Rules Observance

Originally posted by 423zero Brass, I am not convinced yet, that on the water policing is a wrong or in any way detrimental to our sport. .

BASIC PRINCIPLES

SPORTSMANSHIP AND THE RULES

Competitors in the sport of sailing are governed by a body of rules that they are expected to follow and enforce. A fundamental principle of sportsmanship is that when competitors break a rule they will promptly take a penalty, which may be to retire.

CASE 39

Sportsmanship and the Rules

Rule 60.2(a), Right to Protest; Right to Request Redress or Rule 69 Action

A race committee is not required to protest a boat. The primary responsibility for enforcing the rules lies with the competitors.

World Sailing Race Management Policies, which are referenced as Part S of the Race Management Manual suggests limits on protests by race officers, effectively to serious breaches of the rules that may not have been observed by other competitors.

19. Race Committee Protests 19.1 Since the primary responsibility for protesting breaches of the rules rests with competitors, the race management team will not normally protest a boat.

19.2 The race management team may protest a boat in the following circumstances:

(a) A breach of a sailing instruction that may not be protested by another boat;

(b) An apparent breach of good sportsmanship (Rule 2);

(c) Failing to take a penalty after knowingly touching a mark, but not protesting another boat (does not apply for windsurfers);

(d) Failing to sail the course (Rule 28)  

9.6. RACE COMMITTEE PROTESTS

Since the primary responsibility for protesting breaches of the rules rests with competitors, the race committee will not normally protest a competitor. ... t is considered best practice to only protest a boat for a blatant breach of the rules that affects the fairness of a race such as failing to take a penalty after knowingly touching a mark or failing to sail the course. The race committee would also normally protest a competitor for a breach of good sportsmanship. 

Edited by Brass - 23 Oct 17 at 2:45am

Originally posted by ohFFsake I believe on water policing can be a very good thing, but it is difficult to do well and fairly. Hence why jurors hunt in pairs ;-) Coached racing is also a good thing, as long as all the sailors are aware of it, and are happy that a slight incline has been applied to the playing field, albeit for the greater good.

Originally posted by Brass  A good motto is 'leave the racing to the racers'.

An excellent example of this was at a Champs I attended decades ago. A member or members of the race team believed they saw a boat touch a mark and instituted a protest. Rerounding (as it was then) wouldn't have affected positions as the nearest boats were pretty spaced out. The class was pretty upset about this, and all boats that were vaguely in sight acted as witnesses to say they'd seen no touch.
In spite of this the PC elected to DSQ the boat. The resultant bad feeling was so great that the class elected to hold the prize giving in the dinghy park without club officials present and never returned to the venue.

Davidyacht, apologies for misquote.
Been a very useful and informative thread, still not convinced self policing will work on it's own.
When were rules mainly formulated ?
2000's a different world to the 1950's.
Rule 19.2 effectively covers what I have been doing anyway.
Perhaps a balance between the two extremes, no control at all, to totally controlled racing.
Tailor response to match severity of problems, reducing response when appropriate.

Originally posted by Brass It's an unfortunate feature of conflict of interest that when this happens, people tend to jump to conclusions.

Always worth remembering that although following conflict of interest regulations may have limited effect on restricting deliberate bad behaviour, they can be of considerable benefit in protecting the innocent from unjust accusations.