Do you think that a person in a boat should be calling OCS at the start? The boat would be floating at the far end of the starting line, 150 to 200 feet away from the bell, which is onshore.

Since sound travels at slightly more than 1000 feet per second, OCS would be called based on the positions of the boats about .15 to .2 seconds after the sound of the bell as heard by the RC member working the start box and the competitors who are standing onshore. An excellent legal start might be called “over early”.

One opinion would be that I should not ask this question on the discussion group, but I think it is something that needs public clarification.

Yep, there are several things that could be said. There was a discussion in the Rules section about being perfect. I think calling it as you see it is good enough. If one needs to be within a fraction of a second then they are going to live with disappointment. If you are called over early then head for an outside starting mark. There is nothing you can do. You have already done it.

Second, if it is so darn important to cover the speed of sound, offer a solution or alternative. Then there is focus for discussion.

I think it is obvious that it is a lot easier to accurately site the line while standing on land than bobbing around in a boat and it would be better to have 2 people on land than one on land and one in a boat, besides the introduction of a small but acceptable timing error. I hope this concept gets reconsidered and I am glad it is not widespread.

Please!
Let's sail and give the RC some slack.
It is not just calling boats to the water and awarding the trophies.
The RD job SUCKS! We want to be sailing, but know that we must run regattas to keep the cycle going.
The speed of sound:REALLY ?
As a great competitor recently posted:If you are not OCS 1 in 10 you really aren't trying.
Let's enjoy a novel way to call starts-wish they had pix;did it at Stowe 2 yrs ago.

In my experience with big boats, EC 12's and dinghys, over early sailors MOST ALWAYS disagree with the call, BUT a person whose job it is to make the call is watching from a vantage point and focus that is far better than that of the sailor's. Sail on and don' t be too agressive. Sailors succeed by making the fewest mistakes. Over early is a mistake. Overly agtessive sailing is a risk that fosters mistakes.

May the force be with y'all!

Yota

Dug into the cobwebs of my mind and files and found this portion of the AMYA Regatta Procedures in the 1984 rev. 1986 AMYA HANDBOOK.

7.1 A skipper may control his model yacht from any position he so desires on the shoreline, unless the Regatta Director deems it necessary to define a 'Control Area' for racing skippers.
7.2 It is recommended that skippers stay within easing hearing distance of skippers whose model yachts are close, so that 'hailing for right of way' can be acknowledged in time to avoid protest situations..
7.3 Mark judges will station themselves so they have the same viewpoint of the marks as is used by racing skippers, and can judge only their designated mark(s).

It is not in the 2010 Revision on line, but having mark judges with vastly different perspectives from the competitors have might not be good practice for regatta management. I think the perspective is more important that speed of light or sound.

Do you think that a person in a boat should be calling OCS at the start? The boat would be floating at the far end of the starting line, 150 to 200 feet away from the bell, which is onshore.

Current RRS Appendix E covers this in Section 3.

E3 PART 3 CONDUCT OF A RACE
E3.1 Races with Observers
The race committee may appoint race observers, who may be
competitors. They shall remain in the control area while boats are
racing and they shall hail and repeat the identity of boats that contact
a mark or another boat. Such hails shall be made from the control
area. Observers shall report all unresolved incidents to the race
committee at the end of the heat.

Surely this applies to start line observers as well

In a Regatta last year, the mark Judge was on shore using binoculars
All marks were hot,
The Judge was calling mark contacts that the skipper had no way of detecting.

It did not seem fair at the time

Based on what i read here, it does not seem proper

This is an old issue and one that got pretty heated some time ago. There is no rule in the RRS that prohibits the use of binoculars by the RC. However, they often have huge fleets and a very long start line to deal with in big boats. We do not have that issue in model sailing and it goes to reason that if the marks are so far out that the RC needs binoculars to see them, then they are too far off shore for the competitors. If it is that hard to call a mark for the judge, then how hard is it for the sailor who has both hands on his radio and no way to hold a pair of binoculars up to his face? Also, if the mark is that far off shore, chances are there are a lot of fouls at that mark.

It is not about an unfair advantage, it is about common sense. MOVE THE MARK IN CLOSER!

If the RC is using binoculars, they are either too lazy to move the mark or not willing to set up a decent course or both. Sorry to be so blunt.

Move the mark and leave the binoculars at home.