CATALINA 250 DESIGN CLASS RULES

A. GENERAL

1. All boats seeking recognition as a Catalina 250 Class Racing Sloop must be made from molds approved by the Catalina 25/250 National Association, herein to be known as the Association.

2. Any modification to the hull and/or deck of the Catalina 250 must be approved in writing by the Rules Committee of the Association unless specifically permitted herein.

3. Modifications to the interior of the boat may not decrease the structural integrity of the boat. Specifically, changes made for the purpose of weight distribution will not be allowed.

4. Due to design differences and production options, all C250 boats will race with handicap ratings according to Section F. Ratings.

B. RUDDER

1. Rudders shall be made from a mold commercially available to all competitors. (Rudders manufactured for C-250s by Catalina Yachts or elsewhere prior to the publication and association approval of these rules are considered to be approved. In the case where the rudders are obviously different from those now being manufactured, proof of origin may be required.)

2. Changes to the rudder to affect weight distribution will not be allowed.

3. Beaching rudders will be allowed provided they comply with B-1.

4. Modification to gudgeons will be allowed for the purposes of balancing pressure on the helm.

5.  For the period beginning October 1, 2005 through October 1, 2008 when racing in a race governed by these class rules (as indicated in the Sailing Instructions or Notice of Race) all rudders that are not original equipment must be declared on the racing application. 

C. KEEL

1. Keels may be either retractable (centerboard) or fixed. In either case, they shall be as supplied by the manufacturer. They shall remain unmodified in composition, size, and shape. Refinishing the surface of the keel shall not be considered a modification.

2. Centerboards may be retracted from the full down position at the discretion of the skipper. The cable may be removed or attached along the trailing edge of the board.

3. Fixed keels and centerboards may race together as one class. See Section F. Ratings. 

D. MAST AND BOOM

1. The mast shall remain fixed when stepped. No adjustable steps will be allowed. No step may raise the base of the extrusion more than an inch above deck level.

2. The extrusion of the mast and its fittings shall adhere to the specifications of the manufacturer and changes in shape and weight shall not be allowed.

3. The boom extrusion must be of a standard shape and weight as specified by the manufacturer.

4. Whisker poles including end fittings may not exceed 16 feet 3 ¼ inches. Telescoping whisker poles may be used, providing they are banded in a manner as to appear as one 2" band at each joint when adjusted properly or two narrow bands when over-extended at each joint.

5. Spinnaker poles including end fittings may not exceed 10.5 feet.

6. Boom extensions disallowed.

E. SAILS

1. Sails allowed:

Spinnaker boats: (6 sail limit)
1 Mainsail
3 Headsails *
2 Spinnakers

Non-Spinnaker (JAM) boats: (4 sail limit)
1 Mainsail
3 Headsails *

* Boats that were originally built and supplied with jib sails larger than 110% will be allowed with appropriate handicap ratings. In any one regatta the same sails must be used to fill the requirements of this section, unless there are extenuating circumstances, in which case the measuring official may waive this requirement.

In any one regatta the same sails must be used to fill the requirements of this section, unless there are extenuating circumstances, in which case the measuring official may waive this requirement.

a. Spinnaker sails are authorized and may be used in the National Championship Regatta and all sanctioned Regattas as a separate or combined spinnaker class with appropriate handicap. Only two measured spinnakers may be used in the same regatta.

b.  Change to Asymmetrical spinnakers are allowed but must not have a sail area greater than an allowed  symmetrical spinnaker.

2. Measurement of sails

a. General

(1) Sails shall be measured in a dry state laid on a flat surface with just enough tension to remove wrinkles across the line of measurement being taken.

(2) The term "sail" shall be taken to include the headboard, tabling, bolt and foot ropes (or tapes). It shall not include cringles which are totally outside of the sail.

(3) Windows may not have an area greater than 3 square feet (including telltale windows), in any one sail, nor may be closer than 6 inches to any edge.

(4) For the National Championship Regatta, that suit of sails which a competitor intends to use shall be submitted upon request prior to the start of the first official race, and marked by the Chief Measurer or his designated representative. The mark shall not exceed 6 inch tall and 2 inches wide and should keep with the latest sail-makers and measurers mark standard whenever possible.

5a. It is at the discretion of the Chief Measurer or his designate which sails from any vessels suit of sails shall be measured, if any.  The absence of an official measuring at or prior to any regatta does not indicate approval of sails not meeting the guidelines set forth herein.

b. Definitions

(1) Head - The head shall be taken as the highest point of the sail projected perpendicular to the luff or its extension.

