To All Active Members of the International Star Class Yacht Racing Association

Voting for the 2016 Resolutions is open from today through December 10, 2016.

The continued health of the Class is important when deciding any amendment to our rules. Any change to the Class Rules must pass a vote of the membership.  Please give each item your full consideration and vote for or against.  You may also abstain from voting on any item if you wish to do so.    

Included in both the online and hard copy ballot will be a comment section.  Please feel free to send us your thoughts.
You must complete the information requested for verification. 

Each online voter will receive a confirmation email that your ballot was received.

In accordance with the Class Rules, each individual item on this ballot must pass by a 2/3 majority of the votes returned in order to pass.

Your ballot must be received no later than December 10, 2016 in order to be counted.

Question Title

* 1. #1 2016 STCR 18.2.1, submitted by the Lake Springfield Fleet
To Amend 18.2.1 as follows:

The IGC may, upon a majority vote of the IGC, waive or suspend a specific Star Class Rule within STCR 23 through 35, STCR 37 and STCR 40.  Such waiver or suspension of Star Class Rules shall be approved by the IGC and published on the Star Class webpage not less than 90 days prior to any test Event and shall be effective only for a single Event.  Such waiver or suspension of Star Class Rules may be repeated for subsequent events at the discretion of the IGC if appropriately approved and published but no longer than 24 months from the first test event to the last test event.  STCR 18.2.1 shall not be used to waive or suspend Star Class Rules 1 through 22, STCR 36, STCR 38 or STCR 39.
 
REASON: The Class needs to be nimble enough to consider and test new ideas and formats without permanently altering Class rules.  This also clarifies that the Class can and should use more than one event to test ideas and concepts but limits the time period to two years in order to allow the full membership time to consider the results, draft appropriate resolutions, and ultimately vote.

Black Text = current Class Rule
Red Text = Proposed change to Class Rule
Strikeout = Deletion of Text from current Class Rule

Question Title

* 2. #3-2016 STCR 31.1.3.  Submitted by the Lake Springfield Fleet
To Amend 31.1.3.  Crew weight as follows:

For Gold, Silver, and Blue events, Fleet Qualifications, the Olympic Regatta, all respective Olympia Trail Regattas and all International Sailing Federation Grade One Ranking Regattas, the total crew weight is limited according to the following formula:

S= Skipper’s weight, C=Crew’s weight in kilograms: C=([100-S] /1.5) + 100.  Weighing before the event is required. Weighing during or after the event is optional at the discretion of the organizing authority as posted in the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions. For other applicable events, weighing during or after the event is only allowed pursuant to a properly filed protest.  Crews found to be in violation of the rule shall be subject to disqualification from any race sailed on the day of the violation.

REASON: A “one and done” weigh-in procedure will allow teams to enjoy the regatta, focus on the racing, and maintain healthy eating and drinking habits during the event.  Any obvious abuse of the limit is still enforceable by fellow competitors.  Reweighing will still be authorized for Gold events.

Black Text = current Class Rule
Red Text = Proposed change to Class Rule
Strikeout = Deletion of Text from current Class Rule

Question Title

* 3. #4-2016 STCR 31.2.6.  Submitted by the Lake Springfield Fleet

31.2.6. Electronic devices which provide direction information and a timer are allowed.  VHF radios are allowed.  A competitor may carry a VHF radio for safety purposes and race committee communication. Use of the VHF radio is not permitted while racing except for emergencies.  This restriction may be modified to allow communication from the Race Committee to competitors on a predetermined channel if so stated in both the Notice of Race and the Sailing Instructions and if not prohibited by law.

REASON: Use of a VHF radio can be important to warn competitors of major weather changes or safety concerns. In addition, the Radio can be utilized to inform premature starters and course changes.  The Race Committee is still under the same obligations as otherwise required for course changes and posting of premature starters.

Black Text = current Class Rule
Red Text = Proposed change to Class Rule
Strikeout = Deletion of Text from current Class Rule

Question Title

* 4. #8-2016 STCR 35.  Submitted by the Guarapiranga Fleet
To add 35.5 as follows:

35. Rules
35.5 In any Star regatta held under Part Two of the Rules of the ISCYRA, the only penalty that will apply will be “One-turn Penalty” as defined in RRS 44.2.

REASON:
1. In the Star boat one turn penalty is more than enough to penalize the accidents for the rules of part 2 (RRS 44.1). Her big mainsail, the back stays, thin spars and her speed turns one turn to be adequate.

2. In strong winds two turns brings a lot of risks of serious damages to spars, boat and crews.

Black Text = current Class Rule
Red Text = Proposed change to Class Rule
Strikeout = Deletion of Text from current Class Rule

Question Title

* 5. #9-2016 STCR 37-38.  Submitted by Lake Springfield Fleet
To amend Rules 37, 37.1.1, 37.1.2, and 38.2.1 as follows:

37. Race Committee and International Jury

37.1.1  For the World Championship (Gold) events an International Jury (IJ) and an International Race Committee (IRC) shall be appointed by the Regatta Management Committee with the approval of the CMC and the IGC.  The International Jury is not authorized to direct the International Race Committee.

37.1.2. For Continental Championship (Silver) events an International Jury and a Race Committee shall be appointed by the Continental First Vice President with the approval of the Continental Committee.

38.2.1 Decisions of protest committees, and International Juries and Juries.

 
REASON: International juries are expensive for Silver Star regatta organizers and have provided added little benefit over regional juries.  Local juries are capable and are still subject to the approval of ISCYRA.

Black Text = current Class Rule
Red Text = Proposed change to Class Rule
Strikeout = Deletion of Text from current Class Rule

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* 6. Please add any comments for the office here.

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* 7. Member Verification

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