Fact Finding Friday | 013 Barnacle vs Coral

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 as shown.

Description of Incident
The description of the incident from the protest form is as shown. Barnacle and Coral are International 14's, approximately 4.25m long, with additionally, a 3.5m bowsprit carrying large asymmetrical spinnakers. Wind conditions were about 10kts. Sea conditions are slight waves. SI do not change the zone: it remains as defined in Definitions.


Barnacle reached the zone clear ahead at position 2 in the diagram. Barnacle protests Coral for not giving mark-room under rule 18.2(c) and as windward boat failing to keep clear under rule 11. Contact occurred at position 4 without damage or injury.

The Hearing
Barnacle's Description of the Incident:
I was steering Barnacle. We were on a hot port tack lay-line for the leeward mark to be rounded to port. About 50m from the mark Coral managed to get an overlap to windward. When I was between 30m and 40m from the mark, I bore away to break the overlap, and sailed into the zone clearly ahead of Coral until I was within 20m of the mark. 20m from the mark I hardened up on my course to the mark and lowered my spinnaker. When I was 10m from the mark I saw Coral had become overlapped inside me. As I was changing course to round the mark on my proper course, Coral's spinnaker, which was being eased or lowered, contacted the port after part of Barnacle without damage or injury. I hailed 'protest' and my crew immediately displayed a red flag. Coral then fell off behind me.

Coral's Questions to Barnacle
Q. Didn't you see Coral gaining an overlap on you at 15m from the mark?
A. No I did not. Once I was in the zone at 20m from the mark I was concentrating on the mark and boat handling.

Protest Committee's Questions to Barnacle
Q. Did you hail or otherwise signify to Coral that you considered the overlap broken and that you were clear ahead at the zone.
A. No. I considered it obvious.
Q. Did you do any penalty turns in respect of the incident?
A. No. I was in the right.

Coral's Description of the Incident
I agree that Barnacle broke the earlier overlap about 40m from the mark. When Barnacle headed up to the mark 20m from the mark, she must have re-established the overlap as the line through her stern swung with her change in course. Therefore the boats were overlapped when they reached the zone at about 13m from the mark. Coral was inside overlapped at the zone and entitled to mark-room. Barnacle failed to give Coral mark-room.

Barnacle's Questions to Coral
Q. If you were hiking out on the windward stern position on your boat, how could you accurately judge when the tip of your bowsprit crossed the stern-line of Barnacle to 're-establish' an overlap?
A. I didn't actually see and judge it, but it must have happened. I looked and saw when we were close to the mark at about 10m and we were certainly overlapped then.

Protest Committee Questions to Coral
Q. Did you hail Barnacle to claim mark-room?
A. No.
Q. Did you do any penalty turns in respect of the incident?
A. No. I was in the right.

Barnacle Summing Up
Barnacle reached the zone about 20m from the mark, clear ahead and was thereafter entitled to mark-room. Coral did not give Barnacle mark-room and as windward boat did not keep clear. Coral should be disqualified.

Coral's Summing Up
Coral was overlapped with Barnacle when she reached the zone about 13m from the mark and was thereafter entitled to mark-room. Barnacle did not give Coral mark-room. Coral should be exonerated for breaking rule 11 because she was taking mark-room to which she was entitled.

Protest Committee's Assessment of the Evidence
Your fellow protest committee members agree that Barnacle was clear ahead of Coral 20m from the mark, and that the boats were certainly overlapped at 10m from the mark, but that there is no direct evidence of when or exactly where they became overlapped.

Problem
Write Facts Found, Conclusions and Rules Applicable and the Decision for this protest. Please post your effort on LTW, for us all to share and learn. Don't be shy.

Delta Lloyd Regatta 2009 | 02

We had an interesting discussion about mark room yesterday evening - which I'm going to publish in a separate post as soon as I've checked with the participants. I want to make sure that I got the viewpoints correct. More on that later.

I think everybody was a little anxious how it would go with Ynglings as the match race boat. Since the Elliot will not be arriving in Europe before Kiel-week, the organisers of DL Regatta had no choice but to choose another boat. Since our MNA owns several Ynglings from the previous Olympic campaign, the choice was not that hard.

Before coming here, I heard from several people having doubts about the suitability of the Yngling. I was watching the boat perform today, trying to find fault with it, as a match race boat.

