Cat startline

Sunday gone on the start line for the cat fleet, one cat ran directly over the pin end with one hull crossing the line leaving the other hull outside of the line...... So if only half the boat crossed the starline, has he started or not?? 

Doug H

There's bound to be something in the case book or judges manual, but I think Neptune's interpretation is correct- as long as everything that's actually in the water (including the tips of boards/rudders, trailing ropes and/or crews etc) passes to the correct side of the mark, then the rest can cheerfully "pass" on the "wrong" side- beyond the actual physical marker itself, a mark does not project upwards- the course is 2D. Massive regatta marks will tend to negate this from occurring.

If they pass over it with both hulls in the water (tiny mark to not hit it!) or even with a daggerboard or rudder tip still in the water (port tack start here) they're in the wrong, and haven't passed it.

Both hulls were in the water.

Originally posted by alstorer There's bound to be something in the case book or judges manual, but I think Neptune's interpretation is correct- as long as everything that's actually in the water (including the tips of boards/rudders, trailing ropes and/or crews etc) passes to the correct side of the mark, then the rest can cheerfully "pass" on the "wrong" side- beyond the actual physical marker itself, a mark does not project upwards- the course is 2D. Massive regatta marks will tend to negate this from occurring. If they pass over it with both hulls in the water (tiny mark to not hit it!) or even with a daggerboard or rudder tip still in the water (port tack start here) they're in the wrong, and haven't passed it.

There is.  Q&A 2009-014.

Question

A catamaran on port tack approaches a leeward mark to be left to port. Does a catamaran that "flies" its port (windward) hull over, and possibly to windward of, a leeward mark comply with the requirements of rule 28.1 in relation to that mark rounding? The starboard hull is the only hull in the water (creating a track) and this hull passes the mark correctly.

Answer

Yes.

http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/QA2009014-[6756].pdf

Originally posted by Scooby_simon Use the string rule.  Did the line made by the WAKE follow the course.  If a hull was flying when you sailed over the mark and so the wake does not go the "wrong side" then I'd say you are OK.

Rule 28.1 has changed to refer to the TRACK of a boat, not the wake.

I think that the Q&A makes it clear that even if you took the 'track' to be the path of the centreline, it would still be OK.