Section C - At Marks and Obstructions, including rule 18, is extensively rewritten, but so far the basic principle hasn't changed. The inside boat still gets mark-room, which is now added to definitions, to round a mark. I still have to study it closer and of course the final version might be different, but for now the basic skeleton is there. I'll get back to this, when I've reviewed it some more.
One of the bigger changes in the new rule 18 is that the 2 hull-length zone is changed into a 3 hull-length zone. If you have trouble judging distances, this is something you might want to start practicing. You will need that skill, because now there is an added possibility. Race Committees can CHANGE the hull-length zone in the Sailing Instructions! Standard is 3 hull lengths, but in the SI this can be reduced back to 2 hull lengths or increased to 4 hull lengths. My advice to sailors is to start practicing, and find out whether they can judge 3 and 4 on the water already. For clubs, classes and event organizers it is important to start thinking about what they want for their event. Do we stick with the standard 3 or do we - for this class on this lake for this event - decrease or perhaps increase? The recommendation in App. L : Use 2 hull lengths when the racing area is particularly small and use 4 hull lengths when the boats racing are particularly fast.
NB, you cannot change between races, the distance is fixed for the event. You cannot have 3 lengths for one class and another for a different class in the same event. All boats who round the same mark, have to have the same zone.
Again, this is a draft version, the racing rules committee minutes states in response to this submission: Recommendation to Council: Approve with the following amendment; WP (working party) to edit in response to timely suggestions from members of RRC.It will NOT come in effect until the next rule cycle, in 2009. Please give me your opinion on this specific issue. The final wording still has to be decided. If we find a problem, the RRC is only a mail away.
In general, roundings should be more orderly with the larger zone and the new 18.2(e) that discourages clear astern boats from grabbing an overlap when there is not room.
ReplyDeleteI think that taking the old 18.5 Continuing Obstructions rule out of rule 18 and making it a rule of its own is good housekeeping.
What I have not yet figured out is how mark roundings will change at offwind/downwind marks with boats on different tacks (gybes) now that rule 18 can apply to them.
It seems that mark roundings will be more orderly with the larger/variable zone and new 18.2(e) that discourages clear astern boats from grabbing an overlap when there isn't room.
ReplyDeleteTaking 18.5 Continuing Obstructions out of rule 18 and making it its own rules seems to be good housekeeping.
I don't yet know what will happen at the downwind / offwind marks with opposite tack boats with the new wording.
I don't understand the reason for the very fine tuning that was done to 17.2 (proper course offwind, boat clear astern steering to leeward case).