Section Table of Contents
I - Basic Rules of Uniformity
II - Basic Rules Governing Measurements and Inspections
III - Basic Rule Governing Substantial Damage to a Registered Yacht
IV - Basic Rules Governing Deviations from the Specifications
V - Basic Rules Governing Sanctioning of Races
VI - Requests for Measurement Interpretations and Rulings
VII - Status of National Measurer's Interpretations and Rulings
VIII - Admonition to Authorized Builder(s)
IX - Admonition to Sailmakers and Other Manufacturers
All Registered Yachts and measured sails shall conform to the Specifications.
Registered Yachts shall be constructed with lead keels, fiberglass hulls and aluminum spars in accordance with Design Number 1720 of Sparkman & Stephens, Inc.
Any alteration of a Registered Yacht and the use of any item of equipment on a Registered Yacht, which is not expressly permitted herein, is prohibited.
Note - There are specific prohibitions throughout the Specifications. Silence, or the lack of a specification pertaining to an alteration or an item of equipment, shall be considered to be a specific prohibition against such alteration or item of equipment.
Any interpretation of these Specifications that will tend to promote uniformity among Registered Yachts shall be preferred over any other interpretation.
Each Fleet Measurer must inspect and measure Registered Yachts in their Fleet sufficiently to enable the Fleet Measurer or the Fleet secretary to certify, before any sanctioned race, that all Registered Yachts so measured and inspected conform to the Specifications. The mast step location should be measured every two years. In addition, yachts that have been modified must be measured and certified to conform to the specifications prior to any sanctioned race. The National Measurer may require an inspection form to be completed and made publicly available in a prescribed manner.
Each Fleet Measurer must measure and inspect new or altered sails which may be used for racing by Registered Yachts in his Fleet as soon as reasonably practicable after receiving a request. The Fleet measurer must indelibly mark each approved new sail, in black letters at least 2 inches high on the luff near the tack fitting, the number of the sail's Registered yacht, the year of first measurement, and the Fleet Measurer's initials. Example: 167-94-RR indicates that the new sail belongs to Registered yacht #167, that it was first measured in 1994, and that it was measured by Randy Ready. The Fleet Measurer must indelibly mark each approved altered sail with the date of re-measurement, and the Fleet Measurer's initials.
All sail measurements and inspections must comply with the "Sail Measurement Instructions and Procedures" to enable the Fleet Measurer or Fleet Secretary to certify, before any sanctioned race, that all sails so measured conform to the Specifications.
(See Section V - Sails 1.0 "Basic Rules Governing Sail Acquisition")
In the case of substantial damage to a Registered Yacht, the Fleet Secretary shall report the extent of such damage to the National Measurer. The Measurer may take action to ensure that after repair the Yacht continues to perform to the Specifications.
If a Fleet wishes to experiment with or otherwise permit a deviation from the Specifications, approval for such experiment or deviation shall be obtained from the National Measurer. The National Measurer may set certain terms, conditions and reporting requirements on any such experiment or deviation.
(See Section III - 6.0 "Requests for Measurement Interpretations and Rulings".)
Nothing Herein shall prevent a Fleet from requiring equipment on its Registered Yachts in addition to the Mandatory Equipment prescribed in Section IV, paragraph 9. The National Measurer shall approve such additional equipment.
(See Section III - 6.0 "Requests for Measurement Interpretations and Rulings".)
Nothing herein shall prevent a Fleet from making Registered Yachts more uniform than is required by the Specifications. Purchasing sails from one sailmaker or standardizing what is optional under the Specifications are examples of "more uniform" practices. The National Measurer shall approve such practices.
(See Section III - 6.0 "Requests for Measurement Interpretations and Rulings".)
Any race, regatta or series which is used by a local fleet to qualify a Registered Yacht and/or Active Member for the National Championship Regatta shall be deemed a sanctioned, or class approved race and shall be subject to these class rules, and the racing rules of the United States Sailing Association.
(See Section VI-1.2(c)(2) "Entrants".)
Only races consisting solely of Shields Class yachts shall constitute a sanctioned race.
Extraordinary means of hiking are prohibited in all sanctioned class races. When hiking in the sitting position, no part of the body between the middle of the thigh and feet shall be outside of the sheerline. When hiking in the prone position, one half of the body shall be inboard of the sheerline. No hiking straps or other device shall be rigged by any member of the crew for the purpose of supporting his weight outboard of the sheerline.
(See Section VI "Rules Governing the National Championship Regatta".)
Any questionable alteration of a Registered Yacht or a question about an item of equipment which exists or is being contemplated for a Registered Yacht shall be submitted by the Fleet Measurer in writing to the National Measurer for permission or for an interpretation or ruling. Such submissions shall be made by June 1st of any year in order to be effective for a National Regatta. (See Paragraph 4.0 "Deviations from the Specifications", Paragraph 9.0 "Admonition to Sailmakers" and Paragraph 7.0 "Status of Measurer's Ruling and Interpretations".)
The National Measurer shall act on all requests for permissions, interpretations or rulings within 60 days of such submissions. He shall simultaneously notify all Fleet Measurers of the nature of such requests and the resulting permissions, interpretations or rulings.
A National Measurer's Permission, Interpretation or Ruling, when distributed to the Fleets, shall carry the weight of a Specification and shall be considered as such. A Permission, Interpretation or Ruling, if appropriate, shall be made into a Specification within the Shields Class Sailing Association Rule Book as soon as is practical to do so.
The authorized builder(s) shall not change the design of the hull, deck, spars, rigging or equipment supplied on the new boats or placed on the existing boats without first requesting approval from the Governing Board. The Technical Committee shall review such requests and make a recommendation to the Board. Any changes that are approved shall be relayed to the authorized builder(s) in writing.
In accepting orders for sails and re-cutting of sails, or for equipment, fittings, rigging and hardware for a Registered Yacht, manufacturers are cautioned to consult these Specifications and any rules adopted by the Fleet in which a yacht is normally sailed.
If there is doubt as to the interpretation or application of these Specifications or the Fleet rules, the manufacturer is invited to request a ruling from the National Measurer with respect to these Specifications and from the Fleet Captain with respect to Fleet rules.
(See Paragraph 6.0 - "Requests for Measurement Interpretations and Rulings".)
Any such request for a ruling will be welcomed by the Association and the Fleet as an opportunity to clarify these Specifications and the Fleet rules. On the other hand, a manufacturer who independently interprets these Specifications or Fleet rules without assistance from the Class President, National Measurer or the Fleet Measurer, assumes the risk that an interpretation may be erroneous and a pent's Registered Yacht may suffer the consequences of such an erroneous interpretation.