Polly I on tape

Polly I on tape, at the Groeneveld Cup 2011

The Rise and Downfall of PWB "The Polly I"

The Groenedijk Class and Event Rules

For the 2011 Groenedijk Cup
31 December 2011 @ 1500
37 Groenedijk, Sneek

Entry Fee: Adults – at least one bottle with appropriate contents (the more appropriate the contents – the more flexible the rules can be.) Children - free

Boat Rules:

• Maximum Hull Length Overall: 660 mm
• Beam: unrestricted
• Sails must fit into a rectangle of 1000 mm x 500 mm
• Boats can be of any design and can be built from any material, but the limit of material value is €10. The re-cycling of rubbish (plastic bottles, cans, plastic bags etc) is to be commended.
• Bows of multi-hulls are to be connected with, wire, tape, batten or similar (to prevent trapping of other boats)
• Construction may not start before 25 December (dated photo of construction may be required), but design and accumulation of materials are permitted
• Sailing boats only; no stored power to be used (rubber bands, batteries, radio control, pet dogs, ducks, etc are prohibited.)

Small Print:

• There will be as many races as it takes, and as many discards as necessary.
• The course will be one way across a suitable stretch of water. The course for the next race will be the reverse of the previous course.
• The starting sequence and similar rules shall become known as the event progresses.
• The event and boat design may be affected by the temperature of the water, that is, above or below 0oC. Smart design will account for this subtle difference!
• Pets, animals and livestock are to be dissuaded from close participation in the racing.
• Anything else I can think of, but have forgotten to include here.
• There shall be no complaints unless accompanied by a glass of mulled red wine.

Arbitrary rulings on matters related, or unrelated, to the Groenedijk Cup can be obtained from the Chief Race Officer/Judge/Measurer. 

Building the Polynesian Warbird "Polly I"

Sailing the Polynesian Warbird "Polly I"

 

BLUB, BLUB....

I'm over it now... but it took a couple of days......

ISAF Q&A’s | Make it a rule!

ISAF Q&A 2011 – 025 M013 & Q&A 026 G013 were published on the site yesterday. The above quote struck me as one we should keep, don’t you? It would make some issues a lot simpler.

The first one:

ISAF Q&A 2011 – 025 M013

Questions the legalities of abandoning a race when there’s a wind shift of more than 20 degrees, because of a list of rules in 'Rules of Conduct for Conducting National and International Championship Regattas' which is a document incorporated in the rulebook for an ISAF International Class.

Ok.

Read that again.

Done?

Got it?      Okay.

This document includes a rule that says, 'A sustained wind variation of 20
degrees or more from the posted bearing during the first leg of a race shall result in that race to be abandoned and re-sailed, or abandoned'.

The rest you have to read yourself… I’m sticking with:


Here is the link to the document: ISAF Q&A 2011 – 025 M013

On with:

Q&A 2011 - 026 G013

Again abandonment.

Does nobody want to sail anymore?

What is this, with all those questions about abandonment?

Situation The sailing instructions has a Mark 1 time limit and also states 'If no boat has passed Mark 1 within the Mark 1 time limit, the race will be abandoned.' Even though no boat passed Mark 1 within the time limit, the race committee did not abandon the race. Some boats requested redress under rule 62.1(a).

It was IN the bloody Sailing Instructions!

That makes it a rule!

How can they not abandon this race! (*&%(*%*()&*()).

They used:

and still they didn’t abandon!

The ff-ing PC can do this one. I’m going home.

You can read the Q&A yourself: ISAF Q&A 2011 – 026 G013

And the booklet too: ISAF Q&A Booklet January 9 2012

(&^(^)(^%#$^)(*&)

I’m abandoning this post.
J.

Happy New Year 2012

For 2012, my future plans for LTW:

• A major change in layout and appearance. I still have to decide if I want to go to my own domain or stay on blogger. Both have disadvantages.... and advantages.
• Make time each day to answer questions and comments.
• Make time to write posts every day - I'm going to start some new series so as to be able to write ahead....
• Once I reach a sufficient subscription number (RRS and Email) I'll start a members site. At the moment the number stands around 930-940, I like it to reach around 1200.
• I'm also going to start a linked Rules for Beginners site, with emphasis on explanations and education.

