Racing Rules: Informing of intent to protest

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Informing of intent to protest

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Racing Rules
Forum Discription: Discuss the rules and your interpretations here
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12643
Printed Date: 25 Jun 25 at 9:42am
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Topic: Informing of intent to protest

Posted By: ClubRacer
Subject: Informing of intent to protest
Date Posted: 25 Jan 17 at 11:32pm

scenario

contact is made between boat A on starboard and boat B on port,

both boats are still sailing next to each other but A doesn't inform boat B of their intent to protest them

is after the race now too late to inform Boat B of said protest

Also to what extent do you have to inform them of the protest. For example can you get away with "you need to do your turns"

61 PROTEST REQUIREMENTS 61.1 Informing the Protestee (a) A boat intending to protest shall inform the other boat at the first reasonable opportunity. When her protest will concern an incident in the racing area that she was involved in or saw, she shall hail ‘Protest’ and conspicuously display a red flag at the first reasonable opportunity for each. She shall display the flag until she is no longer racing. However, (1) if the other boat is beyond hailing distance, the protesting boat need not hail but she shall inform the other boat at the first reasonable opportunity; (2) if the hull length of the protesting boat is less than 6 metres, she need not display a red flag; (3) if the incident was an error by the other boat in sailing the course, she need not hail or display a red flag but she

Replies:

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 26 Jan 17 at 12:16am

The cases and examples suggest that "protest" needs to be the word used, used first, and "do your turns" doesn't hack it. Worse still saying anything before you say protest means that it doesn't count as first reasonable opportunity and the protest will probably get thrown out.

To my mind this is a dreadful state of affairs. IMHO its the one glaring fault in the rules. A failure of process by the innocent party should not be a complete get out of gaol free for the guilty.

Posted By: Neptune
Date Posted: 26 Jan 17 at 8:21am

Went to rules chat a few weeks ago with regional rules guy Chris Simon, who suggested your protest wouldn't be thrown out if protest wasn't your first word, but at least needed to be early on In the inevitable on water "discussion". He suggested making it your first word was unreasonable in heat of the moment.

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Musto Skiff and Solo sailor