iShares Cup 2009 Venice | 04

Saturday on the water with Jon was exhilarating. We pretty much saw things the same way and had a good day on the water. When the breeze picked up a couple of hairy escapes - with full throttle, but we managed not to be hit by any Xtreme 40.

We started at the right side of the start line and went up and down with the boats. Up was easy enough, if you looked out for port tackers, but going downwind they gybed at any unpredictable place.

The first race we penalized some port tackers for dubious crossings, only marginally making it. The were not very happy but it did send out a message to all boats that port would HAVE to keep clear. I did the driving and Jon did the flags and whistles. He sure has a loud voice which carries.

It's now Sunday morning 10:53 and it promises to be a hot and sunny day. There's little wind and we hope it will last. As previously we only have a small window to do the actual racing. Between 14:30 and 17:30 the water is closed off.

As to the rules we looked up what sailors can do if the helicopter - who's due to be filming today - interferes with there racing. There's a sentence in addendum Q addressing this.

"A boat may not base a request for redress on a claim that an action by an official boat or helicopter was improper. The jury may decide to consider redress in such circumstances if it believes that an official boat or helicopter, including an umpire boat, may have seriously interfered with a competing boat."
In other words, only if the Jury thinks it has had an influence, any sort of redress could be awarded.

One thing more: The helicopter has to display a flag to be identified as part of "boats" under control by the organising authority. I wonder how they will manage that.