Assumed Facts
The class rules for a World Sailing Class include the following rule: “The sail shall be supplied only by the Builder.”

There is no statement in the class Constitution or class rules either allowing or prohibiting changes to the class rules by a fleet, and the class association has not given the fleets permission to change the class rule.

There are sails of equal quality available from other suppliers for about half the price.

Question
May the Menantic Fleet’s sailing instructions add to the class rule and allow the use of sails for its fleet’s races by suppliers other than the Builder?

Answer
No. The class rules require the sail to be supplied by the Builder. Rule 85.1 says, “A change to a rule includes any addition to it or deletion of all or part of it.” Therefore adding to the class rule is a change to that rule.

Rule 87 allows the notice of race or the sailing instructions to “change a class rule only when the class rules permit the change, or when written permission of the class association for the change is displayed on the official notice board.” Since the class rules do not allow the change, the change can be made only with written permission from the World Sailing Class.

July 2019