First of all, this boat turns and accelerates fine for match racing. It is complicated enough to need three people to handle efficiently. They all have to hike hard to keep balance in these difficult wind conditions. Spinnaker set and down, gib sheet and main sheet, traveller & hiking all need attention. You can do tactically practically everything - except maybe sail backward with a rudder that doesn't hang off the back.

As far as I can see this boat is fine for match racing. The Elliot will be faster, more modern and even more manoeuvrable, but it will nevertheless depend on the skill of the sailor who will win the match. Like in the Ynglings at the Delta Lloyd Regatta.

And now for something completely different: Sailbiking
Today in front of the Regatta centre I photographed this nice piece of equipment:
I will have to visit their website and find out more: www.whike.com

Delta Lloyd Regatta 2009 | 01

From yesterday evening I am in Medemblik to take part as judge and umpire in the Delta Lloyd Regatta.
We have been very busy with preparations. It's a big team with 20 people. During the day we split up in a rule 42 Team and a Match Racing Team and in the evening we are assigned in several - even three if need be - panels.
This morning we had several meetings with the umpire group, with the skippers and crew and now with the complete jury.
I will get back to the blog as much as possible - the internet connection is fine here - but please give me some leeway. It promises to be a very busy event.

3 Lengths; Overall, Boat or Hull?

I received a mail from Greg who writes about the the wording in the definition of Zone and how sailors interpret those:

 

Hello

I enjoy using your blog to help clarify my own understanding of RRS.

Here is a local issue in my area that might be worth a post & response. This is not an issue from the elite levels, but I think a concern in recreational racing fleets. This is another area where careful wording in the rules needs to become careful wording in discussions, so sailors are not inadvertently lead astray.

Whether it was the previous rule, or the current definition of Zone, we continue to informally refer to the distance as boat lengths rather than hull lengths (as defined in RRS). This has caused some interesting confusion among local competitors in boats such as International 14s, which in the past used the informal wording of "boat" to define their distance from the mark. The sailors included both the hull and the extended bowsprit multiplied by 2 to determine the "circle" heading into a mark where the bowsprit was deployed.

When they were reminded in discussions of rule changes that RRS 2009 defines Zone as 3 "Hull" lengths, they responded that the 2009 revision would effectively decrease the size of the Zone compared to their past practice.

From http://gallery.me.com/npatchett#100014

Is this an issue in other localities? Shouldn't we quit talking about boat lengths and say or write hull lengths when we talk about the Zone. From my perspective, using the term "hull length" consistently would help clarify the situation for competitors.

Greg

 

Hi Greg, thanks for you input!

You are absolutely right in referring to the zone in Hull-lengths always!

I know there are several rules which have to do with measurement or the position of boats, their equipment and the place it is normally used in (at starting, finishing or to determine the zone). But for the zone, the circle should be fixed for all boats in the same class.

The international 14, who has a retractable bowsprit, would otherwise have a different zone depending on how far the bowsprit is extended. The rule makers wanted to avoid any misunderstanding in that regard and (I suspect) deliberately chose to use hull length. You can find those in the class rules drawings and it should be fixed within a small tolerance. That tolerance should – at most –produce a difference in the zone of a couple of centimeters, not enough to make any difference on the water.

In some older rule books the zone was defined by two boat lengths or two overall boat lengths. Without a variable “length” – like with the bow sprit of the more modern 14 – that was also a fixed measurement. Carbon materials were not available generally and even the most seasoned hickory would have split in those dimensions. (Hickory is a wood used for hammers and axes – because of it’s tensile strength) To my knowledge, they did not have retractable bowsprits in those days… I’m talking about 80’s…

If in the previous rule cycle, sailors used to measure the zone with an extended bowsprit, they did not use the correct definition and that can lead to misunderstanding.

If the sailors in International 14 class feel that three hull-lengths is not enough to prepare for rounding a mark, they have the possibility to increase the zone to four hull lengths, provided it is clearly stated in the SI. Talk to the club and / or RO. I bet they are willing to provide amended SI’s to that effect. With four hull lengths the zone should come to a little bigger then two with an extended bowsprit – if I judge the dimensions correctly from the photo’s

Greg is also asking for responses from other local sailors. Please leave a comment if you have something to contribute.

J.

