How does not checking weight at a contest make the rule less applicable? I'm sure there have been airplanes flown at local contests that have been over 2m in one or both directions, because I've heard of more than one instance of people having to cut the back off of their rudder during a courtesy length check after they got to the NATS. We also don't check sound at local contests, so that rule, by your logic here, should be dismissed as well.

Regarding the Ventura, I didn't buy replacement hardware, I bought hardware. From Du-Bro (mostly black oxide hardware, no titanium, no aluminum, not even for axles- those were a 6-32 bolt). To build the airplane that didn't have all of the hardware included because it was a kit bought second-hand from Quique. The only place where I perhaps saved weight was replacing the coarse-braided pull-pull cable with 80lb test fishing line leader from Gander Mountain, because I was too cheap to buy the stuff Du-Bro sells at K/C. I'm not sure if you have been to K/C in your ventures to fly up with Steve, but they don't have anything in the way of exotic materials. At all. I did nothing to go out of my way to get a large, 2m fully painted electric biplane built. Perhaps I have more attention to detail than most, and I am wired to be more careful about stuff that's not necessary; but to me I didn't spend any obscene amounts if time grinding stuff away. This airplane was heavier in that it had Herex as the substrate, rather than the balsa that was on one of the airplanes, which was about a 100g penalty. The most exotic thing in that airplane was the package of 2oz carbon cloth that was packaged and bought at my LHS to use to laminate on the aircraft ply I used for the firewall, since firewalls are not provided in Oxai airplanes. I did it as much for looks as I did for strength.

Sorry, I don't see how you're getting that I'm arguing to remove the weight rule.