Rule 18 Scenario 2

Facts of the Scenario:

At 3 boat lengths Yellow is overlapped with Blue. Blue is sailing on a course toward the mark. She continues on this course until she reaches 2 boat lengths and then turns down to give room to Yellow at the mark. At position 3 Yellow turns down to sail to the mark and her boom makes contact with Blue. They round the mark without further contact.

1. At position 2 who has right of way
2. At position 2 what rule(s), if any, does Blue break
3. At position 2 what rules(s), if any, does Yellow break
4. At position 3 who has right of way
5. At position 3 what rule(s), if any, does Blue break
6. At position 3 what rule(s), if any, does Yellow break
7. Who should be DSQ; Blue, Yellow, neither

In response to Dick's comments and to stimulate conversation about Rule 14, I add the following facts to the scenario: Yellow's boom hit Blue's hull scratching it, requiring buffing to remove the scratch.

Does this constitute damage requiring disqualification under Rule 14? If yes, who should be disqualified? If no, why not?

Rule 18 Scenario 1 Poll

Okay it's time to decide this case. Vote on how you would decide this case in the poll on the sidebar.

1. DSQ Yellow

2. DSQ Blue

3. DSQ Both

4. DSQ Neither

Rule 18 Scenario 1

I am going to post a series of Rule 18 Scenarios to highlight some of the issues to think about at the leeward mark. There are no cases published yet, so we will need to rely on what we have been told by Dick Rose at the seminar and the paper he has published for the correct way of interpreting new Rule 18. I have emailed the paper to you all. For those of you that did not get a copy of the paper, I've added a link to it on the side bar.

Here are the facts of this scenario:

Blue, Green and Yellow are sailing on starboard tack toward the leeward mark to be left to Starboard. The waves 1-2 feet, and the wind is 10 knots. When Green and Blue reach the zone Green is overlapped inside Blue and Yellow is not overlapped with either boat. At position 3 Yellow is sailing with more speed, sees a space and moves inside Blue. At position 4 Blue luffs head to wind to stay out of Greens bad air and to “close the door” on Yellow. Yellow immediately responds to avoid Blue, but is forced into the mark and Blue is forced to bear away to avoid contact with Yellow. Blue protests Yellow for breaking Rule 18.2(b) and Rule 11. Yellow protests Blue for breaking Rule 16.1.

How do you decide this case?

A good discussion and I will summarize the issues and give you how I would decide it based on the facts in the Scenario.

1. You should notice that there is a major change in the rules that applies to this scenario. Under the old rules rule 16 did not apply to a right of way boat that was changing course to round a mark (Rule 18.2(d)). In this case the right of way boat is Blue and she changed course head to wind to round the mark so Rule 16 didn’t apply under the old rules. Yellow would be DSQ under Rule 11 because she forced Blue to bear away to avoid her and she was not entitled to room by Rule 18.2(b). There was no need to discuss proper course because the rule was just turned off. The new rule has a new Section 18.5 Exoneration that says a boat will be exonerated by part (b), “if, by rounding the mark on her proper course, she breaks a rule of Section A or Rule 15 or 16.” Now you need to determine if the boat was rounding to her proper course to be exonerated for breaking a rule of Section A or rule 15 and 16.

2. Did Blue break Rule 16? Rule 16.1 says, “When a right-of-way boat changes course, she shall give the other boat room to keep clear. Room is, “The space a boat needs in the existing conditions while maneuvering promptly in a seaman like way.” When Blue forces Yellow into the mark Yellow was not able to maneuver in a seaman like way so clearly Blue breaks rule 16.1.

3. Did Blue sail her proper course? Because Blue was clearing her air I believe this can be considered her proper course and she should be exonerated by Rule 18.5. If you take Green out of the scenario, I would not exonerate Blue under 18.5 because luffing head to wind can not then be justified as a proper course.

4. This last issue was pointed out to me by my 13 year old daughter. Wasn't Yellow compelled to break the rules by Blue’s breach of 16.1, so shouldn’t she then be exonerated by 64.1(c)? Has my daughter found a flaw with the new rule structure of not turning off certain rules but just exonerating a boat for a breach of the rules? I frankly can’t find a way out of this. Anyone else have any ideas? perhaps 64.1 needs to be rewritten so as not to apply 64.1(c) when the other boat is exonerated by another rule.