For today I'm going to do some last minute shopping and than participate in the "Groenedijk Cup'. A race across a pond with self build boats. I'll report on the event one of the next days, but for now I'm showing you my entry:

Polynesian War Bird 'Polly I'

Have a good new years eve and,
Happy New Year!
J.

TWENTYFIVE Race Off-RULES

The (twenty-five) Twenty-four RACE Official Rules as told to me by several Ex Chairmen. (Who wish to remain anonymous)

shamelessly stolen from XKCD

OFF-RULES

Rule 1: The Chairman is always right;

Rule 2: If in doubt, refer to rule 1;

Rule 3: Better to be Warm and Dry then Cold and Wet (WDCW-rule);

Rule 4: It is always Alfredo’s fault;

Rule 5: If Alfredo is not at the event, it is still his fault;

Rule6: Officially provided clothing is never the size it says on the label;

Rule 7:

Rule 8: Notices are never in the correct jury members pidgin hole;

Rule 9:

Rule 10:Oops, I dropped it, him, her, something. (copyright Orsetto)

Rule 11:

Rule 12:

etc. and so on, ad infinitum

 

Please send in your own off-rules – provided you have been a chairman (at least once in your life – and I want specifics!) – to be included in this list.

You can also suggest improvements on existing ones, or suggest replacing them with something better.

There will be no argument with final publication (see rule 1).

J.

Doing circles is slow

Everybody has an opinion about what the rules should be. Yesterday I posted the "automatic translation" version, whereby the rules went from English to Russian to Japanese to Hungarian to Portuguese to Dutch and back to English, resulting in Brands instead of Marks. (We are it wrong...)

(And, whatever you do, don't, I repeat, do not click on the link provided in that post. You will be sorry if you do)

Today we have a simplified version, written in 2002 by Hugh Elliot from the USA. I met Hugh at my IJ seminar back in 2004. We keep in touch on an irregular basis and he comments on my LTW scribblings now and then. He still writes, a little more elaborate, on his blog called Thoughts Not Slogans. I liked this post in particular: Thought for the Day. But then I've read THHGTTG.

For now, back to Hugh's beginning - at that time he hadn't progressed to rule 42:

Hugh’s Rules of Sailboat Racing

For

Kids and Small Boat Tacticians

(With help from Fred Hagedorn
US SAILING Olympic Sailing Committee Chairman 2001 - 2004)

1. Don’t hit other boats. Collisions are slow and arguments are slower.
2. Keep out of the way of boats in front of you.
3. Port tack boat usually has to stay out of the way of everyone else.
4. Windward boats must stay away from leeward boats.
5. The inside boat gets to go round the mark first.
6. Don’t hit marks. Doing circles is slow.
7. Don’t hit the committee boat. First, it is a mark (see Rule 6) and second, it really makes them mad.
8. Nothing good ever happens on a layline.
9. The port tack layline is a very ugly place.
10. Control your own destiny: stay out of the Protest Room. Protest Committees are uncontrollable: with a 100% solid case, you have a 50% chance of being DSQ

  
I'm not 100% sure what to make of the last one - safe it to say he has learned a lot ...... at that seminar :-)

Thanks Hugh!

We are it wrong, all of us. NEW Racing Rules all surfers/sailors!

I have to say, I had a sleepless night, these new rules are very difficult, even for an 'independent sports professional', like I hope to become.

To illustrate, this is rule 3:

3. When wind of the same and do not overlap, boat, another boat is overtaking the change must have a course to avoid a collision.

For those of you not familiar with the new RRS lettering: all bold printed words are now in a definition.
And wat about this one? Rule 6:

6. If you have the right of way and prepare for a ride, you must give the possibility of other boats.

But my absolute sleep-depraving bloody 'ing favourite is rule 7:

 7. When you reach the two length zone of a brand, you have to overlap the inside boat room to round the obstacle.

Now you have been warned. Better prepare and read all 10 rules here: RRS sailing you need to know!

