Outer Distance Mark

Originally posted by Oggie

I agree but recently in France I spotted at least 6 boats lining up for a non existent gap by the committee boat.  Oggie says he is new to dinghy racing and I would suggest that he takes care to avoid getting into this situation.  The fact that you can't just ram people into the committee boat is covered by giving room to keep clear but it doesn't mean they will.  My advice is to avoid the trap unless you are sure that you are perfectly lined up with no risks of being stuffed up into the mark or committee boat.  I have lost count of the number of times that I have been perfectly lined up and people have barged in and forced me to bear away to avoid damage which also is not always possible on a crowded start line.  Thank god for port biased lines  

I have given that a little more thought now and guess that the advise should not, necessarily, be what rights one has but also the sensible action to avoid getting into a difficult situation.  I remember The Art of Course sailing by Graham Green where I read something like 'here lies the body of Harold Day who insisted on his right of way'  

The reality is that if you approach the starboard start mark (normally a committee boat) from above the lay line it's likely that you will be obliged to go wrong side of the mark or end up having to do a 720.  Even below the lay line on a crowded, starboard biased, line you may get squeezed out.  Better to go just a few lengths down the line than get into all sorts of trouble.  Remember that only one boat ever gets the perfect start at the favoured end of the line.

Edited by rodney - 16 Sep 12 at 3:02pm