at spring fever (not sure if they always do this) they had a system wherein if you were somewhat new/not completely comfy then you could put a flag on your boat so people would understand that and give them a little more room or know that they might need some assistance. I like that.
Seems like one of the TVS teams needed one since one of them fouled us 3 times in one race!

Hahah, kinda like riding the little yellow school bus (at the race)! i would need 2 flags :P

I think its a good idea, because in a race.. i would never want my lack of knowledge/exp to be a factor in anyone else's race... or more importantly safety... and i know locally at least there are several others with even less experience than myself in every race

One of the missions of TVS is to bring younger, more inexperienced teams into the fold and help them get some more tiller time and give them the support they need to be competitive. So yes, its likely that one of them could have fouled you - but if they did their turns then there's no issue.

I didn't really consider that they were inexperienced. I would have made a bigger deal (from an educational POV) if I had thought so- I kind of thought they were just being pricks actually . They didn't do any turns (though at one point I figured we came really close to fouling them back so I yelled out- "that makes us even" for at least one
If I feel that I might have fouled someone during a race but not clearly I always try to find that boat after the finish to check to see what their interpretation was from a personal learning perspective.

If you are fouled and the offending party does not do their turns then you are obligated to file a protest IMO.


Or at least go up to them after the race and talk to them about it to ask them why they obviously felt that they didn't foul you.

How does one really know if the offender did their turns? You're not required to do them immediately .... only before you complete the race. Right?

You would have two boats basically going the same heading,so no threat there of a head on collision.

In match racing you're supposed to do them before you finish. In fleet racing you're supposed to do them as soon as safely possible IIRC.

right
I had a situation at midwinters where I thought I clearly fouled jmac and so we did our turns before finishing. We also got fouled during the race by someone else. We did our turns then went to jmac after and he didn't seem to think we did (or didn't care). I didn't press the issue with the other boat. We were on starboard with the spin, they on port and we saw them and we both crash gybed basically. They thought they had started their gybe in time to allow us to pass. I guess we could have pressed it but I didn't care in the end.

undecided- I didn't know that... so I suppose we didn't do it correctly. Hell, I am not even sure we did the turn correctly
coming to the leeward mark on port. gybed to starboard, headed up, tacked and the went to the mark on starboard

Dont take my word as gospel please. I just take the safe approach because I don't really know.

Doing them ASAP == before the finish so I've got all bases covered.

When you do your turns you should always call over to a boat in the vicinity to witness them.

In fleet racing, the above language governs. ASAP means ASAP, not when it is convenient to do so.

Match racing is completely different.

yeah I always thought that the words "as soon as possible" were a poor choice in this rule.

My manager seriously flies off the handle when anyone uses that term since is sooo subjective.

what dictates if its a 1 turn or 2 turn penalty?

whats the penalty for secretly attaching someones catamaran to a cinder-block?

SIs should state it- if I am not mistaken the rules say 2 turns (720) but most SIs change that to 1 turn (360).. am I wrong?

To all the "confused" people:

I've been as guilty of this as anyone, but I've been trying to turn a new leaf. Before guessing what the RRS says and typing an opinion here, open the book and read it. When posting here, be sure to include the rule number, it will help everyone. Hint: the RRS is also available (free) online on several sites (USSA, ISAF).

At least in my case, when I don't do this, I have often found myself "misremembering" the RRS, which can lead to some embarrasing statements. Any time you open the rule book, it either teaches you something or reinforces something, both of which will help you tremendously on the water when you have no time to be looking things up.

Paraphrasing, but basically, the default rule of 44.1 is, for any violations of Part 2, two turns. Hit a mark, one turn (yes, there are exceptions, look them up).

PTP is right, SIs can (and often do) change the requirements given in RRS 44.1 and 44.2. Most often for cat regattas, we use one-turn for everything.

Here's the most creative change that I've seen (this was for a big-boat regatta):

"RRS 44.1 and 44.2 are changed so that, except for infringements of Part 2 that occur within the zone of a rounding mark or finishing mark only one turn, including one tack and one gybe, is required."

Hope this helps.

Mike

Yes and no. There is no rule that requires a boat to protest. However, the preamble to the rules says:

Although you are not compelled to protest, you are expected to.



Wrong. As mbounds already pointed out, (in fleet racing) the penalty turn(s) must be taken as soon as possible - not when convenient.


It sounds like:
1) you didn't do your turn(s) "as soon as possible", which is incorrect
2) you did one turn - not two. This is not correct according to the rules, unless the Sailing Instructions changed the penalty (which they often do).
3) the turn you describe DOES satisfy the requirement of "one tack and one gybe in the same direction". A penalty turn does not have to be a complete 360 degrees.


No. ASAP means immediately after the incident, not anytime before the finish. See the quote below:




Well, "as soon as possible" is less problematic than the term "promptly" (which occurs later in the rule). In either case, substitute the phrase "without delay" to better interpret rule 44.2.


The penalty for breaking a rule of Part 2 ("When Boats Meet") when racing is two turns - unless the SI's specify differently. The penalty for breaking rule 31 ("Touching A Mark") is one turn. Attaching a cinder-block to someone else's boat would constitute a breach of rule 2 ("Fair Sailing"), and the penalty would be DNE (disqualification non-excludable). If the Protest Committee felt it constituted a "gross breach of sportsmanship", then you might wind up facing greater penalties.

I hope that helps,
Eric
US Sailing Certified Judge
Member, Area D Appeals Committee

It is because you have to watch for less traffic. Fun factor is debatable of course. But reaching remains me, why I like and sail cats and not monos.

Cheers,

Klaus

Isotope:


Answer me this.

If I do my turned "As soon as possible" ... how is that not in the set of timepoints in the superset of "before the finish".

I can't think of any scenario in which doing a turn as soon as you are able to is not before you finish unless you foul someone AT the finish line.

You misunderstood what I wrote.