Forum: The Racing Rules of Sailing
Pre-Start Protest Case
Jan Winkler
Certifications:
- International Judge
- National Umpire
0
Hey guys,
Here's a brain teaser.
What are your conclusions & decision?
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On a hearing of a valid protest, the protest committee established the following facts.
Here's a brain teaser.
What are your conclusions & decision?
.......................................................................................................................................
On a hearing of a valid protest, the protest committee established the following facts.
Facts found:
- 30 seconds after preparatory signal of J70 fleet race nr.1, two J70 (yellow and blue) were approaching pin end of the starting line,
- wind speed was 10 knots, sea state was consistent with wind speed,
- yellow was on port close-hauled course when she entered the zone around pin end starting mark,
- inside the zone yellow tacked on starboard, then luffed above her close-hauled course and passed close to the pin-end starting mark leaving it on port,
- blue was on starboard tack since entering the zone and was sailing close-hauled course on the starboard lay-line of the pin-end starting mark,
- when yellow finished her tack to starboard (position 3), blue was clear astern at a distance of 1 meter and was holding her course,
- shortly after position 3 blue established windward overlap at a gap of 0.5 meters from yellow,
- as yellow luffed and passed close to the mark, blue luffed, sailed above her close-hauled course and kept clear of yellow,
- after boats cleared the starting mark there was 3 minutes to the starting signal.
- 30 seconds after preparatory signal of J70 fleet race nr.1, two J70 (yellow and blue) were approaching pin end of the starting line,
- wind speed was 10 knots, sea state was consistent with wind speed,
- yellow was on port close-hauled course when she entered the zone around pin end starting mark,
- inside the zone yellow tacked on starboard, then luffed above her close-hauled course and passed close to the pin-end starting mark leaving it on port,
- blue was on starboard tack since entering the zone and was sailing close-hauled course on the starboard lay-line of the pin-end starting mark,
- when yellow finished her tack to starboard (position 3), blue was clear astern at a distance of 1 meter and was holding her course,
- shortly after position 3 blue established windward overlap at a gap of 0.5 meters from yellow,
- as yellow luffed and passed close to the mark, blue luffed, sailed above her close-hauled course and kept clear of yellow,
- after boats cleared the starting mark there was 3 minutes to the starting signal.
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Applicable rules and conclusions:
- Rule 10 (position 1); yellow on port kept clear of row boat blue on starboard as blue could continue sailing her course without taking avoiding action,
- Rule 13 (position 2); yellow kept clear while tacking of row boat blue as blue could continue sailing her course without taking avoiding action,
- Rule 15 (position 3); yellow acquired row as a boat clear ahead and initially gave blue room to keep clear as blue could keep clear while maneuvering promptly and in a seamanlike way,
- Rule 12 (position 3); blue clear astern kept clear of row boat yellow clear ahead as yellow could continue sailing her course without taking avoiding action,
- Rule 16.1 (positions 3-4); when row boat yellow changed course she gave blue room to keep clear as blue could keep clear while maneuvering promptly and in a seamanlike way,
- Rule 11 (position 4), windward boat blue kept clear of row boat yellow as yellow could continue sailing her course without taking avoiding action and also change course in both directions without immediately making contact,
- Section C rules applied as at the time of the incident boats were not approaching starting mark to start (preamble of Section C),
- Rule 18 did not apply as at the time of the incident boats were not required to leave mark on the same side (preamble of rule 18.1),
- Rule 19 applied as at the time of the incident boats were not required to leave mark on the same side; condition as per rule 19.2 (a) was not met,
- Rule 19.2 (b) (position 4), outside boat blue gave inside boat yellow room between her and the obstruction,
- Mark with a ground tackle is an obstruction as per Definition as it is an object a boat could not pass without changing course substantially if she were sailing directly towards it and one of her hull lengths from it
Decision:
- no rules broken, protest dismissed
Comments
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As a judge: no rule broken - get out of my hearing room!
;-)
I suppose it depends on when you call the boats as approaching the marks to start.
If they are Section C does not apply so there can be no breach of 18.3.
If not approaching to start then the section applies but at this time the Buoy has no required side,
Both boats appeared to comply with the rules, not luffing too hard and Keeping clear.
No penalties.
But nevertheless, the Yellow as the leeward ROW boat has right to luff until head to wind (no proper course limitations before the Starting signal and in this particular case it is not an issue anyway) and by giving room to Blue to keep clear (RRS 16.1) - No rule broken!
I like Mike’s approach.
I'd say that the pin doesn't have a required side until the boats are approaching it to start. Prior to the starting signal boats may pass on either side of the pin. So rule 18 isn't on in this incident since at the time of the incident the boats are not required to leave the pin on the same side.
From the time she completed her tack from port to stbd Yellow was ROW boat. Y gave B room to keep clear and B kept clear. No rule was broken.
Below are a few images borrowed from the Holiday Puzzler thread, showing boats passing the mark on opposite sides at different times before approaching the line to start.
For below, the gun goes off at 5 under P-flag.
I, too, agree with Angelo's analysis, but I would add that, when the boats are approaching the mark to start, the preamble to Section C turns off the whole of Section C, not just rule 18, Therefore, when boats are approaching the mark to start, rule 19 does not apply.
Both rules 18 and 19 determine the time frame in which they apply or do not apply. When they are required to leave the mark on it's specified side is laid out in rule 28.2.
As the incident occurred 3 minutes before the start signal, the boats are clearly not approaching the mark to start. Therefore, they are not required to leave the mark on the same side at that time (rule 28.2). Rule 19 does apply, rule 18 does not. No rules were infringed.
And I think Phil is right, even if the pin is an obstruction rule 19 would turn off when the boats are approaching to start. But in pre-start maneuvering I think 19 would still be on.
Yes, the size of the pin would determine whether a boat would have to alter course substantially to avoid it, if she were sailing directly toward it and one boat length from it. (see definition of obstruction).
The diagram shows Yellow's change of course from position 3 to to be 20-30 degrees. Would that be considered a substantial change? If so, then the mark is an obstruction. If it were a minor course change, the mark would not be an obstruction.
They do not apply when boats are approaching them to start. The grey area is that there's not universal consensus as to when boats are 'approaching them to start'.
My submission is that RRS 18 effectively never applies at starting marks because if you accept that the boats are not 'approaching them to start' then the boats are not required to leave the mark on a particular side, so RRS 18.1 turns RRS 18 off.
So, the rules and consequences around the object the SI's define as a mark changes depending on ...
That's all probably clear as mud .. but that's how it sitting in my noggin :-)
(a) when the obstruction is a mark the boats are required to leave on the same side..." That is one thing.
Another thing is (or how I see it): when a mark is ranked as a mark as defined? From that moment on when a boat (boats) has to leave it
to required side.
I believe its been a good and insightful discussion.
As a summery of what's been discussed I updated my initial thread with Applicable rules, conclusions and decision.
Hope you agree with it and find it useful.
In case you feel something else needs to be discussed, clarified or corrected on this topic please feel free to reply.
Cheers.