regatta protest culture

[s vernon]

http://www.angelfire.com/de2/WIT/Pictor ... uiz_1.html

See Case 14

I am trying to figure out the EC12 regatta protest culture.

Soon after the start I am pointing higher than the boat above me. I tell him “Upâ€

[Doug Wotring]

I don't have an answer for you but I have an interesting rules site.

http://www.isafrules.com/casebookstartpage.swf

[kahle67]

I feel your pain Scott. There is nothing that pisses me off more. Sometimes you need to hail a second time just a little louder to get the other skippers attention (maybe again and again). No, you can't just turn up and hit him suddenly as that would be an infraction of rule 16 and you would both be thrown out. Sail your course and if contact is the result, then it is the other boats fault for sailing down on you. Whatever you do, do not slow down or become entangled. If you have to dive, go ahead and then protest. JUST KEEP MOVING!

Yes, you are right. Just after the start is one of the most critical times during a race and it is essential to find clear air and crossing lanes. You definately do not want to be forced to sail towards the wrong side of a shift and end up at the back of the pack at a crowded first weather mark.

If the same skipper does it again after another start, throw him in the lake.

Reichard Kahle



PS- Just kidding about that last sentence

[Matthew Houghton]

Were you kidding Reichard...

[Larry Ludwig]

Yes... throwing him in the lake is absurd... and shame on your for even suggesting it. Any child knows you just pretend to trip and bump him into the lake. If that doesn't work... pick up his transmitter and exclaim loudly something is wrong with that stupid thing... it has quit working again.. SEE??? move a stick and nothing happens on your boat..... and you have had it and pitch THAT into the lake.

[MichaelJ2K]

Match racing usually resolves those issues.[:D] Probably the best way to learn the rules.

[PegLeg]

Scott

Please do not hollar "up". That is not a rule, Rather say to the offending oaf "sail XX windward boat must keep clear. (rule 11). If there is no action taken to keep clear then say "Sail XX Protest" If the penalty turn(s) are not taken then by all means follow through to the concluding "educational event".

The sailor who knows the rules will take his penalty if waranted. The guy who thinks he knows the rules will shout to intimidate or distract you from your sailing.

Racing is an emotional experience for most of us, and when a bozo ruins your "perfect race" with a rules violation it is infuriating at best. But in the end all the moaning and groaing will not change the situation. In the long run Bozo will sink to the level he deserves especially if he is moved along the way with a few protests being held against him.

My experience is that most rules infractions are the result of an error in judgement made far from the boats involved. Some of the "accidents" are taken as a personal assualt and the rhetoric gets very intense. and no one benefits! Beter to have a protest settled by a committee than in a shouting contest.

I rather like the new sailing instruction that goes something like "Any words used beyond "PROTEST" at a rules infraction, will result in a DSQ by the RD without either a hearing or an appeal." This has really cooled things off hereabouts.

The ISAF rules site in Dougs reply is an excellent one. I can only hope that those who need it will take the time to go through it completely.

Also I strongly disagree with Michael's notion that match racing forces you to learn the rules. Nonsense! Match racing (if run properly) runs to a different set of rules (Appendix C) and really teaches you to stay the hell away from any possible contact. Fleet racing makes you keep track of more than one competitor and provides at least one order of magnitude more opportunity for encountering other boats under differing circumstances.



However in the final analysis the best strategy is to get out front and stay there (if you can).

Pete[}:)]