Sailing down the fleet

Originally posted by JimC I don't have any problem with it as a tactic in equal boats in equal circumstances. However if the odds aren't even, be it a significantly faster handicap boat on a slower one in a handicap race, or by perverting the scoring system when one boat has an average points award and the other doesn't, then I consider it grossly unsporting and I consider the case book needs to be altered to make that the situation. ------------------------

Originally posted by Presuming Ed Being knowingly OCS, not returning to start properly, and covering an opponent is a breach of 2. ISAF case 65. It's been in the casebook since 84.

I seem to remember an incident in F1 where The ferarri team arranged it that Eddie Irvine, who was second on the grid drove deliberatly slower than he could do in order to try to let Michael Schumacher who was on the pole position get an advantage by bunching up and slowing the rest of the fleet. (Something similar I belive was the subject of a "team racing" protest at a recent I14 worlds(?)) And there are numerous examples of F1 teams using the second driver as a "tail gunner" to slow the pursuit of the rivals. Which is about as close as it gets to the match race in a fleet race scenario in sailing. though F1 is a "team" sport as we keep on being told.

Sailing is an individual sport, and at the top level win at any costs is expected (and I would argue necessary). If there was a chance for a Brit to win an olympic medal by employing this tactic, and instead they just raced round the course and let the other boat win by maintaining average then we would be all over them for letting the side down. Were the boot on the other foot we would all condem the winner, but only because our brave boy/girl was on the recieving end. Our brave competitor would then give the interview "I'm gutted... but I would have done exactly the same thing in situation reversal universe." 

If someone was to try to match race me at the trumpton sailing club regatta it would:

a) be suprising,
b) mean I was in with a shot of winning/getting in the choccies, cool.

I would only get upset if someone tried really agressive tactics on me in an attempt to get in front of me for the settling of minor places. Though if the fleet were suitably spread and I was the next boat behind my rival I would be foolish not to expect at least a loose cover/slam dunk on the beat. We are racing after all! The Idea is to get to the other end in front of other people. The degree of all costs varies with the competition level. I wouldn't try and sail someone down in any event I am likely to be at the front of, but I would absolutely cover someone. If I was within a point of the world championships against someone with superior boat speed I would absolutely roll the dice and try and tight cover them if it was the only way I stood a chance. You don't get to the front of a worlds fleet every day. Of course you try and win!

Being knowingly OCS, not returning to start properly, and covering an opponent is a breach of 2. ISAF case 65. It's been in the casebook since 84. 

Originally posted by G.R.F. Nobody in Windsurfing had really experienced it until a young RYA dinghy squaddie turned windsurfer hovered above the line in the last race of the 1980 Nationals then sailed another young guy (who was about to beat him but didn't have the benefit of dinghy experience) down the fleet and it was only to acquire a third and he very nearly impeded me in doing so, I warned him what might happen if he did, it was an eye opener and nasty affair I didn't like it then and have absolutely no respect for anyone who does it now, if you can't beat them over the water you don't deserve the place. Interesting he (the offender) went on to become an RYA coach.