Penalty PUMA; In-Port Race Abu Dhabi VOR 2012

Google alert kicked out this article:
http://ecomyachting.com/2012/01/15/skipper-ken-read-has-called-on-race-management-at-volvo-ocean-race/

I tried to find the incident on the television coverage of the race, but no luck. The camera was focused on other boats going trough the spectators fleet at that moment.

Let me therefore start with: THIS IS A FICTIVE REPRESENTATION of what could have happened.
By using (only) Ken Reads description of the incident in above mentioned article this is what I came up with:

I have split Telefonica into two coloured boats. Green and Blue
In position 4 the Blue boat heads up to avoid hitting the Red boat. The Green boat shows what would have happened if that same boat did not change course.
In order to be able to see accurately if the change of course was, or was not, necessary, the umpire boat has to be in a position to see the gab between the boats. The Grey umpire boat represents a possibility (one that would be used in match racing), but there are other places as well.

Again, I do not know if this is anywhere near accurate, nor know where the Umpire boat was at that precise moment. What I do know is that in Umpired fleet racing it is impossible to be at the correct place one hundred percent, all the time.  No matter how many Umps you bring on the water.

The Red boat is keep clear boat under rule 11 and after her gybe under rule 10. The Green boat must be able to sail a course with no need to take avoiding action. If the distance between Green's bow and the crossing Red boat was big enough, then Red fulfills her obligation. If it was too close...... Penalty Red.

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.

VOR Request for Redress Telefonica Blue: Decision

I posted about a request for redress by Telefonica Blue in this post: Links on Monday: Boats and VOR Request for Redress

In the request, Bouwe Bekking, skipper of the VOR -boat, asked for redress because his boat hit something under water just before the start of leg 5, remember?

The Volvo Ocean Race Official Noticeboard just published the decision of the International Jury:

No luck for Telefonica Azul!

The jury concluded that there was no error or omission by the Race Committee or Organizing Authority. One of the three conditions for granting redress was not fulfilled! Then, even if the other two are, there can be no compensation awarded.

From the Request fro Redress:
"GROUNDS FOR DECISION
17. The Race Committee made reasonable efforts to ensure the start was set in a safe area.
18. Whilst there was no obligation on the Race Committee to postpone or abandon the race had they known the reason why Telefonica Azul had suspended racing, there was no possibility for it to do so as it had no information on which to base such a decision.
19. There is no obligation on the Race Committee or the Organising Authority to provide constant access to a port."

You can read the whole paper: Telefonica Azul request for redress decision VOR09 JN12

.

Links on Monday: Boats and VOR Request for Redress

Just to let you know I've returned from Denmark yesterday - were I attended Spring Cup 2009, a match race event in Middelfart - very late. I've tried to catch up with mails this evening and just have time to write a short blog post before looking for my pillow....

Thibaut send me a short mail and announced on his website developments with his diagram program "Boats": He writes: A small teaser so that you know what's cooking for next version of Boat Scenario. Next version already has:

• Tabbed view to have multiple scenarios open
• Trimmable sail angle
• optional laylines drawing
• Printing support including PDF generation of the formatted call
• Overlap lines
• and the Export of an Animated GIF

Looks very cool and the GIF is certainly very good for presentations.

Next: Tefefonica Blue seeks redress
From the official noticeboard:
Request for Redress
Boat Requesting Redress: Telefonica Azul ESP 12
Represented by: Bouwe Bekking

Telefonica Azul claims that the Race Committee and/or Organising Authority made an improper action or omission by locating the start line and 2nd passing mark of the course (mark d) in an area where at least 1 uncharted shallow area existed.
Telefonica Azul hit one such uncharted shallows that was 0.23 nm from the start mark (and 2nd passing mark) of the course, prior to the start of Leg 5. Furthermore, the Race Committee and/or Organising Authority failed to supply a port with adequate depth to allow Telefonica Azul back into the harbour. This resulted in a 3 hour delay in getting back to the marina to begin
repairs resulting from the grounding. Delays due to the grounding and the delay in returning to port resulted in Telefonica Azul starting leg 5 approximately 19 hours after the start signal.
This delay had direct impact on Telefonica Azul’s position at the New Zealand scoring gate and at the finish.
Signed: Bouwe Bekking, 29 March 2009

Remember rule 62.1? A request for redress shall be based on a claim or possibility that
- a boats score in a race has been made significantly worse,
- through NO fault of her own
- by an improper action or omission of the race committee or organizing authority

The jury will need to find answer to each of these conditions before it can award redress;
Was the 19 hours loss significantly to have influence in the scoring? Or were there perhaps other contributing factors?
If the shallow water was uncharted, how can the sailors expect that the RC could know about that? Is it the responsibility of the RC to send out a sounding-chart mapping boat of the start area? Is this an omission, for which the PC can be blamed?
Should the OA have provided harbour access with sufficient depth for returning boats ? Could that be seen as an omission?
Is hitting something under water something the sailors could have avoided? Was it close to shore and could logically be deducted that something might be there - even only a reasonable assumption?

If all these questions lead to a redress: what should that be?
For instance if the Jury award redress for 19 hours. The delta between Green Dragon (28/03/09 18:15:40) and Telefonica Blue (29/03/09 03:55:00) is 9 hours 39 minutes and 20 seconds. That would make TB 4th instead of 5th!

I'll keep you updated or you can look for news on the VOR-site.