Active RRS 2009-2012 thread

yeah, sorry. I always have trouble dropping links in correctly. I fixed it.

Originally posted by thedinghysailor ISAF has finally ruled on this! Check out the comment under the video with the official ruling. 29">Sailgroove.org/videos/coverage/view_video/234176/8452 9

 

Sorry the video requested could not be found

The "loophole" is in rule 18.2(c) "However, if either boat passes head to wind or if the boat entitled to mark room leaves the zone, rule 18.2(b) ceases to apply".

The incident seen on the video will be rare in fleet racing, simple because the leading boat will not often wish to delay their mark rounding in order to hold up the boat clear astern or overlapped.

Gordon

Thats going to be carnage at big handicap events isnt it??

Colin,
The team racing rules do not modify the relationship between 18.2 (b) and (c).
Rule 18.2(b) when modified for team racing reads :

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(b) If boats are overlapped when the first of them reaches the zone, the outside boat at that moment shall thereafter give the inside boat mark-room. If a boat is clear ahead when she reaches the zone, or she later becomes clear ahead when another boat passes head to wind, the boat clear astern at that moment shall thereafter give her markroom.

There is nothing in this to indicate  that rule 18.2(c) does not apply. So as soon as one boat passes head to wind the original 18.2(b) restriction ceases to apply. However, if the boats are not overlapped as one boat passes head to wind, then a new 18.2(b) restriction applies to the boat clear astern. This means, in the situation under discussion, that the boat that benefitted from protection under 18.2(b) looses that protection and that the boat that passes head to wind acquires protection.

What intrigues me the most is whether the game change induced by this re-write of rule 18 was intentional, or whether our eminent rule writers just forgot about they way team racing can torture the rules almost to breaking point.

Gordon