(pillow)Case of the week (25/12) - 08

 

(This is an instalment in a series of blogposts about the ISAF Case book 2009-2012 with amendments for 2011. All cases are official interpretations by the ISAF committees on how the Racing Rules of Sailing should be used or interpreted. The cases are copied from the Casebook, only the comments are written by me.)

Case 8

Rule 42.1, Propulsion: Basic Rule
Rule 42.2(d), Propulsion: Prohibited Actions

While reaching at good speed, a boat does not break rule 42 when her helmsman, anticipating and taking advantage of waves generated by a passing vessel, makes helm movements timed to the passage of each wave. This is not sculling but using the natural action of the water on the hull.

Summary of the Facts

Two small dinghies, A and B, were reaching at about hull speed in an 8- knot wind. A large power cruiser passed by rapidly on a parallel course to leeward, creating several large waves. As each wave reached A’s quarter, her helmsman moved his tiller across the centreline in a series of course changes rhythmically timed to the passage of the waves under his boat.

This was done only during the encounter with the waves generated by the cruiser. B protested A under rule 42.2(d) for sculling. The protest committee disqualified A and she appealed.

Decision

A’s appeal is upheld. She is to be reinstated.
The action, while repeated, was not forceful. Any gain in speed did not result directly from the tiller movement, but from positioning the boat to take advantage of wave action, which is consistent with rule 42.1. To do so, a helmsman may move his tiller as he thinks best, provided that his movements do not break rule 42.2(d).

USSA 1962/91

If you have ever been on a Laser or Laser Radial course watching the boats in a beat when there are waves due to some wind, you will see this ‘rhythmic’ tiller movement all the time. It is the fastest way the hull moves trough the waves. Up the front and down the back. The helm moves his tiller to enforce this, but the tiller blade itself does not generate ‘energy’. His or her body moves as well to keep the boat flat, in the same rhythmic wave pattern.

The same movements would be considered illegal when there are no waves.

OneOFive -system for Rule 42 and 63

News from Peter Scheuerl about his Rule 42 and Protest Hearing schedule system. I received an Email and asked to share with my readers. Peter is keen to hear comments and  suggestions for improvements. Mail him on info at juryboard dot org.

Hi All,

As many of you know, I developed an on-line Rule 42 and Protest Hearing schedule system.
I try to constantly fix all bugs, and it seems there are not many left...

The system got used at several bigger events now, and most judges were able to work with it without any training. I made the download version a little bit more streamlined, so that you don't have any test data with it any more, but it works 'out of the box' with little set up required.
I re-wrote the install instructions as well, so that it is less focused on the technical part and more on how to just make it work.

But mainly I just registered the domain http://juryboard.org
And as I have unlimited sub-domains there, I'm happy to offer anybody who wants to use it a free install there. So if you want to give it a try but don't want the hassle of installing it, just let me know.

105 PHSchedule

For any regatta the address then would be something like regattaname2012.juryboard.org
It doesn't take me long to set it up, and I think it's a good service for the sailors to be able to check these things on-line.The instructions and download is still at: http://rrs42.scheuerl.net

Events hosted under xyz.juryboard.org  are listed under http://juryboard.org

Regards

Peter Scheuerl

Good job, Peter. I'll have a go at my next Rule 42 regatta. Only one suggestion at this time: Can we have a name for your program? A description as a name doesn't really work - for me. 

How about the '105-system' ? or the 'OneOFive' system

(adding 42 and 63)

or perhaps the 'PS-system' (I like abbreviations)

LTW Readers, any suggestions?

Rule 42 Policy in marginal conditions

Rule 42 policy that can be used by the Jury:

42.3 Exceptions:

(c) Except on a beat to windward, when surfing (rapidly accelerating down a leeward side of a wave) or planing is possible, the boat's crew may to pull the sheet and the guy controlling any sail in order to initiate surfing or planing, but only once for each wave or gust of wind.

When the conditions are marginal, but surfing and or planing might be possible, a boat can try:
This is how most On-the-water Jury will respond:

1st try, and it fails > No consequences;
2nd try & fail > Boat is now in Yellow light area

3rd try & fail > Penalty, i.e. a Yellow flag for that boat

3rd try and succes! > No consequenses

4th try and fail > Boat is again in Yellow light area

5th try > The same as with the 3rd try.

