OK, I'm about to order a new headsail, and the quotes I've got include application of sail numbers. Question is, what number to use? My mainsail is bare.
I see many numbers that have a prefix that relates to a club (eg RQ, or like my old genoa, MH). So I guess I could speak to my local club (I think I'm still a member!) about getting a number allocated. In this case would it be registered somewhere? State or National? And I suppose this would this cost some money...
I'm not an enthusiastic racer, so that's not really a factor.
Who can give me "Sail numbers in Australia, 101"?
TIA
My yacht came with racing numbers and when I had a new sail made just kept the same numbers. I personally think they are handy simply for people to recognize your boat. If your just cruising pick your own number!
Select to expand quoteQLDCruiser said...
OK, I'm about to order a new headsail, and the quotes I've got include application of sail numbers. Question is, what number to use? My mainsail is bare.
I see many numbers that have a prefix that relates to a club (eg RQ, or like my old genoa, MH). So I guess I could speak to my local club (I think I'm still a member!) about getting a number allocated. In this case would it be registered somewhere? State or National? And I suppose this would this cost some money...
I'm not an enthusiastic racer, so that's not really a factor.
Who can give me "Sail numbers in Australia, 101"?
TIA
Your yachting association in your state provides them
cost about $250 for next available
Goes up from there
QLDCruiser, our club has been allocated a range of numbers to use for members. We then can assign one to each boat, and provide a letter to Vic Roads, who then register the boat using the same club number. So at least in Vic, your sail number can be the same as rego/hull number and saves the boat looking like a commercial fishing boat with rego numbers everywhere.
Years ago I went looking for a YA NSW rule about sail numbers and who could give them out, but I couldn't find one. My yacht has the personal life-long numbers I got from the windsurfing association - as far as I can see it's a legitimate issue of a number by a legit association and it is a personal number rather than one allocated to a particular boat or board.
I wouldn't normally take that attitude but I have to admit, I am narked with the mercenary attitude towards sail numbers. It's a naked money grab to charge the money the YAs do to change numbers. It's also probably a failure for them since the cost is so high and the system so poor that few people bother. The YA attitude seems to be that if you sell your boat you are up for $1k or so in changing sail numbers (at $250 for a new number and $10 per number for a few sails) which seems outrageous. If they charged $40 and allowed you to look up the list and select your own number (so you could easily change the old number to a new one) it may be reasonable.
As others have noted, zillions of boats are wandering around with numbers that are not on any formal list, although such lists used to exist.
I just used 34 on my new sails as the old number was MH73 which didn't seem too lucky
hi chris 249
the sail number you received from australian windsurfing are not granted for life and if you were to check you are about to loose yours it is about to be culled you need to join a state association if you wish to keep your number or it will be recycled and as far as i know it is a windsurfing number not a boat number but i cant see any harm using it but it would only be for recreational purposes not a registered number.
in tassie we are allowed to display our sail no on our boats in lieu of the the long state rego number cheers from aus 005 
Thanks AUS 005 - I'm an honorary life member of an WNSW/AWA affiliated association so my number should certainly not be culled - I'll drop them a line as it appears I have dropped off the system. AWA took over from AUSA as the national body and my belief (as someone who was on the AUSA committee very early and an WNSA/AWA delegate/committee member) was that initially they were going to maintain the AUSA system of life-long sail numbers anyway.
EDIT - the website now says "Life ownership of a number is revoked". I can understand AWA's position and knew of it, but for various reasons I've never been comfortable with it - people paid for those numbers thinking a deal was a deal. By a complete coincidence my assigned number was that of a boat my father (who was killed sailing when I was very young) won championships with and which was on magazine covers, so I've hung onto it ever since for sentimental reasons.
Jethrow, thanks, that info was not formerly available. I looked up the YANSW site years ago and they couldn't give me any information about the system, and I got an out-of-state prefix as I intended to move. I'll stick with what I have as I'm no longer in anywhere that gives out numbers AIUI. I still think the $330 fee to request a number, so people don't have to spend hundreds tearing off all their old numbers and replacing them, is not in the best interests of sailing and a blatant rip-off. It's easy for them to say "but it's only $330 + $10 or whatever for each of the 20-30 odd numbers you have to replace, and a few hours playing with metho and stickyback" but to me it seems just another of the many obstacles that the sailing "authorities" are placing in the way of people doing the sport.
As you may recall from years ago, I had a boat when I was young and had the arse out of my trousers. Now I'm established, bald and old and could afford something bigger and shiny I can't be bothered, because so many people in sailing administration and the industry are turning sailing into a ridiculously exclusive sport with dozens of similar surcharges and expenses that the fleets have died and the yachting end of the sport has become something I don't want to be connected with. Two years ago I mused about a Farr Mumm 30 or something and an offshore campaign but there was no point as all the people who used to own 30s have been pushed out of the sport by this sort of nickel-and-diming.
Normally I support YA etc, but to me this goes too far.
