Tuesday 21 October 2008

Seminar Preparations | 7

In answer to yesterday's questions: the following movements are illegal according to the rules: 1, 5 and 6
  1. Sticking a foot in the water to slow the boat next to a mark. ILLEGAL
    It's the same as if you would stick a paddle into the water: Rule 42 does not only prohibits gaining speed in that way, but also loosing speed.
  2. Pulling the main to accelerate down the leeward side of a wave. LEGAL
    This is specifically allowed in rule 42.3(c), but only once for each wave or gust of wind and not on a beat to windward. The latter looks a little redundant because, how can you surf down the leeward side of a way going upwind. But there are also other waves on the racecourse. A wake of a passing boat for instance.
  3. Pushing down the centerboard in the mud in a shallow area just before the starting line to stay still in a current against the boat. LEGAL
    This is the same as anchoring, which is allowed in RRS 45. You may also stand on the bottom and hold your boat.
  4. Repeatedly moving the tiller to turn the boat from head to wind to a close-hauled course. LEGAL
    Another exception in 43.2 (d). Watch out though! Only when your moving slowly or are stationary. You may scull to a close hauled course but not PASSED that.
  5. Using the propeller (by turning on the engine) to get clear of another boat after a collision. ILLEGAL
    You may use any equipment and the force applied by the crew of either boat but NOT the propulsion engine.
  6. Pulling in the anchor and let the momentum carry the boat over the starting line. ILLEGAL
    Rule 45 states that you must recover the anchor before continuing racing but nothing about the momentum you have gained by pulling it up. You can find the answer in the Casebook. In Case 5 it is clearly stated: Recovering an anchor, whether it was lowered or thrown forward, so as to gather way over the ground breaks rule 42.1.
New question:
At an event with sponsored boats the OA asks the jury to write a Sailing Instruction rule which would disqualify any boat which is responsible for a contact. With or without damage. This is a condition of the sponsor for using his boats.
How would you formulate such a SI?

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5 comments:

  1. Local Sailing Instructions
    Nr. X; No Contact Rule
    Contact can result in damage to boats and should be avoided.
    If two boats contact, the offending boat will be disqualified.
    A contact is defined as any contact between boats, including rigs, sails, crew, etc.
    Failure to honor this "No Contact Rule" will result in the boat being disqualified from the race.

    ReplyDelete
  2. SI:
    For the purposes of RRS14 any contact between two boats shall be deemed to cause damage.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would, as a courtesy to the competitors, provide some explanation and warn the competitors about the no contact clause in the Notice of Race. Then, the SI:

    No Contact: This event relies upon borrowed boats and the goodwill of the boat owners. Contact between boats may result in damage and endanger the future of this event. Contact between boats is prohibited during this regatta, including during, before, and after racing.

    Any boat(s) deemed to cause any contact between boats, including contact of crew or equipment, shall be disqualified by the Protest Committee. Such disqualification shall not be excludable from the boat's series score.

    This rule modifies Rules 14, 44, and 89.3(b).

    (If this is an international event, consider adding wording similar to US Sailing prescription (c) to Rule 68.)


    Other clauses that I've used to discourage bad behaviour in a borrowed boat event:

    Boats will be provided for all competitors, who shall not modify them or cause them to be modified in any way except for minor part replacements or temporary emergency repairs necessary to continue racing. All equipment provided with the boat shall remain in the boat while afloat and shall not be modified.

    Any damage or loss of equipment, however minimal, must be reported to the organizing authority’s representative (PRO, deputy PRO, swap boat operator, bosun, or event chair) as soon as possible or immediately upon returning the boat to the marina.

    Damage caused by collisions that requires more than normal maintenance or minor repair, or which impairs the usability of a boat, is considered a serious accident. If the jury or protest committee determines that reasonable care was not taken, or that boats were operated negligently or carelessly, the responsible team may be penalized regardless of any penalties previously taken or given for a breach of a rule. Where warranted, a team may be protested and penalized under Rules 2 and/or 69 for gross violation of sportsmanship.

    Any alteration or adjustment, which is made for no purpose other than to inconvenience, handicap, or endanger subsequent users of the boat, or which results in damage to the boat, may be protested by the organizing authority or race committee under Rules 2 and 69 as a gross violation of sportsmanship and may result in penalties, including disqualification from a race or disqualification and expulsion from the entire event.

    Teams shall not be granted redress for a breakdown that results from the team’s failure to perform a customary and reasonable inspection of the boat, rigging, and sails prior to starting a race.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sailing Instruction x.x

    If there is contact between boats, both boats break RRS 2.


    Since Rules of Part II (in which RRS 14 is included) can not be chnaged by the SIs - see RRS 86.1(c) - the only way to work around the problem is to define contact as breaking another rule.

    I do not have a Case Book with me but there may be a problem with my formulation. Mike B's formulation appears to work also

    Hugh Elliot (IJ - USA)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think Mike B has got around the difficult bit with rule 14(b), but there's a need to get to the DSQ penalty as well. I would suggest a further SI "If a boat is responsible for contact, with or without damage, she shall be disqualified. (Changes rule 44.1)".

    I'm not altogether comfortable about what 'is responsible for contact' is meant to mean, but if the sponsors have asked for those words they can have them.

    Brass

    ReplyDelete

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