This whole process starts anew in a different part of the course or leg....
Therefore, don't do it to often


The STAR European Championship has finished. Tomorrow I'll travel back home to pack a new bag for Trapani on Sicilie, going to the Extreme Sailing Series. Hopefully a little more sunshine.....

EK Star at Dun Laoghaire, Ireland

After a failed day yesterday - there was too much wind - we had two good races today! Nice breeze, reasonably steady and no rain. The European Championship in the Star has finally started!

I'm in Ireland at the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire (just say 'Dunlery') as a member of the International Jury. During the day we go out on the water for rule 42 and after racing we do the protests - if they are handed in.


We also got a visit from the Volvo entry from Ireland/China. Nice boat, really fast!
Below are some nice pictures taken by Eva.

Protest time limit has expired. No forms handed in.
Now I almost wish we had done another race. Forecast for tomorrow is not good.

I'll leave you with a rule 42 Quiz. And it has nothing to do with this regatta:
Once a boat is surfing, can it then pump the sails again to initiate planing?
Or,
Once a boat is planing, can it pump the sails again to initiate surfing?

My initial answer was not supported by the language in the rule itself..... hmmm
J.

LTW Readers Q&A (53): Rule 42

Agnes from Budapest has a question about rule 42. That rule is unique in the rulebook, in that it has his own 'special' interpretations - not in the Case-book but separately. In answering questions about rule 42, I always first grab my copy of those (Rule 42 Interpretations 2009-2012)

I would highly appreciate your and your readers' comments on a Rule 42 problem I faced recently.

The 470 class rules (http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/4702011CR061110-[9636].pdf) say

"C.1.1 RULES
(a) The following RRS 2009-2012 rules shall apply as amended below:

(1) If the average wind speed is above 8 knots, measured at deck level, the race committee may permit pumping, rocking and ooching after the starting signal. (change of RRS 42.2(a), RRS 42.2(b), RRS 42.2(c)). The signals will be made according to RRS P5."

Rule 42.1 last sentence say "Her crew may adjust the trim of sails and hull, and perform other acts of seamanship, but shall not otherwise move their bodies to propel the boat."

Let us consider rocking. My reading is that class rule C.1.1(a)(1) changes RRS 42.2(b) to mean that 'rocking is permitted' (above 8 knots etc.). On the other hand Rule 42.1 prohibits a set of body movements that propel the boat and in my opinion body movement that induces rocking is one of these prohibited actions.

My question - Shall the judges penalize a boat on the water when they see that the crew of this boat is standing on the foredeck, grabbing the mast with his hands, and rolls the boat back and forth vigorously? (Wind died suddenly but flag "O" is still in effect on a windward leg.)

Many thanks for any kind of comments and thoughts.

Well Agnes, this is how I see it:
Looking at the Interpretations of Rule 42, I read under 42.2:

42.2   Prohibited Actions    
          Without limiting the application of rule 42.1, these actions are prohibited:    
          (b)     rocking: repeated rolling of the boat, induced by    
               (1) body movement,    
               (2) repeated adjustment of the sails or centreboard, or    
               (3) steering;   

This rule has been been "switched" off by the RC, they have permitted rocking after the starting signal.
Rocking, i.e. repeated rolling of the boat, induced by body movement is now permitted!
Any body movement!
It does not say you have to sit (or hang in the tapeze) or be anywhere specific, before you can use your body to induce repeated rolling of the boat. So standing on the fore-deck, grabbing the mast is permitted in my opinion, as long as flag O is in effect.

42.1 may prohibit actions not listed in 42.2, but rocking is listed, so that doesn't cover your example.

Just my two cents.
Anybody else?

   

SWC Kiel 2011; Day 5

Medal racing with Addendum Q. A special set of sailing instructions for the final race in a regatta for Olympic Classes. The top ten compete in a 30 minute race that scores double points. Medal Races are also judged ‘directly’. I.e. umpires on the water decide on an incident straight away, if one of the involved boats protests.

It involves a lot of preparation, has a big attraction to the Media – being so compact and with so few boats – and has changed Olympic sailing.

