Keelboat news and development: recalls and VHF

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recalls and VHF

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Keelboat classes
Forum Name: Keelboat news and development
Forum Discription: All the latest developments for yachts
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3357
Printed Date: 05 Aug 25 at 2:27am
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Topic: recalls and VHF

Posted By: gordon
Subject: recalls and VHF
Date Posted: 06 Sep 07 at 10:20am

In some events, and at some venues, it has become standard practice for Race Officers to call the sail number of boats that were over the line at the start. This gives boats an opportuntity to return and start correctly.

However, what should happen if the Race Officer either:
- does not call a sail number and later records the boat as OCS;
- calls a sail number incorrectly, by a slip of the tongue or by misreading the sail number then later corrects the sail number;
- inadvertently calls the sail number of a boat that is not OCS.

Many RO's and even more judges seem to be of the opinion that the use of VHF does not modify the recall procedure. They maintain that the call is a simple communication between members of the Race Comittee and not an announcement to competitors. A boat that is OCS has therefore no right to redress if his number is not called or if the incorrect number is called.

This seems unfair to me. What do you think?

Gordon DAVIES

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Gordon

Replies:

Posted By: TimC
Date Posted: 06 Sep 07 at 10:34am

Depends on the SIs for the particular event I'd say. If they modify RRS in the SIs to say they will use VHF to announce vessels OCS then you should have cause for redress if mistakes are made.

We had an incident at our club where a boat was called OCS straight away and about 5 seconds later several more boats (including us) were called OCS. We were understandably miffed as we had that much further to go back than the boat instantly called OCS. However our SIs refer to RRS 29.2 & 29.3 for signalling recalls and, unless indicated by flag V, VHF use is a courtesy so we had little grounds for complaint.

By the by, yachts are identified over VHS by a variety of means - sail numbers, names - I even once heard "Yacht with orange headsail, you are OCS". It helps in club racing of course that all the boats are well know to the RO

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J92s GBR 9224R "Upstart"
twitter.com/upstart_racing

Posted By: gordon
Date Posted: 06 Sep 07 at 11:35am

I am not too concerned with what the SIs say. Once there is a consensus about what race officials and competitors want it is easy to write appropriate SIs.
After all, there is already a sector of sailing that uses the hailing of sail numbers as a standard recall procedure - see the RC appendix in the Rules.

My opinion is that in convival events - regatta Weeks, club racing, VHF recalls should be part of the recall procedure. However for international events they should not be and no sail numbers should be called on a VHF accesible to competitors.

Gordon

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Gordon

Posted By: English Dave
Date Posted: 06 Sep 07 at 12:06pm

I'd be firmly against the use of VHF as an integral part of the recall procedure and opposed to any redress if your boat was not correctly called.

The startline of any race is an incredibly noisy and busy place to be and I think it's important to have your head "outside the boat". That is, watching for the X flag and listening to the committee boat for that "recall" gun/horn. IMHO, listening in on VHF provides additional distraction.

It also opens up a dialogue for which the RO simply will not have time. Imagine the following,

"Regatta compettitiors this is Regatta Committe boat. Message: Sail numbers 1173, 6345 and 4558. Youi were over the line and are recalled. Out"

"Regatta Committee boat , this is "Celestial Mary". Confirm that Sail number 1174 is over the line. Over". And so on.

Added to this is the mark-laying RIB, two miles to windward who has spotted a dangerous fog bank rolling in but cannot communicate with the Committee Boat because the channel is busy. Oh and becasue all our radios are keeping a dual watch on Ch16 there is no guarantee that the comms won't be cut by a MayDay in any case. This is especially true for Solent sailing where the airwaves are pretty cluttered at the best of times.

Lets be honest, we all know when we are "pushing it a bit" at a start. And when the gun goes you instinctively look over at the Committe boat to see if you have got away with it. If you see the X flag it's a test of your judgement as to whether you restart (take the pain) or not (possible OCS). That's racing.

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English Dave
http://www.ballyholme.com - Ballyholme Yacht Club

(You'd think I'd be better at it by now)

Hurricane 5.9 SX
RS700

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 06 Sep 07 at 12:42pm

You always have the opportunity to return and start correctly. Its your job to decide whether you are over the line or not. A hail, be it shout or VHF, is just a "nice to have".

Posted By: Stefan Lloyd
Date Posted: 06 Sep 07 at 12:49pm

Originally posted by English Dave

Lets be honest, we all know when we are "pushing it a bit" at a start. And when the gun goes you instinctively look over at the Committe boat to see if you have got away with it. If you see the X flag it's a test of your judgement as to whether you restart (take the pain) or not (possible OCS). That's racing.

You are assuming a certain kind of racing here. Try starting on the extended RYS line at the north end, which is a full mile away from the Squadron. You can't see the flags and sometimes you can't hear the guns. VHF is the only communication available. In this case, VHF communication has to be correct and you should have redress if it is wrong.

Starting on a committee boat line two or three hundred metres long is a different story and no help from VHF should be required.