FIN

Hyvä LTW-lukijat,

Tämä on ilmoittaa teille, että tästä lähtien kaikki viestit Katsokaa Windward on kirjoitettu minun uusi äidinkielellään.  Olen hyvin onnellinen Suomessa. Maaseutu on kaunista, kaikki tytöt ovat vaaleita ja siellä on paljon ja paljon purjehdus käynnissä.
Ainoa asia kaipaan puhuu muille ihmisille - koska tietoni suomalainen on hyvin, hyvin rajallinen ......
J.

Scuttlebutt 3178

Transcriptburst > 2034-10-21-14:03:09-LTW-RRS-P17-Mech12-v-Harder^2

@Transcriptburst BEGIN>

Send 2034-10-21-14:03:09 > Received 2034-10-21-14:03:11 > Ident: LTW_RRS > Incident P17 Mech12 V Harder^2. !! Race2 in Series> Harlinger wad > Sailed 2034-10-20 > Club HWS > Arbiter: JMS

From> Psystem V12

To> All involved parties; Scoringtrack HWS; NatA; ISAF education & ROC.

% Data Received from Mech12, Tracking system ISAFv16.2, GPS/Satellite T56 > EUR/NED > Local.

% Data Received from Harder^2, Tracking system GEv12.3, Earth/Google v3 Satellite B1> EUR/EUR > diminished.*

*comp: No greater diversion then through measurement.

Incident solved according to rules in ERRS for Tracking Systems; Monitor and Arbiter involvement indicated as preferred by parties; meeting by snap phone- PC on 2034-10-21 from 13:44:01 till 13:52:34.

Attached course plot Mech12 during Race 2 from 2nd LWm (P11v4.track’d) till 3rd WWm P18v1.track’d) > attached course plot Harder^2, during same period.

Yachts breached safe distance on three occasions during leg; Incident 3 is being disputed by Harder^2. Exoneration for incident is asked and the automatic penalty should be deleted and awarded to Mech12. No further redress is requested.

Motivation given: Plot shows Harder^2 reached fixed 40 meter zone, three seconds earlier then Mech 12. Harder^2 had full rights within zone based on that. + All indicators on board showed green. Course change was impossible because of proximity of Mech12

Counter motivation: Plot on Mech 12 showed both yachts entering simul-taneously; Mech12 had three green and one yellow indicator. No course alteration was therefore necessary. System indicated red only after passing P11v4.track’d.

System analysis> Deviations within prescribed tolerances. GE functioning within 90% accuracy; ISAF within 88,9 %; No other glitches detected. Plot according to GE deemed more reliable as per ERRS 16.22;

Facts determining outcome> Harder ^2 reached fixed 40 meter zone before Mech12. Safety distance breach was below 70% threshold. No damage or personal injury*

* Liability and court findings overrule only financial components in any protest/arbitration hearing according to ERRS 100.2.

Dec> Per ERRS 64.12 Automatic penalty for Harder^2 to be deleted. No penalty awarded to Mech12

@ Transcriptburst END <

Tillerman asked about the changes in sailing in the next 25 years in this months group writing project; Sailing in the Second Space Age. To make a prediction. I’m sticking to the rules – per usual:

Tracking will change the the Racing Rules of Sailing dramatically. No longer will observations by sailors or witnesses be of value, other then to dispute glitches or malfunctions; All racing boats will have indicator lights for different situations ranging from OCS to Zone and be equipped with proximity-alerts.

The fixed wing sails will make it impossible to decide which tack a boat is on – on more then a few courses - and therefore the tracking system will be used to determine ROW.

E-rules will guide the outcome and penalties in the form of additions to time, will be automatically send to scoring.

What do you think?

Spam, Spam, Spam, Eggs, Bacon and Spam

Like all who do some blogging or run a website my spamfilters are set fairly high. My provider has that possibility for my mailboxes. The rest is captured in my mail program and put into a secluded folder.
Because of this, sometimes a 'genuine' message gets labelled as SPAM.


