Olympic sailing classes
A boat class called boats with a uniform design specification, which makes the boats directly comparable at regattas.
Types of boat classes
The classification of boats into classes is done to allow some comparability in regattas. There are several approaches:
- Unit Classes: All boats with a device class are regarded as equal. Slight variations, for example, by the choice of certain sails, the arrangement of deck fittings or different heavy interior fittings are in principle possible, but must be explicitly permitted by the class rules. Due to these strict regulations, the costs can be kept low by expensive materials are prohibited, for example. Older boats are often not competitive, because the construction is not developed further.
- Construction Classes: All boats are built according to specific building codes, but may differ in some cases significantly from each other. Formulas are widely used for construction classes specified, enter the specific data of the boat such as length, beam, draft, displacement, sail area. The result of the formula must be within a certain range. Construction classes continue to evolve. Thus they always offer current designs, but at the price of having to adapt to the progress always. Older boats are usually no longer competitive.
- Box Rule: A subspecies of the design class - here are just very rough dimensions, eg a maximum length or a maximum sail area is required. The restrictions are therefore still looser than in the formula given construction class, designers will have greater leeway left.
Both design classes as well as Box Rules so bring within the same class sometimes very different boats out. These can differ significantly in their sailing characteristics. Also can be very fast, for example, in high winds and wave a boat, but hopelessly inferior in light winds. So the more liberties can be a class rule, the greater the importance of boat design and the fitness of a ship for the prevailing weather conditions.
As an alternative for boats that do not fit in a class, there are handicap systems. These try to calculate the velocity potential of a boat and to calculate therefrom a " race value ". The time of each boat is sailed then with the race to the value " calculated time " converted; this ultimately determines the winner of the regatta.
Similarly, does the Yardstick system; here racing values are assigned for known classes of boat, which, however, are not based on accurate speed calculations, but are awarded on the basis of feeling and experience.
Canoe
When canoeing competitive sport there is for each boat class rules on the size of the boat, the weight and characteristics of the boat shape. This varies from discipline to discipline, also distinguishes between kayaks and canoes. Thus, there are for two - Canadians in canoe racing other building codes as in canoe slalom and wild water racing, but also within the various disciplines different requirements between approximately one and one - kayak - canoe. Sometimes there are differences here that are used by children on boats.