It is however – and pardon my expression – very ‘tame’ compared to Match Racing for an Umpire. In the five races I judged on the water today, there were two incidents. One resulting in a red flag (by another umpire) and one in a voluntarily taken penalty by the infringing boat. That’s it.

And when Oscar was up, the Finns starting ‘air rowing’. Huge pumps with the sails throwing their whole bodyweight in the pull. Personally I do not think that is sailing anymore. The sailor who’s been pumping iron the most, will win….. All other factors are of less importance.

Sailing should stay more complicated.

Rule 42 registration Program: JAVA 42

 A guest post by Frank Koornstra:

Dear readers of LTW,

First of all let me introduce myself. I'm Frank Koornstra, a 26 year-old Umpire who occasionaly does some Rule 42 Judging. Every event I'm amazed at how much time the rule 42 administration is taking, so I thought I'd try to make an application that could do this simple but hour devouring task.

Of course I know that there already are a ton of Excel/Access/whatever-kind of apps for this out there, created by the finest Judges in the field. The only thing about these apps is that they're not publicly downloadable (least of the troubles) but mostly that they're not multi-OS (linux, mac, windows, etc) compatible.

Therefore, I've created Java 42, a java application that will give a solution to the rule 42 administration of a regatta. Because it's a Java app it'll run on almost any OS, as long as you have Java installed (and you probably already have). It's a simple standalone (no install needed) application which (1) registers infringements and check them with a list of competitors if needed; (2) exports a notice for competitors; and (3) exports a notice for scoring. You can import the list of competitors from an Excel- or CSV-file.

Below you can find some screenshots of the app in action. If you like it, you can download it at http://java42.sourceforge.net for free.

Also, you can find links there to register bugs that you might encounter or leave a good idea for the next version of the app. I hope you enjoy it and saves you a lot of time to do more fun stuff!

Kind regards,
Frank Koornstra


If you are using this program, Frank would love to get some feedback and suggestions what to improve.

(pillow)Case of the Week (44) - 69

(This is an installment in a series of blogposts about the ISAF Call book 2009-2012 with amendments for 2010. All calls are official interpretations by the ISAF committees on how the Racing Rules of Sailing should be used or interpreted. The calls are copied from the Call book, only the comments are written by me.) 

CASE 69

Rule 42.1, Propulsion: Basic Rule

Momentum of a boat after her preparatory signal that is the result of being propelled by her engine before the signal does not break rule 42.1.

Assumed Facts

In a flat sea and 1-2 knots of wind a boat enters the starting area under power shortly before her preparatory signal at a speed of 5-6 knots. At the preparatory signal she is moving at the same rate of speed but no longer motoring. At 2.5 minutes before her starting signal she hoists her sails and slows to 2 knots.

Question

Does she break rule 42.1?

Answer

No. A boat begins racing at her preparatory signal. During the period in which the boat was racing she was using wind as a source of power as required by rule 42.1. Her motion also resulted from momentum created by engine power that propelled her before she began racing. Nothing in the rule requires that a boat be in any particular state of motion or non-motion when she begins racing. Therefore rule 42.1 was not broken.

USSA 1986/269

 

She is however subject to rules of part Two. (See the preamble of that part)

That means that if she motors trough another racecourse in order to get to her start – she most likely will infringe rule 23.1 and can be DSQ-ed for it.

The CYA Judges Newsletter - September 2010

Excerpt from last months CYA Judges Newsletter:

On the lodging of protests by Judges.  Some thoughts for discussion.

Why should the Judges be on the water anyway?

First, it gives them something to do at a regatta, (between the hearing of protests), apart from swapping stories in the comfort of the Club-house. Much more significantly, it allows them to observe at first hand, the wind and sea conditions, the actions of the Race Committee and their supporting flotilla, and the behaviour and demeanour of the competitors.  It also allows them to witness incidents between competitors that may or may not result in their lodging protests against each other.  They may also witness unacknowledged violations of the Racing Rules.  They may see events that give rise to requests for redress.

The presence of Judges on the water has given rise to many arguments as to what their role should be and where its limits may lie. This issue often arises at many major events where the Judges are afloat as observers, usually in pairs, and with or without the responsibility of trying to enforce Rule 42.  There is a variety of possibilities and some are considered below:-

1.   No protests By Judges are permitted

At some regattas, it has been a deliberate policy of the Chief Judge that no protest may be lodged by an on-the-water Judge, however blatant the Rule infringement, and they may only contribute first-hand evidence at the hearing of a valid protest (or request for redress) lodged by a competitor, being (of course) excluded from the Jury while so doing.