(2) Clew - The clew shall be taken as the aftermost point of the sail projected to the foot or its extension.

c. Mainsails

(1) Luff - The length of the luff shall be taken as the distance between the uppermost point and the lowermost point of the leading edge of the sail. The dimension shall not exceed:
Tall Rig - 27.5'; Standard Rig - 24.5.

(2) Foot - The length of the foot shall be taken as the distance between the forwardmost and aftermost points of the lower edge of the sail. The dimension shall not exceed 11'.

(3) Battens - The mainsail shall have four battens with no maximum length restriction.

d. Headsails

(1) Luff - The luff shall normally be the distance between the lowest part of the sail on the luff rope or wire and the head. At the discretion of the measurer, if it appears that there has been liberty taken so as to take advantage of this rule in order to build a sail longer than would ordinarily be permitted under this rule, the point of measurement at the tack shall be taken as the point of intersection of the luff of the sail or the luff extended, and the foot of the sail or the foot extended, ignoring any round or hollow of the foot. Likewise the point of measurement of the head of the sail shall be taken as the point of intersection of the luff of the sail, or luff extended, and the leech of the sail extended ignoring any round or hollow of the leech. The dimension shall not exceed: Tall Rig - 32.5'; Standard Rig - 29.5'. The luff shall be attached to the forestay by either a head foil OR a minimum of four (4) hanks (or similar mechanisms) equally spaced along the luff between the tack and the head of the sail.

(2) Longest Perpendicular - The "LP" shall be measured on the perpendicular from the luff (outside edge) to the clew. The dimension shall not exceed 12.15'.

e. Spinnakers

(1) Luff - The length of the luffs shall be taken as the distance between the highest point of the sail and the foot measured around the edge of the luff. The dimension shall not exceed: Tall Rig - 32.025'; Standard Rig - 29.286'.

(2) Girth - The maximum shall be measured across the widest point of the sail between points equidistant from the head. The dimension shall not exceed 16.2'.

3. Fleet Measurer

Each fleet will, through normal procedures as set forth in fleet by-laws, select a fleet measurer. The name of the measurer will be sent to the Association. Upon measuring a set of sails and finding that they comply with rules set forth herein, the measurer will affix to the area near the tack of each sail measured: C-250, his initials, and three numbers indicating the month measured and the last two digits of the year measured. For example the numbers"4 - 00" indicate that the sails were measured in April of 2000.

F. RATINGS

1. All boats shall be rated according to the current area PHRF rating of the host fleet as available to them. Fixed keel and centerboard boats with tall and standard rigs will be rated accordingly.

2. Rating adjustments will be allowed as follows: Inboard engines, fixed prop +.1; and inboard engines, folding prop +.05. Adjustments for appropriate headsail size will be made.

3.   Any Overall competition between C25/C250 or Capri 25 sail boats, is not discouraged and shall be rated between the three boat types, at the discretion of the Host Club and their local PHRF Organization these rating shall be posted in the notice of race.

G. STANDING RIGGING

1. The standing rigging must remain unmodified and attached unless otherwise specified herein.

2. The backstay may be split or a dual system may be used. A backstay adjusting mechanism may be incorporated.

3. Headfoils are allowed.

4. Open turnbuckles are allowed.

5. Headsail roller furling gear is allowed

H. RUNNING RIGGING

1. Unless otherwise specified or limited, running rigging will remain open to modification.

2. Travelers must remain "as produced" and will be limited so that the mainsheet attachment point may not be changed from the point which the factory installed traveler was delivered as a new boat.

3. Deck gear, unless otherwise specified or limited, will remain open to modification.

4. Instruments, unless otherwise specified or limited, will remain open to modification.

5. Internal halyards allowed.

I. REQUIRED SAFETY EQUIPMENT

General - Every yacht while racing shall have aboard the following:

1. An operable engine whose combined weight with associated fuel tank must weigh at least 40 pounds. Should this weight limitation not be met, then ballast must be added to meet the above weight requirement. Engine must be mounted and ready to use. No minimum horsepower requirement for the engine.

2. An anchor, chain, and line whose combined weight is at least 15 pounds. Should this weight limitation not be met, then ballast must be added to meet the requirement.

3. U.S.C.G. approved personal flotation devices for all persons aboard, plus one additional USCG approved type IV throwable flotation device as per USCG requirements.

4. Running lights must meet the USCG minimum requirements for the time and conditions of the regatta

5. A fire extinguisher.

6. A USCG approved sound producing device such as a horn, bell or whistle.

7. Such other equipment as is required by the agency having jurisdiction on the waters where the regatta is being held. The Race Committees shall indicate such in the race instructions.

