"ProjectPro" wrote in message
om
Our club prohibits crossing the start / finish line except to start or
finish. The entire area, including nearby extensions of the start /
finish line, are navigable. Our sailing instructions do not modify
RRS 28.1 (the "string" rule) in this regard, so "unwinding" is
permitted.

A handful of sailors had a lively discussion over beer one night
regarding whether the prohibited start / finish line ranks as an
obstruction. It is clearly not a mark - boats can (and do) leave this
area to either side depending on individual polars or tactical
circumstances.

The RRS definitions state that an obstruction is "an object that a
boat could not pass...", but the line is not an object. Further, the
definitions state that "...an area so designated by the sailing
instructions (is) also (an) obstruction...".

Does the prohibition of crossing the line in the sailing instructions
make the "area so designated by the sailing instructions" an
obstruction, or would the SIs have to specifically state that the line
ranks as an obstruction?

If it is desired to treat the line as an obstruction, that is, creating
an entitlement to room under RRS 18, then the SI should explicitly
designate the thing as an obstruction.

But by designating start/finish lines as obstructions, you are
destroying the principles that allow one boat to force another over at
the start.

The effect of your local SI is a rather ham-fisted attempt to do what
the Flag I, Flag Z and Black Flag starting options in RRS 30 provide in
a carefully thought out way (with effective penalties, that won't
require a protest hearing). Why not use the carefully developed rules
provided?

The RRS don't provide a specific rule to keep the finish line clear, but
if this is really a problem, bearing in mind that the SI probhibition
will require a protest hearing to deal with an infringer, then it can
probably be dealt with better by:

* _requesting_ boats not to cross or re-cross the finish line except
when finishing (in the SI, or general notices), (this works fine with
several clubs where I race) and

* locating the finish line sufficiently away from nearby rounding marks
so that boats that are racing do not come near it, for example, 200 m to
windward of the windward mark of the course, or to leeward of the
leeward mark, if a downwind finish.

John