Forum: The Racing Rules of Sailing
Match Racing Tactics in fleet racing
P
Angelo GuarinoCertifications:
- Regional Judge
- Fleet Measurer
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The following comes from an private email dialog I recently had with a forum member. I thought I'd post the thrust of their questions in a post to let others toss it around.
Scenario
Several boats are racing in a multi-race, multi-day regatta. At the end of Day 1, Boat A is in 1st place and Boats B and C are tied for 2nd.
On the 2nd day of racing, Boat B starts to use 'match racing starting tactics'.
In the last race of the series, Boats A and B were reaching parallel to the start line, both on Starboard tack. Boat A was clear ahead by a couple BL's and to windward of Boat B. Boat A bore off to gybe and was more than 1 BL ahead of Boat B when directly in front of her. Boat A would easily clear B if B held course. Boat A gybed and continued down wind. Boat B bore off but didn’t gybe putting Boat B on a collision course with Boat A. Boat B called Starboard, and immediately headed up and protested. There was no contact.
This put Boat B 10 sec's behind the start. Boat A took a 2-turns penalty and was even later to the line.
Questions:
Scenario
Several boats are racing in a multi-race, multi-day regatta. At the end of Day 1, Boat A is in 1st place and Boats B and C are tied for 2nd.
On the 2nd day of racing, Boat B starts to use 'match racing starting tactics'.
In the last race of the series, Boats A and B were reaching parallel to the start line, both on Starboard tack. Boat A was clear ahead by a couple BL's and to windward of Boat B. Boat A bore off to gybe and was more than 1 BL ahead of Boat B when directly in front of her. Boat A would easily clear B if B held course. Boat A gybed and continued down wind. Boat B bore off but didn’t gybe putting Boat B on a collision course with Boat A. Boat B called Starboard, and immediately headed up and protested. There was no contact.
This put Boat B 10 sec's behind the start. Boat A took a 2-turns penalty and was even later to the line.
Questions:
- Does a boat break Rule 2 if she uses 'Match Racing tactics' in a fleet race?
- Are there Match Racing RRS which differ from the basic RRS in this scenario?
- Did Boat A (the gybing boat) break a rule which was not exonerated?
- Does it break any rule in fleet racing to sacrifice start position and the race for the purpose of hindering the boat that is ahead on points?
Comments
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Yea ... Rule 16 is different in MR, but it is 16.2 that is deleted and 16.1 is unmodified (which applies here).
Also, there might be a sense in fleet racers inexperienced in match racing that match racers know how to "getcha" (and thus maybe a deference to the MR'ers knowledge of the situation vs their own in fleet racing).
Was there some more background?
Did you invite your correspondent to:
What did the enquirer mean by 'match racing tactics'?
I can't recognise any match racing tactics in the scenario.
I agree with Randy.
A stuck her head in the noose by creating a windward overlap by bearing away across B, forfeiting her initial RRS 15 protection. She then regained protection when B changed course.
Nothing in the fleet racing or match racing rules says that B is required to make it easy for A to keep clear.
Why did A take penalty turns?
Because she didn't understand how RRS 16/43.1 works?
Nothing in the fleet racing rules says that competitors who don't understand the rules should get special treatment.
Nope. Just thought others might benefit from considering the questions for themselves and reading the answers/opinions of others.