My decision, until convinced otherwise, is to exonerate both Blue and Yellow. Blue under 18.5 and Yellow under 64.1(c).

I have been convinced that Yellow still breaks 18.2 (b) and cannot be exonerated under 64.1(c) for that. She can be exonerated for hitting the mark but would still be DSQ for 18.2(b). And, if we decided Blue didn't sail her proper course then Blue would be DSQ for 16.1 and Yellow would not have broken 18.2(b) and would be exonerated under 64.1(c) for hitting the mark. Oh well it was fun while it lasted.

Rules Quiz #5

I posted this quiz to highlight a change in the rules. If you were not aware 17.2 is deleted in the new rules. This rule didn't allow yellow to sail below her proper course. Therefore, under the old rules at both position 2 and position 5 yellow would have broken old rule 17.2. As I think this scenario demonstrates this rule is completely unnecessary. There are plenty of rules to protect the leeward/clear astern boat on a run. I can honestly say I routinely ignored 17.2 coming into a leeward mark when trying to make sure there was no overlap at the zone.

As for the correct answer all were correct that Yellow should be DSQ. I think the writers of the question failed to give us an important piece of information. Was there an overlap established when yellow turned down between positions 4 and 5? Since the question did not indicate an overlap, I would say technically the correct answer is Yellow breaks Rule 16.1, and Blue breaks Rule 12 and is exonerated. However, practically looking at the diagram it is hard to see how yellow can turn down as she did and not create an overlap. So a Rule 11 violation for Yellow and 16.1 for Blue with Blue being exonerated, is also a reasonable answer. Either way Yellow is DSQ and Blue is exonerated.

Rules Quiz #4

I think this has been an interesting discussion the answers given by Dick and Brass were spot on. We all have to remember that although they haven't defined continuing obstruction, they have defined what it is not, "a vessel underway including a boat racing is never a continuing obstruction". This has changed a few things in the rules and some of the cases and appeals will need to be updated for this change. Under the old rules Vicky's interpretation could have been correct with yellow being a continuing obstruction. But, not with the new definition of obstruction.

If you get a chance go to the SA post by Brass. It is evident that the way that rule 20 is now structured has many confused as to what are the responsibilities of the hailed boat when there is an improper hail. In the old rules the rule didn't apply in certain circumstances and the hailed boat could safely ignore the hail without breaking the rule in those cases. This does not appear to be true any more. It seems that the hailed boat must respond to the improper hail and then protest. I assume this was changed due to concerns over safety if the hail is ignored.

Bring your questions to the seminar tomorrow and we'll see what insight Dick Rose can give us.

I've posted a case and an appeal for a response to Dick's comment.

Meeting Notes/Bill Receiving US Sailing Leadership Award

Bill Honored by US Sailing

Bill Received the US Sailing Leadership award. You can go to Tugboat Annie's to view the award in the trophy case.

Bill Buchan wrote a nice letter that Steve read at the presentation. Go to the link below to read it.

http://www.ssssclub.com/a/billaward.htm#link

Meeting Notes

On Wednesday January 14th we had a meeting to discuss the upcoming season. We had to relocate the meeting to the TYLI conference room due to a scheduling conflict with the Viewpoint Room at Westbay. The following is an outline of the discussion:

1. Schedule - A proposal was made to modify the racing schedule to race every Monday rather than the current alternating Monday-Thursday schedule. The first race will be Monday May 4th with two series running concurrently so that on alternate Mondays will be different series. If you can't make it every week you can pick a series to attend on alternate Mondays. The motion passed and the racing schedule will be modified on the SSSS website.

2. Race Fee - A proposal was brought to charge a $20 race fee to help cover the cost of race management. The fee is to be paid by the end of the first series or you will not be scored in the series. It would be preferable to pay the race fee at the launch. The treasurer (Myra) will collect the fee. The motion passed.

3. Launching and Moorage - There will be two launch dates the last week in March and 2 weeks later April 11th. The Launch fee is $25 and the moorage fee is $25/month ($150 for the summer). Same as last year, what a bargain!!