We couldn't use E-mail any more if those preventive measures weren't available. Even our rulebook has a SPAM-rule! (Rule 41(d))

Yesterday I received an Email and I need some help from you as reader of LTW.
This is the message:

__________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Boat Ramps - iPhone Application
Boat Ramps is a database-driven application that provides the fastest way to locate boat ramp and launching facilities. Boat Ramps provides an easy to use interface that places a database of over 45,000 ramps at your fingertips.
With ease Boat Ramps will provide a list of ramps in proximity to your current location. The proximity and number of results can be configured to fine tune the results of your search.
Boating away from your current location? No problem. Simply enter the desired location's zip code or select a city and Boat Ramps will provide you a list of possible ramps to launch your vessel.
How to get there? Once a ramp of interest is located its location can be fed to the built-in Maps application to obtain directions. Currently Boat Ramps provides boat ramp / launch locations for the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Ramp / launch locations for additional countries may be added at a later date. Boat Ramps requires the iPhone OS 3.0 to run.
Latest Update:
    * Added the Ability for Users to Added Ramps to Database.
    * Added the Ability to Map All Ramp & Marina Results on the Map Simultaneously.
    * Added the Ability Search by Ramp, Marina, or Both.
    * Added Icons to Results to Identify Ramps, Marinas and Marinas with Ramps.
    * Added Phone Numbers to Marina Entries When Available.
    * Added Ability to Toggle Between a Standard, Satellite or Hybrid Maps.
Website Link:
http://www.derektrauger.com/Products/BoatRamps.aspx

iTunes Store Link
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=333176419&mt=8

Contact: Derek Trauger dtrauger@derektrauger.com  Ph: 386-801-4634
_______________________________________________________


Should I consider this as SPAM and trow it out with the rest as garbage?
Or are you interested to read about this and other similar 'press'-releases on LTW?

Worst Sailing Innovation Ever?

Tillerman’s group writing project this month is about the Worst Sailing Innovation Ever… And true to the basic principle of this blog, I went looking for the “worst” rule in the rulebook.
Perhaps it should be rule 2?   the Basic Principle? (red 11/02/10)

Competitors in the sport of sailing are governed by a body of rules that they are expected to follow and enforce.

To enforce the rules? What is that? Do I really have to “enforce"?
Better to let someone else do it…, I didn’t bring my police-hat…

Or should it be rule 30.3? BFD – which stands for Black Flag Disqualification.

If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall be disqualified without a hearing, even if the race is restarted or resailed, but not if it is postponed or abandoned before the starting signal.

Can’t we find a better punishment for that? After I’ve sailed a whole race I’m out because I was half a meter over the line. No hearing, no redress, no nothing, BFDeed!

I think most sailors will go for rule 42 – specially if Appendix P has been switched on in the Sailing Instructions – as being the worst rule in the RRS.

As soon as you wiggle your butt, a bloody judge waives a yellow flag at you!
When I pull my sheet in, once to often, there goes another whistle…

I want to go faster, not slower!

Perhaps you can help me?

What do you think is the worst rule
in the Racing Rules of Sailing?

Sporcle Sailing Rules Quiz

Can you name the rule numbers after seeing the rule names?
http://www.sporcle.com/games/SailingRulezzz/sailing_rules_reverse

Post your remaining time in comments....

FTBD (26)

Another month has gone by and therefore it is time for Flog the Blog Day again!
(For those who've never heard of this, please use "FTBD" as a label and have a look at the previuos 25 instalments of this post.) Now you (everybody) know(s) what to do.

Well, I haven't given you much to "b" about, have I?

That may be the case but you can still suggest new avenues or new ideas.
I'm planning to go through previous "to-do lists" and see what I can salvage.....

I must make my apologies to readers who've send an E-mail with question(s). Some of them already a couple of months! back. I'm still planning to get back to those, honest!

To make up for my lack of commitment I'm publishing a photo of me from a long time ago, so you can have a go at me:
In 1980 I was still very active as a sailing-instructor and we were starting up a new program with centreboard-dinghy's. Optimists to be precise. After a weekend with a group of enthusiast I's at our national sailing institute, we got to sail in these "bathtubs" ourselves. I remember being already to big for them in those days. Tacking only succeeded when I pulled the centreboard. This photo is me finaaaaaaly succeeding.....