Sunday Rules Snap |4 関西学生ヨット春季選手権大会

From the other side of the Globe: Snipes and 470's

Dear Jos,
I always appreciate your great work in LOOK TO WINDWARD. Although you may not know, Japan intercollegiate sailing is very popular and has long history over 80 years. Its characteristic is that racing classes are only 470 and Snipe, and the format is a fleet racing. The KANSAI Intercollegiate Sailing Championship was held from May 5th through 6th at the Nishinomiya yacht harbour, where is located between Osaka and Kobe and which is one of the three famous yacht harbours in Japan.
KANSAI is a familiar name. KAN means a barrier, SAI means west and TOO means east. Therefore KAN-SAI is West of Japan. Its capital is Osaka, my city. KAN-TOO is East of Japan. Needless to say, its capital is Tokyo.
In this regatta, participating boats were 44 boats for 470 class and 43 boats for Snipe class. The student sailors in Kansai are fairly strong. Incidentally, a university 470 team won the 2nd place and a university Snipe team won the 3rd place in the last Japan intercollegiate sailing championship 2008. The condition was the wind, 5.4m/s to 7.6m, the first day and 3m/s to 4.5m/s, the second day. Two classes' races took effect at the same area and the starting sequence was made normally every five minutes because of 3 through 5 races per day. Since wind was weak on the second day, 470 and Snipe boats sailed together at the same time and rounding marks was thrown into great confusion. We were happy 'Zone' is three lengths for both.
Jury boats were three, two ribs and one SRV. Jury members were four senior judges, three judges and two probationers. The total number of Protests were seven and Rule 42 infringements were three. No comments in particular. The regatta was good success.
Attached hereto two photos and two results.
With best wishes,
Sen Yamaoka

Is that you in the Jury-boat, Sen?

Fact Finding Friday | 012 Anemone - Request for Redress

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 as shown.

Description of Incident

The description of the incident from the protest form is as shown. Wind conditions were about 10kts. Sea conditions smooth.

SI indicate gate is between Committee Vessel and a mark of the course. On the first lap we sailed between the Committee Vessel and the Finish Mark. At the end of the second lap we finished correctly between the Committee Vessel and the Finish Mark. We were scored DNF. There was another additional laid mark in the vicinity of the Gate/Finish Line as shown in the diagram.

The Hearing

Anemone's Description of the Incident

As described in the protest form Anemone completed the course, passing through the gate as required at the end of the first lap and at the finish at the end of the second lap.

Anemone left the Laid Mark at the outer end of the Gate on the required side.

Race Officer's Description of the Incident

The Sailing Instructions say:

The Start Line, Finishing Line and Gate shall be between the flag mast displaying the Club Committee Flag on the Committee Vessel and the Laid Mark in the vicinity of Point Liberty.

Laid Marks shall be white inflatable cylinders with the sponsor's logo.

Two separate observation team on the Committee Vessel, whose duties were to observe and record boats passing through the gate at the end of the first lap, observed that Anemone passed outside the outer Laid Mark of the gate at the end of the first lap.

At the time when other boats were completing the second lap to finish, Anemone passed through the Finish Line/Gate. The Committee Vessel observation teams recorded this as Anemone passing through the gate for the first time and also recorded the time that Anemone passed through the Gate.

I have here the record sheets for these observations if the protest committee wishes to verify this.

The Committee Vessel remained on station until the time limit expired and Anemone did not pass through the gate a second time to finish.

Accordingly Anemone was scored DNF as required by rule A5 and ISAF Q&A 2009-026.

Protest Committee Questions to the Race Officer

Q. Please describe all racing marks in the vicinity of the Committee Vessel?
A. There were three racing marks in the vicinity of the Committee Vessel as follows:

• A permanent racing mark, a yellow spar buoy;
• The Laid Mark, a white inflatable cylinder with the sponsor's logo; and
• A racing mark laid by another club, a yellow and black inflatable mark.

Protest Committee Questions to Anemone

Q. Describe the 'Finish Mark' that you say you correctly passed at the end of the first lap?
A. It was yellow with a sponsor's logo.

Q. Please describe the 'Additional Mark' you have shown on your diagram?A. It was a white inflatable cylinder.

Anemone Summing Up

Anemone sailed the course correctly and finished in accordance with the definition of finish. Anemone should be scored with her finishing time.

Race Officer's Summing Up

Anemone sailed through the Gate only once and thereafter did not finish within the time limit.

Protest Committee's Assessment of the Evidence

Your fellow protest committee members agree that there is no inconsistency between the evidence of Anemone and the Race Officer.

Problem

Write Facts Found, Conclusions and Rules Applicable and the Decision for this request for redress.