I believe this policy to be wrong.  It is in part motivated by the fear that a member of the PC may make a fool of themselves, by producing unconvincing, lame evidence in front of the protestee showing, for example, that the Judges were badly positioned to see the incident.  The presenting of weak evidence would diminish the status and authority of the Chief Judge.  (It also betrays the C.J's lack of confidence in his/her team).

This policy has its effect on the competitors too.  Those who are involved in an obvious Rule infringement in full view of a Judge's boat (e.g. hitting a mark) may feel justified in taking no penalty and sailing on, secure in the knowledge that no protest will ensue.
This is an unhappy situation for Judges.

2.   Judges are required to protest any observed Rule violations, i.e. act as policemen.

LTW Reader Q&A (47); Practice Race

Hi, Jos

I’ve been reading your blog since the beginning and almost daily and I think it’s very interesting. Great job. I’ve got a question about Appendix P but I can’t remember if there is a post about it. This is the question:

As stated in the Sailing Instructions, Appendix P will apply.
There is a Practice Race scheduled in the Sailing Instruction. The scheduled program is as follows:
Day 1:    Measurement and Practice Race
Day 2:    Races. 1st warning signal at 1200
Day 3:    Races. 1st warning signal at 1200
Day 4:    Races. 1st warning signal at 1200

Boat Yellow is penalized under Appendix P (P1) in Practice Race. Does it count to determine the number of times she has been penalized in the regatta? And what about if the same boat Yellow has a Second Penalty in the Practice Race? Must she then retire from the Practice Race? According to Appendix P it seems to be clear that the boat must retire.

More: Does the practice race count on the boat total points?

In most of the Sailing Instructions there is no reference to the Practice Race about Appendix P or Score for a boat. It’s supposed that the Practice Race is this, a practice race. But this is a common sense, not a rule in the Sailing Instructions.
What do you think?

Thanks for all the lights you put on the RRS.

Like you already guessed, a practice race is nothing more than that. A chance to try out the water, try out the conditions, see what the race committee boat looks like, how they they organize their flags etc, etc.

Everybody behaves as if it is an actual race – to create conditions as similar as possible to the the real thing - but it has no impact on the regatta or series.

No points are scored – although the committee may publish a result. Again, that way they can test that too.

If someone is penalized in the practice race for breaking rule 42, she can do her turns or not. The judges will try to look and penalize exactly as they would in the ‘real’ series, but if the sailor does not turn, the boat will perhaps be recorded in the results as DSQ, but the points don’t count. And it also does not count as a first penalty in Appendix P. Nor does a second or a third. Many sailors should find out what the limit is in the practice race and not be afraid of a penalty. That way they can avoid going over the limit in the real series. For a second penalty she may retire, but if she does not, all that will happen is that the boat might get a DNE recorded in the results. Again, that does not count in the regatta, so nothing is lost.

I urge all sailors who are penalized in the practice race once, twice or whatever, to talk to the judges after the race. So they can exactly find out what the judges saw and what they deemed the sailor did, that broke rule 42.

I’ve never had a protest from an incident in a practice race. Any DSQ that might be given has no impact on the series.

There’s one rule that might have influence on the series score – rule 23.1. If a boat that is NOT racing interferes with a boat that is racing in the practice race, theoretically that might result in a DSQ in the first race (See rule 64.1(d)).

Thanks for you encouragement and kind words. Keep on reading LTW and spread the word….

ISAF Rule 42 Quiz

Rule 42 deals with propulsion.

Most judges have been involved more or less in on-the-water judging of rule 42. In order to get a consistent level ISAF publishes Interpretations of rule 42. Some say the interpretations are very difficult, but like in most things, it is a matter of how much you study them.

The latest help to understand these interpretations appeared on the ISAF web site yesterday:
A brand new Quiz about rule 42: RULE 42 QUIZ

The object of the exercise is to first make the quiz and then have a look at the RULE 42 QUIZ ANSWERS
And no cheating.....