One new RR MR-call and a bunch of new Q&A's have appeared on the ISAF site:
ISAF Rapid Response Match Race Call 2009-003
is about light breeze and a strong current taking an inside boat outside the zone before her proper course is to gybe.... Rules 18.4 and 17 are discussed as well as proper course
Then three Q&A's:
Racing Rules Q&A 2009-031
How may scoring mistakes be corrected after a regatta?
Answer: By the RC actually almost always.
Racing Rules Q&A 2009-032
When is a boat 'sailing on another leg'?
When does rule 23 come into play?
Racing Rules Q&A 2009-033
'How early must a boat start taking action to avoid a collision?'
This last one is from an incident at the iShares cup in Venice. We discussed it at length in the jury and there was a split. The chairman send it in first to the RYA-Appeals panel but since they don't meet until September then to the Q&A-panel of ISAF.
It is not entirely the answer I expected and - with all respect - the Q&A panel fails to give a clear enough answer, in my opinion.
But I will change the way I think about rule 14 with this as a guideline.
Jos, good to see you on deck. Can you please explain why the iShares jury ever considered time of taking action for a keep clear boat at all?
ReplyDeleteIt seems clear to me: delay in time of taking action to avoid contact is only an excuse for a boat entitled to right of way, room or mark-rooom under rule 14(a).
Unless it is not reasonably possible (because of surrounding obstacles, lack of control through breakage or slow speed, or other extraordinary reason), surely a keep clear boat must begin taking action to avoid contact in sufficient time to avoid contact.
I know that sounds circular. Let me put it another way: if there is contact, and it was reasonably possible to avoid it (there being no extraordinary circumstances as above), then the keep clear boat breaks rule 14.
The stem part of rule 14 refers to the _outcome_: whether or not there is contact.
Rule 14(a), applicable only to a boat entitled to right of way, room or mark-room, refers to the _process_: taking action to avoid contact.