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

KWS; Kleine Sneekweek

One of my local clubs (KWS) organizes a four day event each year from Ascension day until the following Sunday. I've been going to events outside my country for the last couple of years, but this year I decided to stay and do some PC-work at the "Kleine Sneekweek"
I've started up the work this morning by getting all the paperwork ready and after that was finished, I thought it would be nice to give you a virtual tour of our regatta centre:

It's a compact building on the edge of the lake; this is the view when you walk from the ferry.

Protest-room 1 (my work room for the next couple of days)

Hallway connecting protest rooms and information desk, all on the ground flour; to the right toilets and left the stairs

Information desk, with Fronie & Alet

This room covers the left-half of the building with a work bench and three information windows.

Same windows from the outside.
The covers protect against rain but also cover the windows at night.

The 'tower' with finishing rooms and terrace.

Second floor, scoring desk in a room separated from the club room with screens

The club-room

The other quarter of the club room with a small coffee-bar
and access to the front terrace

The terrace in front.

With a view over our lake: Sneekermeer.

Looking back toward the ferry, you see the restaurant
and partly the marina for smaller boats.

Two ladies from scoring and finishing looking at the starts, before their task is beginning

Same terrace, looking the other way. A brand new harbour for bigger boats...

The lower of the two finishing rooms.
The finishing marks still have to be lined up.
These rooms have been raised half a floor so that if the terrace is occupied
and full of guests, the view is still unhindered.

Corner window of the same finishing room.
Note: no corner stiles!

Third floor looking at the corner of the second finishing room on top of the first.
That way two separate teams can watch the same line.

Looking up at the tower from behind on the second back terrace.

I'm standing on the back terrace on level three looking at the marina

And snapping a picture looking down at the front terrace

The highest view. Can you see the starting vessel?

Ko- building /electrician / manager - should have cleared
the wires, but at least everything is working with new speakers.

Looking the other way with Sneek in the far background (my home town)

KWS-Flag

I tried to zoom in a little, to snap the starting vessel,
but it's to far away today.
It should be in the middle of the white cluster of sails.

This year the island got a little bigger, because the new (bigger boat) marina
was finished. Two 'Regenbogen' just leave to go to the start.

The box with signal flags... in case we need to signal from the tower.
On the third floor hallway

Going back down the staircase, along the wall the plates
from almost every year. Each year a picture is handpainted on 40 plates
and awarded to the winner of the Sneekweek.

And almost back on the ground floor.

This concludes our virtual tour.
Please leave any tips at the box next to the exit....

The 3 least understood Racing Rules of Sailing.

DYT, D-BASL & DHA!


I've restricted the number of least understood rules to three, because Tillerman instructed me to do that in his group writing announcement, but actually I sometimes think the title should be "the 91 least known Racing Rules of Sailing". Well, please forgive me, that's what I see on occasions watching a fleet race. Okay, maybe not 91, but 91 minus four or five. Port and Starboard and other basic RoW rules seem to have been absorbed by a slight majority, but not by many more.

I wonder if we should introduce a sort of 'driving licence' for regatta sailors. You can't participate in traffic, if you don't know the rules. Fortunately most contacts don't end up in personal injuries and only minor damage, unlike on the road. But the rules appliance is appalling in some fleets. I don't want to police sailors for every rules-infringement, other then with umpiring a match - or team race. But we are getting there fast, if I read the developments correctly...

Therefore I have chosen three rules you should DEFINITELY understand:

Basic Principle:
SPORTSMANSHIP AND THE RULES
Competitors in the sport of sailing are governed by a body of rules that they are expected to follow and enforce. A fundamental principle of sportsmanship is that when competitors break a rule they will promptly take a penalty, which may be to retire.
DO YOUR TURNS.

DYT

Rule 2: FAIR SAILING
A boat and her owner shall compete in compliance with recognized principles of sportsmanship and fair play. A boat may be penalized under this rule only if it is clearly established that these principles have been violated. A disqualification under this rule shall not be excluded from the boat’s series score.
DON'T BE A SORE LOOSER.

D-BASL

Rule 14:
AVOIDING CONTACT
A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible. However, a right-of-way boat or one entitled to room or mark-room
(a) need not act to avoid contact until it is clear that the other boat is not keeping clear or giving room or mark-room, and
(b) shall not be penalized under this rule unless there is contact that causes damage or injury.
DON'T HIT ANYBODY.

