Sculling ISAF interpretation 2010

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Sculling ISAF interpretation 2010

Postby s vernon » Mon Feb 07, 2011 1:20 pm

From time to time the discussion between racers turns to the distasteful subject of sculling. Legal sculling - yes there is such a thing - is somewhat limited.

You will have to copy and paste the following link, but I have written the pertinent information from the pdf below.

http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/ ... 2010final-[8881].pdf

The situation that affects us is the following:

42.3 Exceptions
(d) When a boat is above a close-hauled course and either stationary or moving slowly, she may scull to turn to a close-hauled course.

INTERPRETATIONS (Sculling to Turn the Boat)
SCULL 1 Provided the boats course is above close-hauled and she clearly changes direction towards a close-hauled course, repeated forceful movements of the helm are permitted, even if the boat gains speed. She may turn to a close-hauled course on either tack.

SCULL 2 After a boat has sculled in one direction, further connected sculling to offset the first sculling action is prohibited.

SCULL 3 Sculling to offset steering of the boat caused by backing a sail is prohibited.

42.3 Exceptions
(e) A boat may reduce speed by repeatedly moving her helm.

(g) To get clear after grounding or colliding with another boat or object, a boat may use force applied by the crew of either boat and any equipment other than a propulsion engine.

The following is interesting as it makes us realize (in case we cannot read / I missed it) that the boat can to go from stopped or moving slowly on a course above close hauled on one tack, thru the eye of the wind and down to a close hauled course on the other tack, all the while sculling madly and gaining speed.

We have to accept that these are the rules we signed up to play by.

Here is an opinion from Butch Ulmer who has acted as a judge and umpire.

http://www.ukhalsey.com/blog/post/Rule- ... lsion.aspx

Theres one action at the starting line thats allowed even though we might not think of it as the best seamanship. If a boat is moving slowly and is above close hauled, shes allowed to scull her way down to a close-hauled course. This rule-42 exception might be thought of as a mercy clause if the wind is very light, a boat caught in irons might have no other way to turn to a close-hauled course and get moving again other than sculling to turn the boat. We didnt want to leave boats sitting in irons, so we allowed that specific action. But note that the exception is very restrictive: the boat must be above close-hauled when she starts sculling, and she has to turn toward a close-hauled course (which might mean going through head to wind and onto the opposite tack).

Scott
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Postby tag1945 » Tue Feb 08, 2011 8:24 am

Scott has the right information.

I would add that the simple way for us to monitor this scull situation is, a boat must be turning when sculling. If the boat is moving forward, the skipper is breaking rule 42.2.

42.2 Prohibited Actions

Without limiting the application of rule 42.1, these actions are prohibited:

(d) sculling: repeated movement of the helm that is either forceful or that <b><u>propels the boat forward or prevents her from moving astern</u></b>;
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