Underhand tactics

   Whilst everyone would like to believe that all sailors are all rule abiding for the entire race, there comes a time in every sailor’s career when they feel the need to go beyond the rules to get some kind of advantage.

What tricks have you done or seen done that have impressed you without the committee or jury noticing or taking action?

I have to admit that I often find myself deliberately letting go of the tiller just before the start to give the impression of not being in total control of the boat!  It’s amazing how much room you get to windward at the start line! 

The most audacious move that I have seen is that a boat capsized just before a gybe mark, drifted downwind a bit and headed off to the leeward mark without rounding the gybe mark.  They got away with it too, lucky  's!!!

The idea of this thread is to give us all light amusement (instead of position of the fortnight, try manoeuvre of the week), but also give us something to look out for people doing on the racecourse…

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lozza Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Far too distracted from work Joined: 23 Sep 04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 262	Post Options Post Reply Quote lozza Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Underhand tactics Posted: 08 Jun 05 at 3:31pm
	Whilst everyone would like to believe that all sailors are all rule abiding for the entire race, there comes a time in every sailor’s career when they feel the need to go beyond the rules to get some kind of advantage. What tricks have you done or seen done that have impressed you without the committee or jury noticing or taking action? I have to admit that I often find myself deliberately letting go of the tiller just before the start to give the impression of not being in total control of the boat! It’s amazing how much room you get to windward at the start line! The most audacious move that I have seen is that a boat capsized just before a gybe mark, drifted downwind a bit and headed off to the leeward mark without rounding the gybe mark. They got away with it too, lucky 's!!! The idea of this thread is to give us all light amusement (instead of position of the fortnight, try manoeuvre of the week), but also give us something to look out for people doing on the racecourse…
	Life's a reach, then you gybe

KnightMare Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 08 Feb 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1682	Post Options Post Reply Quote KnightMare Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jun 05 at 5:09pm
	I dont know about ones that people have got away with but I can give masses on the most stupid time/place to try an underhand tactic. ie finnish line for a port and starboard incident and not doing turns doh


redback Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 16 Mar 04 Location: Tunbridge Wells Online Status: Offline Posts: 1502	Post Options Post Reply Quote redback Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jun 05 at 6:30pm
	I'm sure I've had a spinnaker sheet or the spinnaker itself touch a mark and I've ignored it - I'm sorry to say. But here's a tip, at a distance its not too clear if somebody has touched a mark or not, since the bow wave often just pushes a small mark slightly out of line without contact. However if there has been contact the mark will rotate slightly.

Jon Emmett Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 15 Mar 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 985	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jon Emmett Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jun 05 at 7:03pm
	I understand the thread was mean to be light amusement but I simply cannot agree with: Whilst everyone would like to believe that all sailors are all rule abiding for the entire race, there comes a time in every sailor’s career when they feel the need to go beyond the rules to get some kind of advantage. If you win by cheating then what is the point? Now obviously there are some grey areas. For example how much room is required? Roll to promote steering or just to propel the boat? BUT People who would miss out marks on purpose etc. should be banned from the sport. I simply can not understand how anyone could do this!
	Be Your Own Tactics Coach

ssailor Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Far too distracted from work Joined: 11 Oct 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 430	Post Options Post Reply Quote ssailor Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jun 05 at 7:31pm
	Yeh i agree with what you have said there jon, however for the purpose of this thread maybe we should put in stories about things we have seen other people do, if even just for the sheer amasement that anyone could be stupid/cheap enough to try it!! Theres always those few that will try to get away with things that they know are wrong, maybe here we should voice things we have SEEN solely purposely for a laugh! By the way did you know that in the 18ft skiff class are allowed to hit their tillers against the mark, not suprising really with 4m+ long tillers!! Ours on the 14 are 2m exactly and that seems stupidly long!
	Any one in need of quality carbon fibre work (tillers etc) at decent prices! Int 14 Gbr 1244 'Nucking Futs' The New Port rule!!.

ianwat2212 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 11 Dec 04 Location: South Africa Online Status: Offline Posts: 88	Post Options Post Reply Quote ianwat2212 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jun 05 at 8:07pm
	When I sailed toppers I met some1 who trailed his mainsheet out the back of the boat when goin upwind on starboard in the hope that some1 whould hit it & thus have 2 do turns, I dont recall it ever working tho.
	Fireball RSA 14723 Simonis 35 "Scarlet Sun" SA 1500 Royal Cape Yacht Club

squeek Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 17 Dec 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 43	Post Options Post Reply Quote squeek Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jun 05 at 8:30pm
	at 29er nats my big sis looped her kite sheet round one of the leeward gates, dragged it so it was dead downwind of the other leward gate. along comes me wondering whats up with the gate marks( not knowing its my bl**dy sisters doing ), can't tell which way your menna go through, go through wrong way and so dont get a finish!! however i did get a spot prize 4 the incident!! according 2 big sis this was all apparently unintentional....hum i wonder

Phil eltringham Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 16 Mar 04 Location: England/Hitchin Online Status: Offline Posts: 1105	Post Options Post Reply Quote Phil eltringham Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jun 05 at 8:52pm
	someone stole the bung out of the back of my laser when it was mored up on a pontoon one day, i didn't realise till after the race, still beat the guy that did it tho . I always check my bungs now.
	FLAT IS FAST! Shifts Happen

hurricane Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 15 Mar 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1047	Post Options Post Reply Quote hurricane Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jun 05 at 9:59pm
	got barged off a finish line at this years nationals by the class chairman
	lifes to short to sail slow boats! RIP Olympic Tornado 1976-2007

redback Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 16 Mar 04 Location: Tunbridge Wells Online Status: Offline Posts: 1502	Post Options Post Reply Quote redback Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 09 Jun 05 at 12:19am
	New to the club and rounding the leeward mark on the inside in my Laser. Sheeted in and pulled the Commodore out of his Wayfarer by the neck - that'll teach him not to get too close at the leeward mark!