For those who don't know me, I am a US Sailing Judge and Umpire in training (it's a lengthy process), and do a lot of judging at collegiate events in New England. I recently purchased an F18 and am now the Eastern Area Rep. I will try to answer the question about what rules apply at the start in a general fashion, not so much in response to Todd's situation.

Barging is actually never mentioned in the rules, so I try to avoid using that wording.

For the case of overlapped boats approaching the start, the rules that apply are:

Rule 11: WIndward Leeward
Rule 16.1: Right of way boat must give another boat room to keep clear
Rule 17: Proper course (only applies after the start)

Additionally, call C2 provides clarification on the situation

As was mentioned earlier, the preamble of part C states that rule 18 and 19 do not apply at a start mark surrounded by navigable water. There is no mark room for a start mark.

Rule 11 is the main one here. The windward boat is give way and must keep clear, even if that means sailing on the wrong side of the starting mark.

The leeward boat's actions are restricted by rule 16.1, which says a right of way boat must give the keep clear boat room to avoid. Usually this places restrictions on how quickly you can alter. At the boat, rule 16.1 can also restrict the ability of the right of way boat to force a windward boat into the start boat, as outlined in call C2.

Call C2 shows that if a windward boat has already established a position overlapped with the start boat, they can not be forced into the start boat because the leeward boat is not giving them room to keep clear. This doesn't apply very well to the steeplechase situation because of the nature of the start mark allowed the give way boat an out.

Rule 17 talks about proper course, but does not apply before a start. Therefore, a leeward ROW boat can point as high as they like before the start, effectively "closing the door". Rule 17 is important, however, because after the start the right of way boat must sail their proper course, which in most cases would be close hauled, and not above (although sailing above close hauled to make the pin is considered proper course).

I hope this explanation is helpful, and I can definitely try to answer any questions. I will try to post call C2 if I can figure out how to do it!

Best,
Jeff

Great description, Jeff.

On the positive side, this incident shows what barging actually looks like. More often than not, boats with no hope of "closing the door" will claim that others are barging.

Again, while there is no definition of the term, if there is enough space for you to sail between the RC and the closest leeward competitor, you have not barged.

Also, if the leeward boat shuts the door on you, and you avoided her and the RC boat, I would say that you didn't barge. You went for what you thought was an opening, and you were proven wrong. As long as you don't try to force your way in anyway, you haven't done anything illegal.

So, to me anyway, barging is only when you come in with no rights, and force other boats to avoid you so you can get by the RC boat and start where there was no room. Anything else may be an "attempted barge."

Mike

Thanks for the input but rules are easy to look up. This thread is to find how the rules pertain specifically to the situation in the video. There are two camera angles so there is plenty of content to go by.

Your input on this particular situation would be great!

IF there had been a boat instead of a mark bouy, Then there would have been an obstruction, correct? Then the N-20 would have had to given room ,but the ARC22 would have had to hold it's course as high as possible.
This still wouldn't have cleared the fact that the ARC 22 turned way down and drove into the n-20.

No, rule 19 is part of section C and does not apply to a start mark. This includes a RC boat is defined in the definitions:

Mark An object the sailing instructions require a boat to leave on a specified side, and a race committee boat surrounded by navigable water from
which the starting or finishing line extends. An anchor line or an object
attached temporarily or accidentally to a mark is not part of it.

So the ROW boat can take a "barger" up into the RC boat within his rights of the rules?

Of course not. You avoid and protest. But, as mentioned, Call C2 provides an out for windward boats that establish an overlap, so you need to proceed with caution.

Mike

No, that would break rule 16.1

16.1: When a right-of-way boat changes course, she shall give the other
boat room to keep clear.

If a windward boat is already between the right of way boat and the RC, she would not have room to keep clear. Therefore, the right of way boat would break rule 16.1. Team Race call C2 deals with this exact situation (the calls are interpretations of the rules by ISAF).