For the LTW-readers who were involved with "Tante Vinea" go to: Vinea Alumni, netwerk van en voor oud-Vineasten

.

LTW on ‘Less is More’

Please ignore this blogpost in its entirety.

I'm forced to write this to stay in Tillerman’s competition; Less is More. But I don’t want to. It will spoil my fun in the protest-room, if the sailors who read this, actually follow my advice. I would have no more interesting protest to think about. No more discussions on the finer points in the rules with my fellow judges. No more invites to special events at home and abroad, because no-one needs a PC-member any more. No more things to blog about.

So please stop reading now and click onto the next blog you are subscribing to. Okay?

Are you gone? Good~!

The Racing Rules of Sailing has one rule which can be definitely classified as ‘Less is More’.

That’s rule 44.

If you are not familiar with this rule, I’m a very happy judge! Now, don’t go and read it, please don’t read it. It has nothing to do with getting to the finish faster, it will hold you back and make you lose places, you so struggled to gain. You cannot be protested for not following this rule, I assure you! (You can for almost any other rule, but not for this one.)

I want your word you are NOT doing anything even remotely close to what is written in rule 44!

This concludes my entry for Less is More.
Phew… I hope nobody has read this far….

Flog the Blog Day (18)

I’ve returned from Venice – starting my journey very early in the morning and went straight into a full workday and a committee meeting this evening.

I don’t have much energy left to write a special FTBD-post.

Most of you know what I’m asking, so please don’t hesitate to leave any comments on the blog, be it about layout or style or about content or anything

I’m preparing for a couple of bigger local events and am somewhat behind at the moment. I’m hoping to catch up in the next week(s).

One last observation about Venice I do want to include in this post. Perhaps some of you have deducted, I’m a fan of Terry Pratchett. Well, if there’s any city comparable to Ankh-Morpork on Earth, it is Venice.

With it’s narrow streets, nooks and bridges, very commercial multi-cultured inhabitants and hot (smelly) climate, it is unique. Walking through the alleyways at four o’clock in the morning, I was half expecting to cross the path of the late vampire returning home or a early dwarf going to his work…. But fortunately, Bruntolino was walking with me, so that shouldn’t have been a problem.

http://daftjunk.com/dw/Ankh-Morpork.html

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-map-191501770-map_of_venice-i

Flog the Blog Day (17) +2

Being busy at the Criterium prevented me from doing a FTBD properly. (And to be honest I didn’t think about it until Outlook popped a warning when I got home.) So two day’s after the 18th, I’m catching up.
In the last FTBD I appealed to you as readers to send me pictures with something about the rules… That is proving to be harder then expected. Only one entry was ever send in and that is a shame. I was really hoping for a better response. I haven’t given up (yet), so please send me a rules pic or drawing, preferably unique but from any source. Does not have to be professional, does not have to be in color, it can be a drawing, but it has to be something about the rules……
Andraz, I’m counting on you, for sure!
To give you a whole lot of pictures I’ve uploaded the stash from Calpe to Flickr and you can have a look : http://www.flickr.com/photos/21650921@N03/sets/72157617094356218/
They are not all mine. Andraz, Sofie, César and Maria took most of them. Thanks for letting me use them. I’ve reduced the pixels to let you load quicker, if you want the original you’ll have to ask.

For next month a few interesting projects will be posted. I’m tempted to rename May in to Markroom month. An article by Mike Butterfield will featured, some idea’s I have myself about this subject and a couple of cases among them.
Watch this space for more about
”ROOM”.
On a different note I must mention my honorary inclusion in Tillerman's Top Ten Blog list. Thank you very much, Tillerman!
To all readers, go and have a look at his blog – if you haven’t already. This is what he writes himself:

“I am a grandfather who sails a Laser. Even though I am over 60, I suffer under the delusion that it is not too late to discover how to sail smarter and faster. In this blog I write mainly about sailing and my endless pursuit to become a better sailor. Read this blog if you want to learn from my mistakes -- there are plenty -- and to share in the fun of Laser racing Tillerman style.”