J. ANTI-HIKING

General - While participating in Catalina 250 Class races no person while on board and while racing may position themselves in any manner which will extend their torso outside and beyond the vertical extension of the sheer other than temporarily.

1. While in a position to make sail changes, criteria stated in J above will not apply.

K. MEASUREMENT

1. The Association will issue to each fleet measurer forms for the measurement of yachts. The measurer will fill out the certificate in duplicate. One copy will be given to the owner of the yacht and one copy will be sent to the Association Rules Committee (Chief Measurer). Additional copies may be kept on file by the fleet. The Association shall issue a Measurement Certificate. The Catalina 25/250 National Sailing Association Measurement Certificate shall be binding upon all organizations conducting one-design races for the Catalina 250 Class. A yacht having been granted such certificate shall not be subject to protest on measurement unless reasonable grounds can be shown to give evidence of subsequent alteration.

2. Protests of measurements must be accompanied by a check in the amount of $15.00 made out to the Catalina 25/250 National Association. If the protest is disallowed the check will be forwarded to the Association, if it is allowed the check shall be returned to the protester.

3. The Association Championship Regatta race committee, under the direction of the Vice Commodore of the Association, may require measurement of any or all parts of a yacht participating in the regatta as a condition of participation or issuance of awards.

L. CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA

1. Special regulations related to the organization and operation of the National Championship Regatta will be established by the Championship Regatta Race Committee (Vice Commodore, Chairman). These rules may relate to the conditions under which a yacht may enter and the equipment that she may use except that under no circumstances will equipment be permitted which is not allowable under the rules governing the class. These rules will be published in the race invitation or sailing instructions.

M. PARTICIPATION

1. Eligibility - Participation in Catalina 250 Class regattas in the capacity of skipper/helmsman shall be limited to owners of Catalina 250 Class sloops and their immediate families. You must be a member, in good standing, of the National Organization to sail in Catalina 250 class regattas.

2. Establishment of Ownership - Ownership is established by the presence of the name of the person in question on the Certificate of Registration of a Catalina 250 or, in the case of a charter, a Certificate of Registration of the charterer's Catalina 250.

3. Partnership - Partnerships are authorized in the Catalina 25/250 National Association.

a. Sharing the capacity of skipper (co-skipper) while participating in class races is authorized.

b. Those owners having partnerships in yachts entered in any Fleet, Regional, or National Regatta must be able to furnish race officials written proof of ownership upon request.

4. Competitors entering either National or Regional Class association sanctioned regattas shall be Group 1 Competitors as defined by the International Sailing Federation and US Sailing.  Group 2 and 3 competitors may sail in these regattas provided they are FULL owners of a Catalina 25.  Group 2 and Group 3 competitors should be prepared to show state registration or national documentation indicating full ownership.  Penalty for this is disqualification. 

Disqualification shall not require protest but remain in the judgment and at the discretion of either the National Racing Committee of second in charge, the local Race Committee. However, a professional yacht racing person may be present on board a racing Catalina 250 if that professional person is a full owner of a Catalina 250 and can show bona fide papers to prove this fact. Interpretation of the words "principal part of living" shall be left to the particular rules and/or racing committee in charge of the regatta. Whether ownership papers presented are "bona fide" shall be left also to the particular committee in charge.

N. HELMSMAN

1. The helmsman of the Catalina 25 shall be an owner unless emergency or necessity requires that they give up the helm for a short period of time.

O. REVISION OF CLASS RULES

1. Ballots to revise these rules will be made available at the time of publication and voting will close by the date printed on the ballot. Results are to be published in the first issue of Mainsheet Magazine or Telltale newsletter following the balloting.

2. Only members in the Catalina 25/250 National Association are eligible to vote (only one vote per boat), balloting, etc., in any election.

3. Any interpretations of these Rules by the Rules Committee shall be published annually when the rules are published but the interpretation shall not be considered a part of the rules.

P. INTERPRETATION

Specifications, however complete, cannot anticipate every situation which may arise. If a point is not herein covered a ruling should be obtained from the Rules Committee. In interpreting these rules and specifications the Rules Committee shall consider the intent rather than the technical construction that might be derived from the wording. It shall bear in mind always the basic principle of the specifications, which is to maintain the Catalina 25/250 National Association as a design class. 

Owners may request individual variances (one time or lifetime) through the chief measurer who is obligated to bring these issues and His/Her recommendations to the Association officers for discussion and possible approval.