To solve the problem ,lets scrap the min boat weights for races in GB
Its an old rule from the 80s lets push our sport forwards not hold it back.Now boats are shorter lets remove the weight ,ease the burden on organizers so they can get on with running the event and not panicking over a few grams of resin.
boat weighing
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james.hastings@uk.experia
I have to say I agree with Kanu63. All this fuss about a few grams of boat weight is quite frankly making a mountain out of a molehill. My understanding of the past situation was that the boat weight rule was brought in as much to do with safety as competitive advantage - manufacturers were making slalom boats so thin they were in danger of cracking up on the more difficult courses. With the reduction in minimum boat length it is not surprising that most new, shorter boats are not reaching the 9kg limit, despite being made as robustly as the old 4m+ boats.
If the argument from some is that boats less than 9kg give those using them a competitive advantage, then by that criteria we should all be paddling exactly the same boat - what do you think the top paddlers are trying to gain when they have boats specially designed for them, and what do you think the rest of us are doing when we make a choice between different types of boat?
Thus, as Kanu says, get rid of the rule altogether and allow those organising slaloms to get on with actually running the events
If the argument from some is that boats less than 9kg give those using them a competitive advantage, then by that criteria we should all be paddling exactly the same boat - what do you think the top paddlers are trying to gain when they have boats specially designed for them, and what do you think the rest of us are doing when we make a choice between different types of boat?
Thus, as Kanu says, get rid of the rule altogether and allow those organising slaloms to get on with actually running the events
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c2canoeslalom
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Fri May 28, 2004 10:36 pm
- Location: Sheffield
Scrapping the rule in Britain is a bad idea. Why say have no min. weights when the ICF rules state 9kg for kayaks, 10kg for C1 and 15kg for C2. It's a simple enough rule for competitors to follow.
Kanu.63 writes about panicking over a 'few grams'. If we want to be successful abroad and develop juniors into successful international athletes then we should be enforcing the ICF rule.
And James...how many grams underweight acceptable? 5? 10? 50? Where do you stop? Also most 4m boats were built slightly underweight...its the paddlers responsibility to weight their boat appropriately before the race. If they want to take it out to train thats fine too, I just dont understand why they'd do that.
I think while min. boat weight and diameters remain ICF rules then GB should adopt and where possible enforce those rules. There is no excuse to turn up with a underweight boat. It's lazy and you deserve to be disqualified if you use an underweight boat to race, as would happen if you broke any other rule in the slalom handbook.
I expect I've rewritten what people have already said in this thread but rules are rules and if they are broken action must be taken against the offender.
Kanu.63 writes about panicking over a 'few grams'. If we want to be successful abroad and develop juniors into successful international athletes then we should be enforcing the ICF rule.
And James...how many grams underweight acceptable? 5? 10? 50? Where do you stop? Also most 4m boats were built slightly underweight...its the paddlers responsibility to weight their boat appropriately before the race. If they want to take it out to train thats fine too, I just dont understand why they'd do that.
I think while min. boat weight and diameters remain ICF rules then GB should adopt and where possible enforce those rules. There is no excuse to turn up with a underweight boat. It's lazy and you deserve to be disqualified if you use an underweight boat to race, as would happen if you broke any other rule in the slalom handbook.
I expect I've rewritten what people have already said in this thread but rules are rules and if they are broken action must be taken against the offender.
We should definetly keep the boat weight rule. We already have different rules to the rest of the world for every division except Premier (eg. only best run counts, not the aggregate, in division 1 and below!). We do not want to deviate away from the rules any more than we already do.
Lighter boats are better. Anyone that says they dont notice this is not of a high enough level to notice the difference! They turn faster and in particular, can change direction faster, making them easier to paddle and quicker than a heavy boat of the same design!
People should be happy to get a light boat from a manufacturer. It is very easy to weigh a boat and stick a bit of lead, a spanner, a dumbell ring, or any scrap metal in with a bit or Araldite glue. It really is not much trouble and very little expense. I cant believe some people actually want boats made at 9kg!
Getting manufacturers to add the weight is not a good idea - people add foam, glue and other fittings to match their personal requirements to a boat. They may change the seat or footrests. So the weight is usually altered once you first get the boat anyway. And boats do get heavier with time as they get older, especially if they have some repairs on them - it is worth re-checking every 6months or so and probably removing a bit of weight.
The rule says boats must weigh 9kg. Its simple.
Lighter boats are better. Anyone that says they dont notice this is not of a high enough level to notice the difference! They turn faster and in particular, can change direction faster, making them easier to paddle and quicker than a heavy boat of the same design!
People should be happy to get a light boat from a manufacturer. It is very easy to weigh a boat and stick a bit of lead, a spanner, a dumbell ring, or any scrap metal in with a bit or Araldite glue. It really is not much trouble and very little expense. I cant believe some people actually want boats made at 9kg!
Getting manufacturers to add the weight is not a good idea - people add foam, glue and other fittings to match their personal requirements to a boat. They may change the seat or footrests. So the weight is usually altered once you first get the boat anyway. And boats do get heavier with time as they get older, especially if they have some repairs on them - it is worth re-checking every 6months or so and probably removing a bit of weight.
The rule says boats must weigh 9kg. Its simple.
I think also that there's a chicken and egg situation. Manufacturers make robust boats BECAUSE of the weight rule. If you took the rule away at international level then manufacturers would jump to it the same as when the length was reduced and we'd have lots of paper thin boats - exactly the reason it was introduced.
I agree that it should be up to the competitor to make their boat the correct weight because of all the different bits and pieces that go in (esp C1/C2). Manufacturers seem to be fairly responsible at getting the weight/robustness balance right - i.e. not paper thin with 6kg of lead to add! I only had to add about 600g - 500 of which taken care of with airbags (which incedentally I've attached with zip-ties and I feel could be justified as "fixed and permanent" even without the new UK rule).
I agree that it should be up to the competitor to make their boat the correct weight because of all the different bits and pieces that go in (esp C1/C2). Manufacturers seem to be fairly responsible at getting the weight/robustness balance right - i.e. not paper thin with 6kg of lead to add! I only had to add about 600g - 500 of which taken care of with airbags (which incedentally I've attached with zip-ties and I feel could be justified as "fixed and permanent" even without the new UK rule).
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Busybody
Rules are Rules boat weights and measurements have been around for years nothings new, if your boat is under weight the organiser is within there rights to disqualify competitor. At most internationals boats were weighed before the race (if found to be to light lead can be added and then weighed again) boats were also randomly tested after runs. you takes your chances if you race with an under weight boat dont cry foul if caught.