4. Black Star - Myra will be heading up the effort for the Black Star again and the first meeting will be January 26th at George and Betty Hanson's house. The raffle will be scaled back this year because of the effort involved, and she would like to raffle some items at the SSSS meetings and just have a few nice items to raffle at the Regatta. Jack De Meyer as offered to do RC again this year. Thanks Jack!! We have had some ideas floated for the T-shirts, and we need them brought to the first meeting for discussion.

5. Districts - BISF is hosting the Star District Championships this year on August 8th and 9th. We are going to make it similar to the Black Star with various divisions. Awards will be given for each division, but to be eligible for the district championship you will need to meet the requirements of the class. Derek was concerned about the wind in August and Bill appointed him wind czar for the regatta. An organizing committee will be formed later this year after the Black Star.

6. Sailing Instructions - Without objections the sailing instructions will remain essentially the same as last year with the Rules being changed to the current RRS 2009-12.

7. Sailing Instruction - Some indicated that they would like to have another sailing clinic and perhaps something once a month like the video that John Thompson showed last year. Norm will try to arrange the Visser Clinic again this year, and we will try to get something for February and March.

Please comment if you have anything to add to the notes

Rules Quiz #3

This is a typical situation. Let's see how the new rules apply and if there are any game changers. There is one additional question I would like to add.

7. At position 3 who has right of way White or Blue?

If you got your new rule book you will have noticed that there are some important differences in the structure of the rules at marks. In the old rules your position was set at the zone but the rule didn't turn on until you were "about to round or pass the mark" and room was only defined as the room necessary to pass the mark. Now mark-room is defined as "room to sail to the mark and to sail your proper course at the mark" and the rule is turned on when the first boat reaches the zone (which is now 3 boat lengths) not when you are about to round or pass a mark. So as an outside boat, the requirements for providing mark-room starts much earlier in the rounding in the new rules.

Another important difference is that previously the rules of Part C took precedence over the rules of Parts A and B (read the preamble to part C in the old rules). This is no longer the case. In effect the rules in Part C now act more like limitations to the right of way boat rather than changing who has right of way. In this way the Part C rules now act more like the Rules in Part B. This is semantics in some ways, but it makes the new rules more consistent than the old Part C rules.

I think in the end most got the correct answers. I've posted Case 59 that covers the situation in this quiz for your reference. Note that the cases have not yet been published for the new rules so the rules called out in the case are for the old rules.

Here are my "official" answers to the quiz:

1. No - Orange reaches the zone and White does not have an overlap so White must give Orange mark-room per rule 18.2(b).

2. Yes - White has is overlapped with Blue when she reaches the zone so Blue must give mark-room to White.

3. Yes - Same reason as 2 above.

4. Blue - Green is clear astern at position 2 so by Rule 12 Blue has right of way.

5. Blue - Green is overlapped to windward of Blue at position 3, so by Rule 11 Blue has right of way.

6. No - Green must give Blue mark-room because there was no overlap at the zone so she better be careful to give Blue room to sail her proper course at the mark.

7. Blue - Blue is leeward boat and has right of way by Rule 11. But she
is limited by Rule 18.2(b) and must give mark-room to White.

Rules Quiz #2

This was an interesting question because of the part that said that Yellow admitted to breaking the rules purposely to help her position. This is a clear violaton of Rule 2, Fair Sailing. Also, as Dave pointed out Rule 41.1(b) is pretty clear that if you break a rule and it gives you an advantage, then you must retire. So in this case Yellow breaks Rules 2, 11 and 41.1(b) and should be disqualified with the score not being excluded from her series score (DNE). Vickie’s Answers were spot on.

Now to the question of Rule 69 and “Gross Misconduct”; Case 65 demonstrates what is required to constitute a violation of Rule 69. In Case 65 the individual knowingly broke a rule and went out of their way to hurt another competitor. I’ve Posted Case 65 for your reference. Rule 69 involves a serious allegation of cheating, which I do not think is applicable in this case.

The other outstanding question is if we can we take a scoring penalty in our Star Racing. The answer is no. The Scoring Penalty must be specified in the Sailing Instructions to be in effect (read Rule 44.1). Also our SI specifies the “Two-Turns Penalty” for a violation of the rules of Part 2 (read Section 10 of our SI).