Q&A 2008-02

Originally posted by Ralph T

   Just came across the following Q&A on the ISAF which was published 12 May 2008

Question 1 With respect to the definition of finish, does the condition "in normal position" refer also to the hull?
Answer 1 No, the normal position refers to crew or equipment only. The commas before and after “or crew or equipment” in normal position limit the normal-position requirement only to the crew and equipment.
Question 2 - With respect to the definition of Finish, the Terminology paragraph of the Introduction and the second part of rule 47.2, does a capsized boat correctly finish if she crosses the finishing line when:
a) all of the crew members are (somehow) on board even though the boat is capsized,
b) some of the crew members are not on board but are very close to the boat and trying to straighten it out , and
c) some of the crew members are not on board because they have become disconnected from the boat and its equipment, but are swimming to reach the capsized boat?
Answer 2 Yes. It is normal for dinghies to capsize and therefore a capsized dinghy and its crew in the water are in a normal position. It follows that a boat finishes correctly in all of the conditions stated in the question.
Also, the boat does not break rule 47.2 while the crew are making all reasonable attempts to recover the boat and get back on board provided they are not making any attempt to progress the position of the boat in the race. If they attempt to ‘swim’ the boat across the finishing line, they would break both rule 47.2 and rule 42.1, and possibly rule 2.
Is it me or is Answer 2 absurd?? Surely reference to normal position was meant to be when a boat was racing up to & across the finish line, not when it was lying in the water with the rest of the fleet sailing past it.
I accept that there are rules relating to when a boat is racing & under this rule, a capsized boat is still 'racing' in relation to adherence to the rules. However, our sport is a 'first past the post' sport, not who did it with the best style. 
There was a time when the Aussies would throw some of the crew out on the last leg to lighten the weight. It looks as though this is now allowed again
Hopefully, there will be a rule change in November to bring some sense to this situation  