Friese Hoekrace 2006; Protest 7:
Facts Found:
- In calm sea with 4 Bft wind, two 20 m barges approach the windward mark in Race x
- Yellow on starboard approximately 1/2 boat length beyond the lay line at about 5 BL from the mark Blue on port at a distance of two BL from Yellow, approximately six BL from the mark.
- Blue completed its tack to starboard at a distance of 2,5 BL from the mark on the lay line.
- Yellow was windward and overlapped with Blue at a distance of 0,5 BL and half of her hull in front.
- Yellow entered the 2 BL zone with Blue to leeward overlapped half a BL with a sideways distance between the boats of 7 meters.
- After her stern had passed the windward mark, Yellow changed course towards the next mark by bearing away. Distance from the mark was 20 meters.
- Blue, sailing between Yellow and the mark, luffed and changed course to windward.
- Blue made contact with her bow with Yellow on its rear port side.
- Yellow sustained serious damage.
- After clearing Yellow retired and Blue finished the race.
Conclusion and rules:
- Blue completed her tack outside the two BL Zone.
- Yellow entered the two BL zone with Blue as inside overlapped boat. Yellow as windward boat was keeping clear of Blue leeward boat and gave enough room.
- Next to the mark Blue, as ROW boat, changed course and failed to give Yellow room to keep clear, and infringed rule 16.1.
- Yellow as windward boat was not keeping clear and broke rule 11, but is exonerated because of Blue’s infringement of rule 16.1
- Because there was damage, Blue also broke rule 14, she could have prevented the collision.
- Yellow could not reasonably possible avoid the collision.
Decision:
Blue is DSQ for race x
I may be slow at the moment but this surprises me.
ReplyDeleteI have difficulty with yellow bearing off when blue was overlapped as till blue passed the mark 18 would appear to have been on.
I would have thought blue reasonably saw a collision as possible, and tried to avoid by luffing but this did not work.
Yellow would be in breach of 18 and 11, and 14.
Blue would have done everything possible to avoid the collision
I would have expected a DSQ for yellow, but as she had retired the DNF is quite sufficient.
Blue would have retained her finishing position.
What have I missed?
Mike
I think I'm with Mike.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the TSS diagram is deceptive, but when a 60ft barge, half a BL to windward and half a BL advanced on B changes course across B's bows, there doesn't seem much room for B to go anywhere.
Seemingly the PC decided that it was reasonably possible for B to avoid contact (RRS 14). How, in the PC's opinion, was B to do this?
Seems to me that when Y bears away, Y has taken away all the space that there is, so that it is impossible for B to give Y any space (RRS 16.1).
Did the PC reluctantly apply the strict letter of RRS 16.1, or did the PC see some way that B could have complied with all her obligations?
Brass
You both make good points.
ReplyDeleteMy diagram is not good enough. I've gone back to it and put Blue in two positions after 5 without course change, while yellow bears off. They hit each other in pos. 7.
Based on the diagram, I agree that Yellow didn't keep clear.
In the original protest we all agreed that there would have no collision if Blue hadn't changed course.
Jos,
ReplyDeleteI can't seem to find your revised diagram?
Based on the original diagram and situation and our comments, what would you think of the following "interpretation"
When a keep clear boat, by her action, ceases to keep clear and it is not reasonably possible for the right of way boat to avoid contract, then RRS 16 does not apply
Brass
Oh I haven't published a new diagram, just tinkered with it on my own computer. You can do the sam with the file.
ReplyDeleteAbout your statement. It's too black and white. In this particular incident I agree, but not as a general rule.