Any yachtsmen [ or women ] about

[seekeerz]

who could settle a 'debate' - we've just watched the final of the 49er class sailing and OH maintains spinnaker retrieval had to have been done by 'electrics', I beg to disagree with him .. anyone around with more info, please

[Strix]

S, I'm pretty ignorant on 49er yachts but I've had a long look at one of the manufacturer's websites which carries spares etc and can find no reference to any form of "electrics" "motors" etc.
In any case weight is of importance and it would seem likely that a) because of that and b) seems against the spirit of dinghy racing that spinnaker retrieval is by anything other than by hand.

[Aquagility]

I can only add that the Class Rules (http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/49er2
012CR27022012-[12181].pdf)
are so draconian that this suggestion seems to be beyond the bounds of possibility.

[seekeerz]

thanks to you both, I should just have sent you each an email instead of waiting for an answer here

Given the way the dinghies tip over, anything electrical would have fritzed the first time a wave came anywhere near the craft, but persuading Mr s away from an idea he's fixed on takes some doing !!