Tuesday June 30th was an eventful race with the Race Committee striving to get a race off in between two storm fronts while dealing 90 degree wind shifts. The finish turned out to be more exciting than anyone expected, with 4 boats requesting redress after the event.
Comment on White Sail race June 30
Request for Redress Hearing July 1,2009
Panel: David Cobbett – Chairman, Alan Gray, Frank Clarke
An interesting protest situation ! To review the facts found, as determined by the Protest Committee.
1 – at the Finish Line, the Race Committee (RC) opted to align the Finish Line at right angles to the wind, which at this point was blowing from right to left across the course (as viewed from the leeward mark)
2 – the race was not shortened.
3 – the Course Board indicated that the leeward pin, which was to become the Finish Pin, was to be left to starboard.
4 – several boats, confused by the orientation of the Finish Line and by the Course Board instruction to leave the Finishing mark to starboard, did NOT cross the Line from the direction of the previous mark, but finished in “hook” fashion, thereby crossing the Finishing Line from the wrong side.
Comments:
Request for Redress Hearing July 1,2009
Panel: David Cobbett – Chairman, Alan Gray, Frank Clarke
An interesting protest situation ! To review the facts found, as determined by the Protest Committee.
1 – at the Finish Line, the Race Committee (RC) opted to align the Finish Line at right angles to the wind, which at this point was blowing from right to left across the course (as viewed from the leeward mark)
2 – the race was not shortened.
3 – the Course Board indicated that the leeward pin, which was to become the Finish Pin, was to be left to starboard.
4 – several boats, confused by the orientation of the Finish Line and by the Course Board instruction to leave the Finishing mark to starboard, did NOT cross the Line from the direction of the previous mark, but finished in “hook” fashion, thereby crossing the Finishing Line from the wrong side.
Comments:
1 – the RC, while departing from normal practice of laying the Finish Line at right angles to the Course (rhumb line), did not commit an “improper action” as such. To quote ISAF’s Question & Answer Service – Q&A 2009-016, “as long as the line clearly is at an angle to the course from the last mark, the definition Finish gives the correct finishing direction, irrespective of what side the finishing vessel is situated”. All four boats requesting redress felt that the Finishing Line was obvious, even if at a considerable variance from the “normal” orientation.
2 – inasmuch as the race was not shortened, it was evident that the Finishing Line would incorporate the leeward pin as a finishing mark.
3 – relying again on the above Q&A 2009-016, “had the RC issued a sailing instruction that required the boats to cross the finishing line from the wrong direction, that would have been an improper action, and redress could have been considered. See ISAF Case 45”.
By virtue of requiring boats to leave the finish mark to starboard, the RC thereby issued an improper instruction, so four Requests for Redress were considered.
4 – the RC’s intentions were not clear. In questioning the Bosun and the RC Chairman, it appeared that they expected that finishing boats would understand that they were to pass astern of the RC boat, then cross the line. One boat finished correctly according the RRS definition, but was not called over. A couple of other boats tried other tracks, but were not called over either. The RC compounded the problem by not taking the times of the boats in question when they first crossed the line from either direction, plus subsequent crossings.This made it impossible to grant redress, since the Protest Committee had no time basis to work from in establishing a finishing position by way of Redress.
Recommendation:
1 – RC’s should strive to avoid improper instructions, e.g. “hook finishes” or “buttonhook” mark roundings.
2 – There is no longer any ambiguity in the RRS definition of Finish, that being:
“A boat finishes when any part of her hull, or crew or equipment in normal position, crosses the finishing line in the direction of the course from the last mark, either for the first time or after taking a penalty under Rule 44.2, or after correcting an error made at the finishing line, under Rule 28.1.”
3 – In the case of a shortened course, the leeward mark is now a finishing mark rather than a rounding mark, and boats must cross the finishing line in the direction of the course from the last mark in accordance with the definition Finish.
2 – inasmuch as the race was not shortened, it was evident that the Finishing Line would incorporate the leeward pin as a finishing mark.
3 – relying again on the above Q&A 2009-016, “had the RC issued a sailing instruction that required the boats to cross the finishing line from the wrong direction, that would have been an improper action, and redress could have been considered. See ISAF Case 45”.
By virtue of requiring boats to leave the finish mark to starboard, the RC thereby issued an improper instruction, so four Requests for Redress were considered.
4 – the RC’s intentions were not clear. In questioning the Bosun and the RC Chairman, it appeared that they expected that finishing boats would understand that they were to pass astern of the RC boat, then cross the line. One boat finished correctly according the RRS definition, but was not called over. A couple of other boats tried other tracks, but were not called over either. The RC compounded the problem by not taking the times of the boats in question when they first crossed the line from either direction, plus subsequent crossings.This made it impossible to grant redress, since the Protest Committee had no time basis to work from in establishing a finishing position by way of Redress.
Recommendation:
1 – RC’s should strive to avoid improper instructions, e.g. “hook finishes” or “buttonhook” mark roundings.
2 – There is no longer any ambiguity in the RRS definition of Finish, that being:
“A boat finishes when any part of her hull, or crew or equipment in normal position, crosses the finishing line in the direction of the course from the last mark, either for the first time or after taking a penalty under Rule 44.2, or after correcting an error made at the finishing line, under Rule 28.1.”
3 – In the case of a shortened course, the leeward mark is now a finishing mark rather than a rounding mark, and boats must cross the finishing line in the direction of the course from the last mark in accordance with the definition Finish.