His subjects are wide and versatile and he writes far better then me. You will even come across a rules-issue now and then. Go to: Proper Course

Links on Anyday; Books - CYA Appeals and Sailing Games

Links found in Scuttlebutt:
The Canadian Yachting Association Appeals book for the 2009-2012 rules is now available to download free of charge from the CYA website:
http://www.sailing.ca/news/the_cya_appeals_book/
The CYA and ISAF have also provided permission for commercial printers to print single copies from electronic files for the CYA Appeals Book for 2009-2012, and for the Case Book for 2009-2012 for the International Sailing Federation; http://www.sailing.org/9506.php;. Print the letter on the CYA website and take it with you if you have your Appeals Book and Case Book printed at a commercial printer or copy shop.

Yachting New Zealand has produced a brand new Sailing Games book. The book is a collection of forty fun games to improve skills and knowledge, ten for on shore and thirty for on the water. This fully illustrated book is a great tool for coaches and loads of fun for parents and sailors. It also makes a great birthday present or gift for another occasion. -- SailRaceWin, read on:
http://sailracewin.blogspot.com/2009/03/new-sailing-games-book.html

While you're on the New Zealand web site, a couple of Q&A's you might find interesting: Race Management Q & A

Fact Finding Friday | 006 - Manila Morning v Nicosia Night

From “the Room” by Brass.

Introduction

The aim of this series is to practice judges' skills in writing Facts Found, Conclusions and Rules Applicable, and Decisions as required by rule 65.1. These are not intended to be 'difficult' rules problems: concentrate on the writing skills. You are not expected to 'discuss' the rules or the scenarios, or enter into 'what-if' considerations. I suggest you write against the clock, and include a note of your time taken when you post your answers on LTW, to compare with others.

Hearing and Evidence

You are the scribe for the protest committee of the LTW Yacht Club, which races in Port Liberty Roads. You have received a written protest, decided it is valid, and have heard both parties and witnesses.

You have listed Facts Found and the protest committee members have agreed to endorse the attached diagram:

Legend: Purple Manila Morning Orange Nicosia Night

Facts Found

1. Manila Morning and Nicosia Night (4m dinghies) on starboard tack at about 4kts approaching a windward mark to be left to starboard.
2. Boats were overlapped, with Manila Morning, the inside boat slightly ahead.
3. Manila Morning hailed for mark-room and Nicosia Night replied ‘Will be given when needed’.
4. When Manila Morning was 6m from the mark contact occurred, without damage or injury.
5. Manila Morning protested Nicosia Night for not giving mark-room when Manila Morning had asked for it.

Problem

Write Conclusions and Rules Applicable, and the Decision for this protest. Here is another opportunity to try your speed on just Conclusions and Decision.

Dick, it will save you time if you don’t regale us with your tales of the European nobility or the Wild West (much as we enjoy them).

Please post your effort on LTW, for us all to share and learn. Don't be shy.

 

Dick, in case you are feeling melancholy, because you’ve been curtailed in your endeavors, visit the following site; the Dutch Queen of the “smartlappen” will help you to overcome it: http://www.zangereszondernaam.nl/

If you look hard enough you’ll find the Mandolins from Nicosia

JmS (lol)

.

Actors Sought for International SAILING Program Productions

Please print out the Poster below and display at your local club

copy by Wolfgang Hofmann, translation by Erich Michel & LTW

Send your application to RRS-Study ed home dot nl.

Cup Skipper?

J: "I'm going Match Racing this Christmas!"

O: "Match Racing in the Low Lands, in December? Are you nuts?"

J: "Of course, everybody who's doing Match Racing has a loose screw, didn't you know that?"

O: "You're having me on" sigh: "I can tell by that crooked smile on you face"

J: "No, I'm not, I'm going Match Racing this Christmas, as soon as my boats arrive"

O: "Boats? Now you have lost me completely"

J: "Yes, I"ve ordered four, with four red marks and a lake...."

O: I'm giving up, what the H are you talking about?

J: "You can play too, come round, have a drink and I'll race you."
"Here, have a look:"