Call book: http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/TRCallBookforTeamRacingfor20092012updatedNov2010-[9670].pdf

(copy and paste the address, the link is broken)

edited to fix wording in regards to call

Good explanition, Jeff. I'd just like to clarify that rule 17 comes into effect at the starting signal, which is before the boats actually start.

Regards,
Eric

So with all of this being said is there ANYWAY that video could be construed as NOT being Team Wave's fault?

Good point, I apologize if what I wrote was not clear.

The Call Books, Case Book, and Appeals Book are not rules and cannot be treated as such. They are, however, authoritative interpretations of the rules.

The Team Racing Call Book also only applies to team racing, which is not the case here. In this particular instance though, the rule application is the same.

Regards,
Eric

After re-reviewing the tape...

Stray Cats (windward of Wave) did not keep clear of Wave, as it appeared that Wave initially headed up to stop and/or avoid Adrenaline, and in so doing, immediately made contact with Stray Cats. Penalty on Stray Cats.

After that, Wave headed down way too far, and speared Adrenaline. Wave should have held her course higher, and released the sails to slow or stop. I would argue that Wave hitting Adrenaline was entirely the fault of Wave. Penalty on Wave.

Mike

You are absolutely correct on the wording, I apologize for writing that wrong, thanks again. From the introduction to the RRS:

Cases and Calls: The ISAF publishes interpretations of the racing
rules in The Case Book for 2009–2012 and recognizes them as
authoritative interpretations and explanations of the rules. It also
publishes The Call Book for Match Racing for 2009–2012 and The
Call Book for Team Racing for 2009–2012, and it recognizes them as
authoritative only for umpired match or team racing. These publications
are available on the ISAF website.

I agree that the call only applies to Team Racing, but the same rules apply, and I believe the call does a very nice job explaining the situation. In my original post I tried to outline the rules involved, then reference the call as an interpretation from ISAF.

I hope that this discussion is helpful, and will increase understanding for future situations.

ARGUE...

Yes... that is the problem.... WAVE will link the two events and say that first foul caused the second foul... It's an argument that takes into account his boats limitations on steering... If not for Stray cat... he has no problems.. Blame Sraycat for the whole thing.

OR
Wave could also argue that Adrenaline did not fall off to proper course after the start (which is not going to be observed in the video but WAVE saw Adrenaline come up)... Adrenaline will say.... no such action by me... I was not changing course....

Without a hearing... no judge is going to evaluate the collisions. They are explaining the rules applications.

For the sake of argument... the RRS could pitch two of the three boats or even all three boats.... NOW what do the three insurance companies do?

We are back in the responsibility versus liability conundrum.
In the end... if the RRS were not in place (per Mary)... but everyone thinks they are using some version of them... Now what?

PS... the rules are there so everyone has a fair shot at having fun...

I agree, it sure looks like there was a hit, but after reviewing the spin pole camera footage very close (and many times) you can see the camera jerks due to the skipper yanking on the stick, and you can see ... there was no touching (1:25 on the video)

Just watched the video again.Looked close but ok no contact with F-18 and ARC-22. If the ARC-22 has limited steering why would you try to force it in there?
The N-20 was single trapped flying a hull when they hit. He was on powered up and sailing a proper line. Looks like Team Wave was 100% at fault to me. Poor judgment and poor execution led to the hit.

On a kind of ironic point. Watching the video I kept noticing Emergency Repair Tape as a sponsor on the sail.

Apparently, it is okay to screw around and not enforce the sailing rules when sailing Waves. Just attend a Wave NA championship and you will know what I'm talking about! But, beware doing this (barging) sailing other higher performing cats; it may lead to an "Anslie" incident!

I'm just saying....

I feel there is always a little bit of "drift" whenever the rules aren't seriously enforced. As soon as people start getting away with stuff, it becomes "expected" that they can. AND, the beginners aren't going to be happy with the seasoned guys getting away with anything. Remember Juanas a few years ago when the rules were discarded after the fact?

+1