The Racing Rules of Sailing
RRS 42 and RRS 45
The situation:
45 FD's are on the starting line 3 minutes before start.
One boat is near by the pin-end ( arr. 3 boatlenght in direction to the starting vessel and a half boatlenght behind the line) and the crew (frontman) is in the water (standing on the ground) fixing boat position.
RRS 42.1 says: Except when permitted in rule 42.3 or 45, a boat shall compete by using only the wind and water to increase, maintain or decrease her speed. 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.
RRS 45 says: 45 HAULING OUT; MAKING FAST; ANCHORING
A boat shall be afloat and off moorings at her preparatory signal. Thereafter, she
shall not be hauled out or made fast except to bail out, reef sails or make repairs.
She may anchor or the crew may stand on the bottom. She shall recover the anchor
before continuing in the race unless she is unable to do so.
In my opinion it is an inpropper action under rule 42 because there was no emergency or an other incident to do so. The only reason was to fix the boat in a good position. But by reading the rules I can´t give a reasonable explenation according to the rules.
Who can help?
Thanks
Stefan
45 FD's are on the starting line 3 minutes before start.
One boat is near by the pin-end ( arr. 3 boatlenght in direction to the starting vessel and a half boatlenght behind the line) and the crew (frontman) is in the water (standing on the ground) fixing boat position.
RRS 42.1 says: Except when permitted in rule 42.3 or 45, a boat shall compete by using only the wind and water to increase, maintain or decrease her speed. 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.
RRS 45 says: 45 HAULING OUT; MAKING FAST; ANCHORING
A boat shall be afloat and off moorings at her preparatory signal. Thereafter, she
shall not be hauled out or made fast except to bail out, reef sails or make repairs.
She may anchor or the crew may stand on the bottom. She shall recover the anchor
before continuing in the race unless she is unable to do so.
In my opinion it is an inpropper action under rule 42 because there was no emergency or an other incident to do so. The only reason was to fix the boat in a good position. But by reading the rules I can´t give a reasonable explenation according to the rules.
Who can help?
Thanks
Stefan
Created: Today 10:44
Comments
Format:
P
Angelo GuarinoForum Moderator
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
- Regional Judge
404.85K
Stefan, boats can use RRS45 to maintain their position for strategic racing goals while racing. No emergency required.
Created: Today 10:55
P
John AllanNationality: Australia
Certifications:
- National Race Officer
- National Judge
249.3K
- RRS 45 3rd sentence specifically permits the long established practice of a boat, once off her moorings, anchoring, for example to avoid the effects of a foul tide. It is not a condition of the third sentence permission that she needs to bail out, reef sails or make repairs, which are conditions applicable to 'hauling out' or 'making fast' which are referred to in the second sentence and which are distinctly different from anchoring
- The 3rd sentence 2nd clause extends the permission of anchoring to he crew standing on the bottom, otherwise he crew standing on the bottom can be characterised as an alternative method of anchoring.
- RRS 42 does not 'switch off' his quite specific permission.
Created: Today 11:09
John Mooney
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
- International Judge
- National Judge
- Regional Race Officer
10.45K
Stefan, while I sympathize with your intuition that it's not very fair to hold position by standing on the bottom, Rule 45 really couldn't be clearer. If you want to eliminate that option for competitors, you'll have to change RRS 45 according to RRS 86.1 in the sailing instructions.
Created: Today 11:11
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