipment suitable for qualification events shall comply with the criteria listed in proposal 1. However, the Board may approve applications by Olympic Qualification event organizers for the use of other equipment or exemptions to the criteria.

3.1 The objective is to not preclude the use of a local fleet that routinely races offshore in local waters but does not meet all the Olympic equipment requirements or OSR reviews. Equalization remains particularly important and not to be compromised.

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