DHA

If you enter a regatta you 'sign' a contract with all other sailors and the RC. The conditions of that contract are written down in the Sailing Instructions. Those include the RRS. What if someone didn't abide by a contract in your 'normal' live. You would scream bloody hell and say something, wouldn't you?
Or even worse. By breaking the rules you shout to all others: "I'm not going to keep my promises because I don't want to loose"

When all is said and done, it's only a sport. I understand it is taken very seriously by some (me) and a favourite and passionate pastime by others (me again). But to paraphrase one of the ground layers of the current rules, Paul Elvstrom:
"It is not worth winning a race if you to loose the respect of your fellow sailors by infringing the rules"

You might even be surprised!  Knowing the rules will improve your ability to interact with your fellow sailors on the water. Knowing your rights and obligations is definitely going to boost your confidence and ability to concentrate on sailing faster.

Please, learn a few rules and sail by them!

J.

Fact Finding Friday on Tuesday| 011 Xanadu Xylophonist v Zagreb Zitherplayer

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 Orange:Xanadu Xylophonist Purple:Zagreb Zitherplayer

Facts Found

1. Xanadu Xylophonist and Zagreb Zitherplayer were sailing close hauled on starboard tack towards a shoreline, ending in a point that was a mark of the course to be left to port.

2. Xanadu Xylophonist was to leeward and advanced on Zagreb Zitherplayer.

3. Zagreb Zitherplayer was fetching the point.

4. Xanadu Xylophonist hailed for water to tack and clear the point. Receiving no response from Zagreb Zitherplayer, Xanadu Xylophonist repeated her hail.

5. Zagreb Zitherplayer replied 'Fetching' and did not change course.

6. Xanadu Xylophonist hailed 'protest' and displayed a red flag.

7. Xanadu Xylophonist eased her sails then luffed head to wind to loose speed, then tacked behind Zagreb Zitherplayer.

8. Zagreb Zitherplayer fetched the point.

Protest Committee's Assessment of the Evidence

Your fellow protest committee members agree that safety required Xanadu Xylophonist to make a substantial course change to avoid the obstruction and that Zagreb Zitherplayer made no other hail.

Problem

Write Conclusions and Rules Applicable, and the Decision for this protest.
Please post your effort on LTW, for us all to share and learn. Don't be shy.

 

(This post was originally planned for Friday the 15th of May, but due to me being unable to get online it got sidetracked…. Original scheduling will resume (hopefully) on the 22th.)

Rules Answer for Tillerman

Tillerman asked a Rules Question on his blogpost today:

Here's a question for all you Racing Rules of Sailing experts out there…
When do you have to sail your proper course?


There are five rules where proper course is mentioned.
Most sailors will know the first one:

Rule 17 ON THE SAME TACK; PROPER COURSE
If a boat clear astern becomes overlapped within two of her hull lengths to leeward of a boat on the same tack, she shall not sail above her proper course while they remain on the same tack and overlapped within that distance, unless in doing so she promptly sails astern of the other boat. This rule does not apply if the overlap
begins while the windward boat is required by rule 13 to keep clear.

The rule does not restrict your course in sailing lower then your proper course….. therefore in answer to the question: You don't have to sail your proper course.

Rule 18.1 When Rule 18 Applies
Rule 18 applies between boats when they are required to leave a mark on the same side and at least one of them is in the zone. However, it does not apply
(b) between boats on opposite tacks when the proper course at the mark for one but not both of them is to tack,

Again, it does not say you have to sail your proper course….

Rule 18.4 Gybing
When an inside overlapped right-of-way boat must gybe at a mark to sail her proper course, until she gybes she shall sail no farther from the mark than needed to sail that course. Rule 18.4 does not apply at a gate mark.

This rule restricts you distance to the mark…
You have to gybe if you are inside overlapped right-of-way boat. You can sail higher or even to the wrong side if you want… So agian, in answer to the question, you don't have to sail your proper course….

Rule 18.5 Exoneration
When a boat is taking mark-room to which she is entitled, she shall be exonerated
(b) if, by rounding the mark on her proper course, she breaks a rule of Section A or rule 15 or 16.

Again, no restrictions, but if you break one of the rules mentioned, you better be on a proper course. But if you don't break any of the rules, you can sail wherever you want…

Rule 23.2 Except when sailing her proper course, a boat shall not interfere with a boat taking a penalty or sailing on another leg.

Interfering with a boat on another leg or taking a penalty may only happen if you sail on your proper course. But nothing in this fifth rule, restricts you from sailing another course…. as long as you don't interfere with another boat.

In answer to the question I would have to say: According to the RRS, you don't have to sail your proper course…. there's always another (worse) course if you want it.